The Summit

Cool outdoor mall!
We went here for lunch and shopping. It is a nice area with many restaurants and stores. Nice landscaping as well.

Oh «The Summit». How I want to give you 5 stars. But your parking and traffic are a nightmare everyday and all year. Other then that I love to come see you. I love how all your shops have exterior entrances instead of being inside a building. I can walk into a Barnes and Nobels and then into Trader Joe’s. I can get my manly shave on at The Art of Shaving or find a nice Michael Kors watch for the wife. Get some food at some great restaurants and finish it off with a popsicle. Find pants for my nonstop growing teenager at Old Navy or catch a movie at the theater. Your shops are considered high end but sometimes that’s what I need. Here’s to you oh great «The Summit», now go fix your traffic.

Lack of security at The Summit should concern all shoppers. Security patrols are sparse. Cars are being broken into by breaking out windows in plain view of the store fronts. Security personnel show little enthusiasm or energy for their jobs. And the Summit does not have camera in some areas of its parking lot to deter criminal activity. Also, management is slow to return calls when a customer calls to express safety concerns. This shopping center is in decline.

My mom recently moved to this area and I was really shocked to find such a great shopping mall in Birmingham! We spent the day here and I was very impressed. It is definitely more upscale. They really have every store I could ask for, some of my favorites: Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Victoria’s Secret, J Crew, Kendra Scott, Belk, Apple. And, they just opened a Trader Joe’s! This isn’t a typical mall, it is an outdoor mall which is nice. The one thing that sucks though is it’s pretty spaced out, so you need to drive to the different areas. But, I just saw in someone’s review that they offer a shuttle service. There a couple anchor department stores and a movie theater. They also have a lot of nice eating establishments, although we ended up just going to Which Which. But, they have a cheesecake factory and Flemings ($$$$ but amazing!), along with another few restaurants. I will definitely come back here to go shopping next time I am in Alabama.

Shop til you drop! The Summit has some of my favorite stores (ahem, Sephora, you Siren, you), so I spend some time & earnings here. They have some high-​end fare with the likes of Saks, but also locations suitable for the more budget-​minded. You will also be able to find an eatery to suit your tastes; anything from farm-​to-​table establishments, burger boutiques, Asian — inspired fare, quirky tex-​mex, and Birmingham’s signature Popsicles. Trader Joe’s is «coming soon, «so that will definitely bolster The Summit’s trendiness AND relevance. They seem to make modestly frequent changes, whether it be new restaurants or store relocations, so that helps to keep things fresh. I can’t say that I’m a fan of the traffic layout up in the corner that houses Chuy’s. I feel like the flow of traffic there is a bit confounding. It’s easy to leave, via the one-​way exit, but heaven help you if that place is busy and you are trying to make your way toward any location that is not that exit. Have to dock one star for the wonky driving layout that can be difficult to navigate, but overall, this is probably the most popular and most appealing shopping center in the city.

Nice shopping centers. A little strange since you have to drive to different lots for different stores… more on the highend, but nothing crazy. I was there at around noon… and it was EMPTY! I guess it’s normal? I’m a big city girl so very weird to see an empty mall. Haha.

Great shopping center. I found various deals on shoes, makeup and jackets. The ppl are nice and great designer selection. Don’t forget to get food after shopping. Plenty of restaurants in the area :)

If you are coming to shop in Birmingham, you NEED to come here. It’s a beautiful outdoor shopping area with a fabulous view of the mountains. Everything is fairly spread out so I would totally recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes if you are ambitious enough to walk it. Since we visited stores on opposite ends, we decided to drive since we also liked the idea of bringing shopping bags back to the car.
There are also several restaurants to dine at like Cheesecake Factory, Flip Burger Boutique and Chuy’s (wait times were about ½ hour on a Saturday so be forewarned). We really didn’t have problems finding parking driving around but the area closer to the restaurants fills up rather quickly. As far as shopping, it’s very much medium to higher end brands like Kate Spade, Madewell, Anthropologie and J. Crew to name a few.
I found myself snapping lots of photos just because the surroundings were so picturesque. Especially the area closer to Saks with the huge decorated Christmas tree.

Is the 5 stars mainly because I am so happy a place like this exists in Birmingham? Probably, but still well deserved.
I’m going to start with my one minor critique of this place. I wish there wasn’t a road running through it. I felt a bit uncouth walking through the parking lot, finding a light to cross the road, and then through the parking lot again. Will this criticism ever go anywhere? Definitely not since the structure is already built, but this did rain on my excitement of shopping here. Also, I did not realize when I parked that I parked at the bottom of the hill and although there are some shops there, I had to walk up what felt like a million steps to get to the rest of the shopping area.
Now that that is out of the way, let’s celebrate that this place exists! Not only do they have all the staples that I love, J Crew, Banana Republic, Kate Spade, BCBG, etc, but they have cute stores that I was not aware of before. (My sister scoffs at me for never encountering Madewell, but yes, I just discovered it). Every store that I love to shop at is here (ok, I just realized they didn’t have Zara, but I’ll survive). This is not your lower end stores, but medium to higher end, and I appreciate that.
Bit of advice, if you are planning on eating at a restaurant here, be prepared to wait. I went to Seasons 52 at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday (yes a Wednesday!) and it was a 30 minute wait. Popular area.

The parking and the traffic has always and will probably always be an issue at the summit. Decent stores. The only thing that drives me crazy is that there are no public bathrooms unless you go inside a restaurant.

A useful collection of restaurants and higher-​end shopping destinations south of Birmingham. Outside shopping as opposed to indoors.
Lots of corners, lots of angled parking and lots of layers of elevator that don’t really give an easy eye to finding what else is here.
The view from Chuy’s is awesome.

I’ve been visiting this place for the past few years! They have all the shops I need. They just recently added West Elm which my wife loves. I love the great selection of restaurants at the Summit, the array of shops for all types of shoppers, from the outdoors types to the fashionista! It has all the stores you need and if you eat at Chuy’s Mexican restaurant, you see the beautiful views of mountainous Birmingham from the Summit. It’s truly a gem in Birmingham! My wife is from Atlanta and Denver, she dreaded the idea of moving to Birmingham, until she visited the Summit and she changed her view of Birmingham being a small country town! Keep it up Birmingham!

This was my first visit to the area and it was a pleasant surprise. It is an open air mall but it is very spread out. If it’s your first time I would recommend driving around a bit to see what you would like to tackle first. The stores are very nice. It’s a good of mixture of «nicer» stores and everyday stores. Like Old navy and anthropologie. The scenery from Barnes and noble is awesome. After a day of shopping there are plenty spots to eat.

The Summit has done a great job of replacing the normal indoor mall. They have tons of great shopping and food options. There is a movie theater as well. If you are a shopaholic this is the place to be. They also have done a great job of incorporating different price points for the restaurants ranging from the expensive Flemings or Seasons 52 to the moderately priced Zoe’s or Paneras.

This place is beautiful and extravagant. By far the best mall in Birmingham. It’s outdoor, so you even get to experience the great outdoors while walking around everywhere. Full of restaurants, shops, and a cinema. Mostly mid to high end businesses here, but always a great time.

Love Maccoroni Grill, CPK, Jos A Bank, PF Changs and John Rockets !

To say I love shopping is an understatement. It is what I do when I’m bored, when I need cheering up, when I’m feeling happy, and when the sky is blue. And when I go shopping, I drive on I-​459 right past the failing Galleria straight to the Summit.
I remember when people used to talk smack about The Summit. «It’s too far. It’s too expensive. It’s OUTDOORS?!» All of these things are true depending on where you live in Birmingham, what you like to buy & whether or not your legs work. I personally love that it is outdoors. It makes you walk outside & actually enjoy the sunshine. I count it as my exercise for the day. But for those who want to hold on to those extra pounds, there is a shuttle service, albeit, an unreliable one.
In the past few years as the Galleria continues to lose stores & customers, the Summit has increased retailers & restaurants. They even have a Pinkberry now. Parking has even become an issue outside of holiday season, especially up by Flip Burger & Anthropologie.
As for stores, they range from low cost (GAP, Urban Outfitters) to high end (Saks Fifth Avenue). A few «boutiques» have opened up. Lotus Boutique being a popular one for dresses. There is a fancy schmancy nail salon, aptly named Venetian Nail Salon. For the intellectuals, the Barnes & Noble here has great study tables & comfortable chairs to read in. For the high school crowd, there’s Johnny Rockets to hang out at. The Belk’s shoe section cannot be beat. It’s huge & carries designer to everyday wear. This Belk also has the best sales – its where I score all my Theory & Marc by MJ for 70−80% off.
Food – so many options now! Urban Cookhouse is new & definitely recommended. The Cheesecake Factory is open late (1AM on the weekends). Flip Burger is super trendy. Chuy’s is great for a laid back time with friends.
The Summit has something for everyone. It is definitely one of the few redeeming places in slow to grow Birmingham. I always try to squeeze in a shopping trip here when I’m home. & coming from shopping in NYC & ATL, that’s saying a lot.

The Summit offers the best shopping in Birmingham. There’s something for everyone. It’s always clean, well lit and feels safe.
Like others have mentioned, it’s not great for those who don’t enjoy window shopping. Walking the entirety of just one side will take quite a bit.
Also, don’t even try getting in or out around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. You will be stuck in traffic forever.

I went here over the holidays to have a cappuccino after 10 on a Thursday night. Now if you live in Birmingham, you know everything is pretty much closed down at 10, no Starbucks, no anything. My brother and I thought of the Cheesecake Factory at the Summit. The cappuccino was way better than any I had in Birmingham. I really enjoyed it and the company with my brother. The service was excellent.
The Summit is the premier shopping mall in Alabama. The stores are so clean and the grounds at the Summit kept pristine. It was well lighted at night, so it felt safe. My favorite stores there are Banana Republic, Apple Store, and Barnes and Noble.

My boyfriend’s ignorant sister (who I love, believe me) had the nerve to ask if we «wear shoes in Birmingham». To that I’d like to respond that yes, we do wear shoes in Birmingham. And we’re also more gracious and have better manners. And we also shop at Saks Fifth Avenue, Coach, Tiffany’s, BCBG, Anthropologie, Max Studio, Smith & Hawkin, Pottery Barn, L’Occitane, Restoration Hardware, and a gourmet grocery store whose name I’ve forgotten, among other fine establishments right here at The Summit. In the Summit alone, we have two restaurants who have earned Wine Spectator awards. There’s also a Whole Foods nearby and some more fine dining down the road.
I’m so fed up with Alabama jokes I could cut a bitch. But, being the nice girl I am, I will instead defend Birmingham’s honor as best I can as an out-​of-​towner with family in the region. The Summit is an excellent shopping experience. The selection of shops will never compare to Union Square in SF or shopping in NYC, but here in the South, this is the place to be. And the people? Kindest I’ve ever met. Service is out of this world and beats the hell out of San Francisco retail service. Just one more reason I love the South. Oh! And no one here has EVER made «California» jokes, which I appreciate immensely.