Business Happenings- November 2021
Now Open
Protective Stadium, the new 45,000-seat outdoor facility at 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, had a ribbon-cutting Oct. 1. The stadium hosted its first event, a football game featuring the UAB Blazers and Liberty University, on Oct. 2. Construction of the facility was funded by the BJCC Authority, the city of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Protective Life Corporation and UAB. The stadium is the new home of UAB Football. 205-458-8400
Hide & Hunter, 2212 Morris Ave., Suite 102, a handcrafted and upcycled leather goods boutique in the mixed-used Mercantile on Morris development, was scheduled to open Oct. 8, according to a news release from Orchestra Partners, the developer. Hide & Hunter’s products use animal hides mixed with fabrics and are inspired by the idea of “nature experienced through travel,” according to the release. Owner and creator Hannah Christine moved to Birmingham about five years ago.
Market Wagon, a farmers market delivery service, recently launched a hub in the Birmingham area in order to service Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and other surrounding counties, according to local media reports. Customers can browse products from local farmers and other vendors place a single order from multiple sellers with home delivery for a flat fee.
Coming Soon
Orchestra Partners, 1820 Third Ave. N., Suite 300, the local developer of the new Urban Supply mixed-used project in Parkside, announced Oct. 6 that Good Baby Management will bring its retail brands Garage Sale and Bar Sell Trade to Urban Supply in spring 2022. Good Baby, a national placemaking specialist, will also hold concerts, markets and festivals at The Aisle, the pedestrian-only alleyway at Urban Supply. 205-590-5015
National chain Phenix Salon Suites is looking to add five new locations in the Birmingham area, including downtown, according to a recent report by Birmingham Business Journal. The company already has a location in Hoover and two in Vestavia Hills, the BBJ reports.
Avondale Encore Marathon, 4607 Fifth Ave. S., is now a dealer for U-Haul Company of Alabama, according to a recent news release from U-Haul International. The facility will offer services such as U-Haul trucks, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pickup for boxes. 205-224-5009
After first bringing Ono Poké to The Pizitz Food Hall in 2017, Bayer Properties recently announced that the poke bowl restaurant will open its third location at 214 Summit Blvd., Suite 150, at The Summit. Owned and operated by Vinh Tran, the Ono Poké location at The Summit will be the first to share a space with bubble tea concept Teaspoon. Both are expected to open in early 2022, according to a Bayer news release. 205-967-0111
Relocations and Renovations
Blazer Kitchen, the on-campus food bank serving UAB employees and students, relocated in September to a newly renovated space at 1613 11th Ave. S., formerly Birmingham Pediatric Dental Associates, according to UAB News. Previously located in Medical Towers, Blazer Kitchen now has more space and better amenities. Since its opening in 2017, Blazer Kitchen has provided more than 392,916 meals and has provided more than 89,900 meals during the COVID-19 pandemic alone.
New Construction
Orchestra Partners has begun construction on the final phase of the pedestrian alley, The Aisle, at Urban Supply, 1820 Third Ave. N., Suite 300, its mixed-use development in Parkside, according to a recent news release from the developer. The firm announced it has closed on a construction loan with ServisFirst Bank. This final phase, which stretches from 14th Street South to 12th Street South, should be completed by the end of the year, the release states. “Parkside is a major focus for Orchestra Partners, because it’s the heart of our city,” project manager Phil Amthor said. “By creating a pedestrian-friendly, walkable, bikeable Parkside district, we’re connecting our whole city north to south and east to west.” 205-590-5015
In September, the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved the bid of Dunn Construction Company LLC for $6.9 million in street resurfacing across all nine districts. MBE/DBE subcontractors will receive a total of $1.7 million from the contract, according to a city release. Those firms include Kelly Roadbuilders and Town Creek Land and Timber. 205-254-2000
News and Accomplishments
Groome Transportation, 1115 Payton Way, Suite 111 in Leeds, resumed its regular daily shuttle service between Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sept. 29 after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company will maintain strict safety protocols on the shuttles, including a requirement that all drivers and passengers wear masks, according to a news release. 205-719-0469
Bloomberg Philanthropies will award the city of Birmingham a grant up to $25,000 as part of their Asphalt Art Initiative, according to a Sept. 29 city news release. The Asphalt Art Initiative is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces and public infrastructure in U.S. cities with the goal of improving street and pedestrian safety, revitalizing and activating underutilized public space and promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities. The city’s proposal seeks to activate the intersection of Eighth Avenue West and Center Street, anchored by Smithfield Court and the Smithfield Branch Library. 205-254-2000
Longtime University of Alabama at Birmingham supporter Dr. Marnix E. Heersink has made a gift of $95 million to the UAB School of Medicine, 1670 University Blvd., which is now named the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, according to UAB News. The gift is the single largest philanthropic commitment in UAB history. Heersink is a well-known eye surgeon and entrepreneur.
Three Black-owned Birmingham businesses were among 50 nationwide chosen in September to receive $100,000 from the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, according to media outlets. The local firms chosen were health-tech firm Acclinate, networking app Mixtroz and health care monitor SynsorMed.
Beverage distributor AlaBev, 211 Citation Court, announced Sept. 2 that it will partner with Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, a craft soda maker based in Asheville, North Carolina, and specializing in farm-to-can beverages. The Devil’s Foot craft sodas were to be stocked by AlaBev’s retail customers immediately. The founders of Devil’s Foot, Ben Colvin and Jacob Baumann, are both from Alabama. Colvin was born in Birmingham, and Baumann was raised in Pinson Valley. AlaBev sees the Devil’s Foot products as a healthier, more flavorful non-alcoholic craft beverage that also functions as a perfect cocktail and mocktail mixer, according to a new release from the company. 205-942-9403
Steve Serra of Steve Serra Auto Group, 1300 Center Point Parkway, presented Birmingham Promise on Sept. 15 with a $50,000 check to support college scholarships and work experiences for Birmingham City Schools students. “Birmingham Promise is a great way for us to invest in Birmingham’s students and our city as a whole,” Serra said. He presented the check to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Rachel Harmon, executive director of Birmingham Promise. 205-255-3838
The Central Alabama Redevelopment Alliance, 6516 Aaron Aronov Drive in Fairfield, recently announced that its Western Micro Business Accelerator had welcomed its second cohort of micro-businesses. The accelerator is a collaboration between University of Alabama LIFT, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Auburn University, Regions Foundation, Bessemer Industrial Development Board, Western Communities Redevelopment Alliance and the Five Points West Chamber of Commerce. After completing the program, the micro businesses will receive certificates from the University of Alabama and Auburn University. 205-561-8373
Southern Research of Birmingham, 2000 Ninth Ave. S., recently announced it had sold its facility in Frederick, Maryland, to New Jersey-based Tonix Pharmaceuticals. The sale of the property will allow Southern Research to invest nearly $20 million in its Birmingham campus and bring 50 new high-paying jobs to Alabama, according to a news release from the company 205-581-2000
Alabama Launchpad, 1320 First Ave. S., a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, recently announced 11 finalists for its Cycle 3 2021 funding competition for start-ups. The Cycle 3 competition finale will stream live Nov. 17, according to an EDPA news release. The concept stage finalists competing for $25,000 include the following Birmingham-area companies: Curate-Her, a seasonal home decor subscription service; Milkman, which is building technologies to enable digitization, personalization and optimization for food retail; CAVU, which offers online business training and coaching; Need2Say, is a mobile English and Spanish language application for construction workers; and Yellow Hammer Farms, which offers sustainably grown local produce. 205-943-4700
Personnel Moves
The Board of Directors of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, 1801 Morris Ave., announced Sept. 20 that Charlotte Shaw would become the new CEO and executive director of the agency. She will be responsible for overseeing BJCTA’s transit growth strategy, ridership and implementing new forms of transit micro mobility to complement existing fixed and Bus Rapid Transit routes. Shaw has been serving as deputy director of capital and special projects for the city of Birmingham. 205-521-0101
Avadian Credit Union announced recently that Richard Busby will serve as its new vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion. A native of Birmingham, Busby has spent his entire career in the financial industry, working as a branch manager, in business lending, in community development lending and community relations. Most recently, he worked for Wells Fargo, where he served as a community relations senior consultant. 888-282-3426
Balch & Bingham, 1901 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 1500, announced Sept. 30 that Lauren Thornton Jameson would return to the firm’s Birmingham office as an attorney in the litigation, real estate and commercial lending practices. A Mountain Brook resident and Vestavia Hills native, Jameson earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and her LL.M. in taxation, cum laude from the University of Alabama School of Law. 205-251-8100
Attorney Sarah S. Johnston has joined Birmingham law firm Dentons Sirote, 2311 Highland Ave., as a counsel in the trusts, estates and wealth preservation practice group, according to Birmingham Business Journal. Johnston was previously an attorney at Cappell & Howard in Montgomery and has about 17 years of experience. 205-930-5100
The Birmingham Airport Authority board of directors, 5900 Messer Airport Highway, recently announced it elected new officers for 2021-22. Darlene Wilson was elected as chair of the board, according to a BAA news release. The board also elected David Germany as vice chair, R. Ashby Pate as secretary and Christopher Johnson as treasurer. Committees were also appointed, with Bill Smith serving as chair for the business development and public relations committee, Johnson serving as chair for the audit and finance committee and Germany serving as chair for the human resources committee. Bobbie Knight will serve as the committee chair for the economic development and capital projects committee. 205-595-0533
Iberia Bank, a division of First Horizon, recently announced businessman and Birmingham resident Chase Wise will join the company’s Birmingham Advisory Board. Wise is president of Saginaw Pipe Co. Inc., a leading steel service center, according to a Iberia news release. A graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, Wise, his wife Rebecca and their three sons live in Birmingham and attend St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Anniversaries
Yo’ Mama’s, 2328 Second Ave. N., is celebrating its seventh anniversary Nov. 17. 205-957-6545
Cookie Dough Magic, 400 41st St. S., Suite 102 in Avondale, is celebrating its third anniversary in November. Besides edible cookie dough, it also offers signature iced coffees, milkshakes, sundaes and homemade waffle cones.