Quietly Awaiting Demolition

After being home to numerous businesses including a restaurant, co-op and bakery, Piggly Wiggly and other stores, the old Fairhope Hardware store and mural at the corner of Fairhope Ave and Church St are about to be demolished. Built in 1922, the building most recently housed Fairhope Hardware until closing in 2017. Fairhope artist Ameri’ca Tickle spent six weeks painting the mural in 2003 and later, due to fading, repainted it in 2014. Inspired by Australian Aboriginal art, the colorful mural centers on marine life and was known as Aboriginal Sealife. The City of Fairhope approved a permit for demolition after the building was deemed unsafe.