Business Happenings - September 2021
Coming Soon
Nashville-based FirstBank will open a 2,000-square-foot branch at 404 Hollywood Blvd. in Mountain Brook, according to an Aug. 2 report from Birmingham Business Journal. The bank also has a loan production office at 3500 Blue Lake Drive. 800-964-3444
Described on the store website as “a varietal workshop for all things beautiful,” The Atelier, 1915 Cahaba Road, is scheduled to open in English Village in September and will offer items such as apparel, skin care, cosmetics and accessories. Jodi Sullivan is the owner.
Publix plans to open a new store in Irondale by the spring of 2023, according to recent media reports. The store is to be part of a new retail and multifamily residential development coming to the intersection of Grants Mill Road and Old Leeds Road. 800-242-1227
MELT, a popular Birmingham restaurant, will open a new location in the Lane Parke retail center in Mountain Brook Village in 2022, according to a recent news release from Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors. The eatery will be a tenant in the new Phase 2 currently under construction at Lane Parke. At its Avondale location, MELT serves artisan grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, fries and local beers, as well as vegetarian, vegan-friendly and gluten-free options. MELT was founded by Paget Pizitz and Harriet Reis. Reis is a Mountain Brook resident and is excited to be bringing MELT to her community, according to the news release. Melt Avondale, which started as a food truck, opened in 2012 and has two franchised locations in Hoover and Huntsville. 205-871-0888 Facebook @laneparke
Relocations and Renovations
Long-popular Mountain Brook Village eatery Daniel George Restaurant, 2837 Culver Road, recently completed an extensive makeover, including new paint, lighting and flooring, according to Operations Manager Debbie McKinstry. The restaurant, owned by Chef Daniel Briggs, has been open since 2000 and had never undergone such an extensive makeover, McKinstry said. Pam Evans of Maison in Mountain Brook Village did the design work. 205-871-3266
Aloft Birmingham SOHO Square, 1903 29th Ave., Homewood, is set to do a full renovation of the property in 2023. Aloft features venue amenities suited for engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners or family brunches, including a bar and 600 square feet of flexible indoor space can hold up to 40 guests and can be combined with our Re:mixSM Lounge for additional space. The hotel is also connected to Michael’s Steak and Seafood House. 205-504-8356
New Ownership
Fairway Investments of Birmingham and Pope & Land Real Estate of Atlanta purchased the bulk of the Brookwood Village property, 780 Brookwood Village, for $21 million in early August, according to media reports. Brookwood Village opened in 1974 and has lost numerous tenants in recent years, including several since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 205-871-0406
News and Accomplishments
Nine people were recently selected for induction in the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame, which was founded by the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, 2019 Fourth Ave. N., Suite 101, in 1997. The inductees for 2020 and 2021, according to the Kiwanis website: Elmer B. Harris, Alabama Power Company; Dr. Basil Hirschowitz, UAB Gastroenterology; Billy Charles Martin, Martin Advertising; William Pettiford, Alabama Penny Savings Bank; Grayson Hall, Regions Financial; John Hand, First National Bank of Birmingham; Dr. Shelley Stewart, o2ideas; Thomas E.Jernigan, Marathon Corporation; and Edgar Welden, WeldenField The induction ceremony was to be Aug. 26 at The Harbert Center. 205-251-0032
Daughters Baking in Mountain Brook Village recently held a grand opening and ribbon cutting attended by officials from the city of Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. The store, which specializes in specialty cakes, is located near Bromberg’s and Ousler Sandwiches at 2812 Cahaba Road. 205-602-8113
Mon Ami, 40 Church St. in Crestline Village, recently won a Best of Bama Award for 2021 from Alabama Magazine for the best children’s clothing shop in the state. The magazine describes Mon Ami as a “tween boutique” for boys and girls and said that the shop’s “trends include couture, funny, fun, classy, Southern and preppy with brands from around the world.” Owner Aja Powanda opened the store in February 2019. 205-848-7800
Birmingham Business Alliance, 505 20th St. N., Suite 200, along with Jefferson and Shelby counties, recently obtained a federal grant worth $450,000 to study ways to increase bioscience job growth in the seven-county metro area. The grant comes from the Economic Development Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, according to a BBA news release. The funding comes from the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act. 205-324-2100
The Sanders Trust, 1000 Urban Center Drive, Suite 675 — led by President and CEO Rance Sanders, a long-time Mountain Brook resident — recently announced that construction was complete on the Anderson Rehabilitation Institute, an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Edwardsville, Illinois. A health care real estate investment and development company, The Sanders Trust was selected as the developer for the 34-bed, 50,000 square foot rehabilitation hospital by Kindred Healthcare and Anderson Healthcare. The facility was to begin operations Aug. 1. 205-298-0809
Personnel Moves
O’Neal Library, 50 Oak St., employee Nancy Sexton is celebrating her 40th anniversary at ONL in September. She began her career there in 1981 as supervisor of the Circulation Department. After taking a cataloging course at UAB, Sexton was named supervisor of the Technical Services Department, where she has remained since 1982. She later earned a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Alabama. 205-879-0459
Weissman Family Dentistry, 3140 Overton Road, is pleased to welcome John Weaver, DMD, to its practice. Dr. Weissman comes from Kentucky and has more than eight years of experience. Weissman Family Dentistry is now accepting new patients. 205-967-8636
The Young American Leaders Program at Harvard University this summer included 10 leaders from the Birmingham area — including three from Mountain Brook — who joined others in learning more about successful public-private partnerships. The following were the YALP participants from Mountain Brook: Miller Girvin, who serves as executive vice president for innovation and entrepreneurship at the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama; Ford Wiles, an independent creative and strategic partner; and Emily Wykle, director of external affairs at UAB. This is the third year Birmingham-area leaders have participated, and the first year the annual program was conducted virtually after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 617-495-1000
Anniversaries
Second Hand & Rose, 4200 Oakview Lane, recently celebrated its 37th business anniversary Aug. 28. 205-970-7997
Lifestyle boutique Amparo Fine Living, 2003 Cahaba Road, Suite 101, recently celebrated the first anniversary of its opening in English Village. The store sells handmade home goods and lifestyle products from Portugal, France, England, India, Mexico and other places around the world, all handpicked by owner Mariana Barrande Goodall. The shop is part of a larger group called Amparo, which includes Hotel Amparo in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. 205-777-5632
Evelyn’s Southern Fare, 2031 Cahaba Road in English Village, will soon celebrate its second anniversary. Known for its Southern comfort food, the restaurant was formerly known as Bobby Carl’s Table. 205-202-4760
Lamb’s Ears Ltd., 70 Church St. in Crestline Village, which offers gifts, home decor, local art and other items, is marking its 27th anniversary. The shop is owned by Elizabeth Gilmore Roberts and Julie Gilmore Howell. 205-802-5700
The Fitness Center, 2900 Montclair Road, Suite 210, which offers cardio, personal training and other programs, is celebrating its 27th anniversary this month. 205-870-1121
Smith’s Variety, 45 Church St., a local retail landmark, is celebrating its 71st anniversary. The store stocks a wide selection of toys, gifts, notions and party supplies. 205-871-0841
MPower Pilates + Cycle is celebrating the first anniversary of the opening of its facility in English Village, 2008 Cahaba Road, in a space that formerly housed the Grand Jete studio. Last October, MPower also completed a renovation and expansion of its original facility at 2419 Canterbury Road in Mountain Brook Village. 205-518-5676
Hufham Orthodontics, 120 Euclid Ave., is celebrating the practice’s 20th anniversary in Mountain Brook in September. 205-871-8881
Closings
Selman & Co, 5 Dexter Ave., a long-popular barber shop in Crestline Village, closed permanently July 24. The owners of the shop were honored by the city at the July 26 Mountain Brook City Council meeting. Mayor Stewart Welch III read a proclamation honoring Buddy Selman, who owned and operated the shop in Crestline from 1969 until it closed. Welch read a second proclamation honoring Dale Meisner, who co-owned the barber shop beginning in 1981.
PNC Bank will close 10 branches across Alabama in October, including a location at 1801 Crestwood Blvd. in Irondale, according to a recent report by Birmingham Business Journal. PNC is closing the branches following its $11.6 billion acquisition in May of BBVA USA Bancshares Inc., which also has numerous branches in the state. 888-762-2265