Drinking Beer in Elementary School

How's that for a clickbait title?

I've written a couple of blog posts in the past about Valley Elementary School in Pelham, which both our kids Amos and Becca attended back in the 1990's. The first one posted in 2015 looked at a postcard and some other memorabilia related to Valley. The second posting in February 2020 included many photos and a bit of history. The school opened in 1964 and closed as a main school when the new Pelham Oaks Elementary opened in 2015. Long a part of Shelby County Schools, the facility was used in its final years by Pelham City Schools. 

The school system sold the campus to a developer planning to duplicate the sort of retail and entertainment complex already completed in an elementary school in Huntsville. That second post includes photos taken in August and December 2019 showing before and after views as the facility transitioned from one use to another. 

Below are some photos taken in early May when Dianne, Becca and I visited the daughter's alma mater one beautiful Saturday afternoon. Not much is open yet except the Beer Hog, which was very busy. A hair salon, The Guy's Place, is also operating; you can guess which one we gravitated toward. This Campus 124 development is expected to include other retail, office and residential spaces. 

Some further comments about the visit are below. Most of the photos were taken by daughter Becca Leon. Our son Amos is anxiously awaiting his opportunity to visit. 

The facade of the building has changed, but is still recognizable to those of us who knew it as a school for so many years. Yes, that's Dianne and I making our way inside. 

A chili cookoff was in progress, but we had to resist checking it out. We were saving our appetite for a visit to one of our favorite local eating places, 

Cozumel Grill and Mexican Restaurant.  

The place was hopping that Saturday afternoon. The Beer Hog is located in what used to be the school library. As a retired librarian and craft beer lover, I can appreciate the transition. 

That corner door past the drinking fountain is for the women's restroom. Becca said she and several friends would gather there, turn off the lights and call for Bloody Mary in the mirrors. Good thing they didn't try to summon Candyman. 

We ended up trying three flights with 12 different Alabama craft beers. Dianne seems happy with the selections.