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It's hard to forget you're standing on the heels of history in the Historic 4th Avenue North Business District. All of the markers that line the street tell a story of perseverance and community �� but if you want to find a personal connection to it, just ask Greg Gratton. "They want to find Green Acres," Gratton. >> BACK IN BUSINESS: The latest upgrades to the historic Carver TheaterGratton is the second-generation owner of Green Acres Cafe. The popular fried chicken joint has been at the location on 4th Avenue North since 1991 but even before then, it was a staple in the district. "We was across the street where the federal building bought the property and that's where pawn shops, clothing stores was and prior to that, we were across the park adjacent to 16th Street Baptist Church where we opened up in 1958," Gratton said. Gratton was 7 years old in 1958 when the cafe, run then by his father Charles Gratton, began its marriage with the 4th Avenue North Business District �� an area known then as an anchor for the ongoing civil rights movement as it was just a stone's throw away from the 16th Street Baptist Church, the A.G. Gaston Motel and the Carver Theater. "This was the center of African-American culture, social life as well as architecture," Ivan Holloway said. >> LIVING OUT THEIR CREED: A Birmingham co-working space’s efforts to boost Black business ownersHolloway is the executive director of Urban Impact, a non-profit started 42 years ago that manages the revitalization of the district and strives to educate about its importance. "It gave us an opportunity to really express ourselves in ways that we probably couldn't in other parts of Birmingham," Holloway said. "This particular area really gave us the freedom to exchange ideas, but to exchange economics, exchange empowerment and be a part of the American economy. Having a district where we could showcase our best and brightest was really one of the things that kept this district vibrant over the years."Birmingham native Clifford Odom recalled what it was like for him as a child. "Fourth Avenue in Birmingham?" Odom said. "This was the place. We didn't have to go over in Mountain Brook, or Homewood or Vestavia. The Black district was so large. We almost 200 something stores here. Barbershops, tailoring shops, retail, Birmingham was full of businesses. Beauty parlors, nightclubs, bars. This was the hangout. It was booming in the '40s, '50s, and '60s." >> DETERMINED DJ’s: How Birmingham’s Black radio stars transcended color and transformed Alabama’s airwavesBut over the years after the civil rights movement, Holloway said that changed."It absolutely lost a lot of its initial charm and I would say it's because we began to divest and invest in other places," Holloway said. The loss of investment meant buildings like the Colored Masonic Temple sat empty and abandoned storefronts became a common sight in that part of town, but Holloway doesn't believe it'll be like that for long. "This is a very unique opportunity to tell Black history and the story of civil rights and then be connected to it on the economic side," Holloway explained. In 2019, Urban Impact was selected to join a statewide effort to build stronger communities through downtown and neighborhood revitalization through Main Street Alabama. Now, with new investments being made, there is the recently renovated Carver Theater and the Colored Masonic Temple is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. There are also grants available to support small Black business owners who move into the area. Holloway believes it's all about the reimagining of the historic business district. "As we draw more people to the national monument because of the revitalized A.G. Gaston Motel, I think it's very important that we have restaurants, hotels, that we have other experiences that give people an opportunity to really feel what this district is really about," Holloway said. "That level of investment is needed throughout the district so that people can really appreciate what the initial investment was about but more importantly, what it speaks to in today's society. Helping people understand the importance of attracting more Black businesses to this area so that there is synergy not only around the types of businesses and there's more of an experience when you visit this area."They are ideas Gratton said he can get behind, knowing how much the district means to him and his legacy. "I want to see it boom," Gratton said. "I want to see it prosper. I want to see us have lights on 4th Avenue like they do in Las Vegas. That's my vision of Downtown Birmingham. We have the Magic City Barbershop, they've been here at least 70 years, we have Jessie Nelson that's been here at least 75 years so there's still legacy in this area and it's being carried on by the children. Tourists go to 16th Street Baptist Church, they go to the Civil Rights Institute, they see pictures of what this area was like and when they leave out, they want to experience it and so they come here, they experience walking in history and that's the way I want to keep and I will keep it like that as long as I can.">> ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: A look at the impact of Black Birmingham business mogul A.G. GastonOdom believes one must remember the past to honor the present. "We had our own right here," Odom said. "And they did everything in the world to destroy it but it's still hanging in there."Now, Holloway sees the momentum building to propel the Historic 4th Avenue North Business District toward the future. "We've had so many great successes under a great deal of duress and we can take that success and really understand it and do something different that is meaningful and productive and really supports our local economy even today," Holloway said. "That's probably the biggest part of the story is where we came from and what opportunities are for the future. I want people when they visit Birmingham to be able to see a flourishing business district, a flourishing set of entrepreneurs that are continuing to tell the story of the civil rights movement but more importantly, where we are today and where we can be in the future. Going forward, I see it as an opportunity to really create an economy for tourists, for residents to really be a part of the growing theme of civil rights but more importantly being a part of the tourism industry. This is a place where it is a living journey of knowledge."