A new chapter
for a Birmingham
institution.
William Savage opened his bakery in 1939 in Birmingham's Five Points South neighborhood. He moved it to Crestline Heights in 1947, then to the Stevens Building on 18th Street South in Homewood in the 1950s — and there it stayed for over seven decades, long after William himself was gone.
When Van Scott purchased the bakery from William's widow in 1978 — at just 27, fresh from his University of Alabama MBA — he committed to preserving every recipe, every standard, every detail that had made Savage's what it was. He spent 48 years proving that commitment right.
Van retired in February 2026 and the doors closed. Birmingham felt it. Social media filled with memories. The loss was real. But Kenneth Rhodes — owner of the beloved O'Carr's Deli right here in the community — heard the city and stepped up. A deal was made. The recipes are safe. The bakery lives.
"There is a lot of work that goes on in order to ensure all of our products meet the high standards we hold here at Savage's Bakery. I have hard working employees and I couldn't do it without them."
— Van Scott, Owner 1978–2026This is not a rebrand. This is not a reinvention. This is a community saying: some things are worth keeping. And a new owner who agreed.