Mountain Brook business happenings: March 2026

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Business

OPENINGS

Locanda Brasato, a new Italian restaurant from Duaine Clements and Marco Butturini, recently opened in the former Post Office Pies space at 270 Rele St. Clements and Butturini are also co-owners of downtown Birmingham’s Lé Fresca. The new restaurant focuses on “the art of slow cooking” with traditional Italian techniques and quality ingredients. Menu offerings include antipasti, pizza, mafalde, short rib ravioli, duck breast, halibut and a selection of Italian-inspired desserts. locandabrasato.com, 205-747-0013

JPMorgan Chase Bank celebrated the opening of its new Mountain Brook branch with a ribbon cutting at 2629 Cahaba Road in the Lane Park development. The event, hosted by the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, marked the official launch of Chase’s newest location as part of the company’s broader expansion across Alabama. Chase opened its first Alabama branch five years ago near Auburn University and announced plans last year to triple its number of branches statewide and hire an additional 170 bankers by 2030 to expand access to financial services.

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook recently honored six members for decades of service to the organization. Recognized for 25 years of service were Chuck Kelly of Kelly Landscaping Architects LLC and Glenn Davis. Kelly and Davis both previously served as club president. Sam Gaston, recently retired as Mountain Brook city manager, was also recognized for his leadership, having served as president of three Kiwanis clubs and currently serving as lieutenant governor. Tim Chandler, Leland Keller, and Tom Donaldson were honored for 40 years of service. “These outstanding members exemplify the mission and values of Kiwanis,” club member Judith Wright said. “Their years of service have strengthened not only our club but also the children we serve.” The Kiwanis Club is a global volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of children. Members conduct extensive service projects each year — such as building playgrounds, stocking food pantries and mentoring youth — while raising money for local communities and international initiatives.

Capstone Development Partners, a student housing developer headquartered at 402 Office Park Drive, Suite 150, has been acquired by Lincoln Property Company, a global real estate firm based in Dallas. Through the acquisition, which includes Capstone Management Partners, the company will continue to operate as Capstone Development Partners, powered by Lincoln, expanding its national reach in higher education housing and university-affiliated development. Capstone specializes in public-private partnership projects and has worked with more than 70 colleges and universities nationwide, delivering more than 50,000 on-campus and university-affiliated student housing beds since 1997. Company leaders Jeff Jones and Bruce McKee will remain in their roles, with William Davis stepping into the position of managing principal. The partnership strengthens Capstone’s ability to serve universities while maintaining its local presence. capdevpartners.com, lpc.com

PERSONNEL MOVES

Trey Lemak and Whitney DePalma have joined the RealtySouth office at 2807 Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook. realtysouth.com, Lemak: 205-917-7605; DePalma: 404-840-5526

ANNIVERSARIES

Ladybird Taco, located at 300 Rele St., is celebrating four years in business. The restaurant, which opened in 2022, is modeled after the taco scene in Austin. It specializes in breakfast and lunch tacos, serving house-made tortillas, salsa, salads, queso, breakfast tacos and full barista coffee service. ladybirdtaco.com, 205-382-8871

PreSchool Partners, located at 4447 Montevallo Road, is celebrating its 32nd anniversary. The organization provides an inclusive and diverse learning environment designed to prepare preschool children and their families for success through high-quality curriculum, nurturing educators, parental engagement and community collaboration. preschool-partners.org, 205-951-5151

TherapySouth is celebrating 18 years of serving Mountain Brook and surrounding areas. The clinic provides orthopedic physical therapy, hand therapy, wellness programs and other services. TherapySouth has Mountain Brook locations at 205 Country Club Park and 3800 River Run Drive, Suite 102. therapysouth.com, 205-871-0777 or 205-970-2350

Marguerite’s Conceits, located at 2406 Canterbury Road, is celebrating 33 years in business. The gift shop opened its doors in 1993 and offers a selection of luxury linens, candles, bath and body products, pajamas, and other home and personal items. margueritesconceits.com, 205-879-2730

CLOSINGS

Saks Fifth Avenue at The Summit will close its Birmingham store at the end of April. Parent company Saks Global Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in January, listing greater competition and growing debts after the acquisition of Neiman Marcus more than a year ago. In a statement, the company described the decision as a broader evaluation of its store footprint. In a notice to customers, the retailer said it has made the “difficult decision” to close its only Alabama location, which is at 129 Summit Blvd. A total of eight Saks locations are set to close, including stores in Louisiana and Virginia. The company said additional details about closing sales and customer programs will be shared during the remaining months of operation. Customers may continue shopping through the online storefront at Saks.com or contact digitalstylist@saks.com for personalized service inquiries. The Saks headquarters were located in Birmingham in the late 1990s through the mid-2000s but then moved to New York in 2007.

Sol Y Luna Tapas and Tequilas, a Mexican-style restaurant at 920 Lane Parke Court, closed at the end of January after six years at its current location. Sol Y Luna originally opened in the Lakeview district in 1998 before closing in 2013 to seek a new location. In a social media post, the owners invited patrons to visit before the closing, encouraging guests to “come see us, share a toast and help us close this chapter with love.” No specific reason for the closure was given.