A new entrepreneurial resource hub opened Monday in Birmingham’s Ensley neighborhood, giving small business owners a place to find support, pursue opportunities and connect with organizations that can help their businesses grow.
Junction 1910, located at 1801 19th Street, was founded by U.S. Navy veteran Hartnel Lambert and will serve entrepreneurs across Birmingham’s western corridor. The effort is backed by Network Navigator, a nonprofit founded by Naila Jackson that supports small business owners throughout the Birmingham area.
Jackson said Junction 1910 is designed to be more than a traditional co-working space. Entrepreneurs can come to the hub to work through challenges, develop strategies and get connected with people and organizations that can help move their businesses forward.
Procurement will be a major focus. Junction 1910 plans to help businesses understand contracting requirements, determine whether they are ready to compete for contracts and identify opportunities at with federal, state and local governments and corporate entities.
For Jackson, the location is just as important as the services.
She said Ensley has a history of entrepreneurship and is a home to longtime businesses that have remained part of the community. Junction 1910, she said, is an opportunity to build on that history rather than treat the neighborhood as a place that lost its relevance.
“The fabric is still here,” Jackson said. “It’s still fertile ground for growth.”
Jackson said she wants the first year of Junction 1910 to show entrepreneurs and others what is possible in the neighborhood.
Lambert said his experience in the Navy shaped his vision for the space. He wanted to create an environment where entrepreneurs have access to the tools, relationships and support they need to build sustainable businesses.
The name of the hub references Tuxedo Junction, the legendary jazz and nightlife center in Ensley from the 1920s and 1930s. Jackson sees the name Junction 1910 as having meaning today.
“It seems like in our city right now we’re at a junction,” Jackson said. “We can go left, right, or center, and so we want to be the direction. We want to be the compass for this area to find their way back to their vibrancy.”
