Walker Magazine | Fall 2016 by Daily Mountain Eagle

CHAMBER CHECKS ARE HERE! 204 19th St. E, Suite 101, Jasper, AL

TOP TEn rEaSOnS TO BUY LOCaLLY 1) Keep Money In The Community 2) Embrace What Makes Us Different 3) Get Better Service

205-384-4571 • www.walkerchamber.us

DID YOU KnOW...

6) Help Out The Environment 7) Invest In The Community 8) Put Your Taxes To Good Use 9) Quality Of Life 10) Believe In Walker County

Here’s How It Works To Give Chamber Checks:

CHaMBEr CHECKS HELP SUPPOrT OUr LOCaL ECOnOMY BY EnCOUraGInG PEOPLE TO BUY LOCaL.

4) Buy What You Want 5) Create More Good Jobs

anYOnE Can GIvE CHaMBEr CHECKS

CHaMBEr CHECKS arE avaILaBLE ExCLUSIvELY aT THE WaLKEr COUnTY CHaMBEr Of COMMErCE. THEY MaKE GrEaT GIfTS

1. Each Chamber Check comes in ten and twenty-dollar increments. Companies or individuals can send or bring a check for the total amount desired, along with a list of recipient’s names to the Chamber office. 2. The Chamber will print the individual checks, which will include the recipient’s name, the dollar amount, and your company/ individual name. 3. The Chamber will also provide an information brochure to give to your recipient, explaining how the program works and where they can redeem their Chamber Checks.

fOr EMPLOYEES, TEaCHErS, COaCHES, BIrTHDaYS, WEDDInGS, annIvErSarIES anD MOrE!

Because Chamber Checks can be used for goods and services provided by Chamber members, your recipients are able to spend the dollars however they want or need.

The Chamber of Commerce of Walker County has a unique program designed to encourage people to shop at home and pump money back into our local economy! Chamber Checks are available for purchase needs, whether it’s Christmas, Mother’s Day, father’s Day, or any other special occasion. Chamber Checks are gift checks that may be used at any business that is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County. This gives recipients around 200 choices of where to spend their chamber checks, and fellow Chamber members will also benefit! 2

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

The strength of a team with a single focus – you. Front Row: Leigh Ann Rotter, First Bank of Jasper, Retail Market Manager, NMLS #718264; Libba Elliott, Synovus Securities, Financial Consultant; Lisa Killingsworth, First Bank of Jasper, Commercial Banker Back Row: Kenny Allen, First Bank of Jasper, Retail Market Manager; Bert Hendrix, First Bank of Jasper, President; Toby Banks, Synovus Securities, Financial Consultant; Phillip Lee, Synovus Mortgage, Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #664139

In today’s busy world, your financial needs can be complex and ever-changing. It takes more than an individual to meet those needs. It takes a team. At First Bank of Jasper, we have a team of professionals with the expertise and resources you need. We work together with a single focus – helping you reach your financial goals.

firstbankofjasper.com | 205.221.3121

Investment products and services provided by Synovus are offered through Synovus Securities, Inc. Synovus Trust Company, N.A. GLOBALT Investments, a separately identifiable division of STC and Creative Financial Group. The registered broker-dealer offering brokerage products for Synovus is Synovus Securities, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Synovus Securities, Inc. is a subsidiary of Synovus Financial Corp and an affiliate of Synovus Bank. Synovus Trust Company, N.A. is a subsidiary of Synovus Bank. NOT FDIC INSURED

NO BANK GUARANTEE

MAY LOSE VALUE

Banking products are provided by Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Divisions of Synovus Bank operate under multiple trade names across the Southeast. 3 volume 5, issue 1

VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 • fall 2016

FromTheStaff... magazine Established October 2012

PUBLISHER James Phillips EDITOR Jennifer Cohron ART DIRECTOR Malarie Brakefield CONTRIBUTORS Brenda Anthony, Johnathan Bentley, Jennifer Cohron, Elane Jones, Brian Hale, Ron Harris, Dale Short Advertising Jake Aaron, Jerry Geddings, Renee Holly, Liz Steffan, Tammy Wood Business Manager Charlette Caterson Distribution Michael Keeton Walker Magazine is a publication of and distributed seasonally by the Daily Mountain Eagle, a division of Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without written consent from the publisher. Walker Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claims in any advertisement in any issue. Walker Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or changes in information. The opinions of contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its publisher. Our mission is to promote Walker County and to showcase its many attributes as a quality place in which to live, to work and to play. We welcome ideas and suggestions for future editions of the magazine. Just send us a brief note via email. © 2016 Daily Mountain Eagle Walker Magazine P.O. Box 1469 Jasper, AL 35502 (205) 221-2840 email: walkermagazine@mountaineagle.com 4

Walker Magazine

In this issue, which kicks off Walker Magazine’s fifth year of publication, we celebrate three things that loom large in Walker County each fall — God, politics and, of course, football. Gracing our cover is 7-year-old Jalaya Jackson, a running back and safety on the Dora Bulldogs 7-8-year-old team who has big dreams of playing under the Friday night lights one day. We also sat down with Sumiton Christian head football coach Bart Lockhart to discuss the influence that growing up in Cordova and his father, Pastor Mark Lockhart, had on his life and leadership style for our popular “Why I Love Walker County” feature. With election season in full swing, we reached out to Carbon Hill alumnus Chris Lawson to talk about his work on Capitol Hill. Lawson, who moved to Washington, D.C., in 2005 to intern with Rep. Robert Aderholt, is currently serving as the congressman’s administrative director. Our fall version of “From the Vault” features photos of politicians from the past making stump speeches in Walker County. Do you know which former gubernatorial candidate who went on to become one of the most powerful men in Montgomery had local ties? Find out on page 8. For our latest photo essay, we spent several days capturing the beauty of Walker County’s many churches. Our finds ranged from the historical (New Hope Primitive Baptist Church) to the unique (Little Flock Chapel). We also paid a visit to Back Forty Cowboy Church, where men, women, children and even animals are invited to approach God just as they are. Finally, we shine the spotlight on two men who are masters of their crafts. Tim Key, owner of the Tin Cup, began making rings out of coins after getting laid off from the coal mines, while Eric Nix’s dream of becoming a barber led him to establish a “clubhouse for men” at Old 64 Barbershop. Walker Magazine has undergone several changes in the past five years, but one thing remains the same. We are committed to helping Walker County put its best foot forward by telling the stories of the many wonderful people who call it home.

::: Subscribe to Walker Magazine! If you’re an out-of-towner, get a year of great stories right at your doorstep. Call: (205) 221-2840 Email: editor@mountaineagle.com

::: Follow the Daily Mountain Eagle and Walker Magazine on Facebook for the latest community news!

::: submit an idea We are always eager to receive suggestions from our readers. Please email your ideas to walkermagazine@ mountaineagle.com.

::: advertise For any information needed on how to promote your products and services, call (205) 221-2840 or send an email to advertising@ mountaineagle.com.

Jennifer Cohron, Editor

OnTheCover Dora Bulldog Jalaya Jackson strikes a pose on the football field. Photo by Ron Harris

GetHooked! For your entertainment we have placed this fishing hook (actual size) within the pages of Walker Magazine. This will be a permanent feature for our readers. We hope you enjoy searching for the fishing hook in each issue.

Happ y hunting!

fall 2016

Thank You To All Of The Sponsors, Vendors, Staff and Attendees For Making This Year’s Foothills Festival A Success!

JASPER, ALABAMA

201 6

www.FoothillsJasper.com

Sept. 9 -10 th

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Deana Carter

gin blossoms LOCaL staGe Partner: Pepsi (Buffalo Rock) Premier Partners: Byars-Wright • Carl Cannon Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac • Daily Mountain Eagle Desperation Church • Honda of Jasper • Hyundai of Jasper • Jasper Orthodontics • King, Wiley & Williams suPPOrtinG Partners: 78 Magazine • Aaron’s • Alabama Power • ALFA Insurance • Charles R. Dillard, DMD LLC Downs & Associates • The Eye Center of Alabama • Hager Oil • HTNA Megaplex Storage Center • Nitto Denko • Warehouse 319

Mayor Sonny Posey District 1 Jed Daniel Inc. volume 5, issue 1 1887

District 2 Danny Gambrell

District 3 Gary Cowen

District 4 Jennifer W. Smith

District 5 Sandi Sudduth

(205) 221-2100 | 400 19th St. W, Jasper, AL 35501 | www.jaspercity.com

TableOfContents 8

From The Vault Meet The Candidates

From Carbon Hill to Capitol Hill Chris Lawson

Game Changer Dora’s Jalaya Jackson 10

Come As You Are Back Forty Cowboy Church

Photo Essay Local churches

Other Side of the Coin Tim Key

A Clubhouse For Men Old 64 Barbershop

Community Calendar What’s going on in the county

Snapshots Past events in Walker County

Why I Love Walker County Bart Lockhart

AdvertisingIndex 43 - Allstate—Holladay Agency 33 - Bevill State Community College 29 - Blackwell’s Body Shop 15 - Byars-Wright Insurance 46 - Candyland Daycare 42 - Carl Cannon 02 - Chamber of Commerce of Walker Co. 05 - City of Jasper 33 - Cordova Health & Rehabilitation 49 - Custom Shirts and Signs 23 - Downs & Associates 03 - First Bank of Jasper 23 - First National Bank of Carbon Hill 6

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35 - GCR Tires and Service 35 - Green Top BBQ 42 - High Point Furniture 19 - Honda of Jasper 45 - Hospital Discount Pharmacy 19 - Hyundai of Jasper 23 - Jasper Homes 51 - Jasper Industrial Development Board 07 - Jasper Mall 43 - Jones Accounting 45 - Lavish 43 - Lamar’s Glass 43 - Los Reyes Grill

48 - Manchester Auto Parts 52 - Nelson, Bryan & Jones 15 - Pepito’s 23 - Perico’s 35 - Perico’s Express 29 - Realty South 35 - Reliable A/C Systems, Inc. 45 - Richardson Electronics 47 - The Tin Cup 51 - Walker Development Authority 33 - Williams Furniture 23 - Witcher Office Supply 15 - Young Jewelers fall 2016

Over 30 Specialty Shops Inside

Jasper Mall Serving Walker And Surrounding Counties For 36 Years!

Bath & Body Works • Belk, Carol’s • Cato • Cellairis • Chick-Fil-A • Deb & Co. • Factory Connection Fisher’s Men’s Shop • Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub • General Nutrition Center • Hibbett Sports • JC Penney Joe’s Shirt Shop • K-Mart • Lin Garden II • MasterCuts • Moon Day Spa • Nail Galaxy • Photosshoots Prime Communications • Robin’s Nest • rue 21 • Shoe Dept. • Subway • Susan’s Hallmark • The Children’s Place volume 5, issue 1 The Jewelry Doctor • U.S. Military Career Center • Yogurt Street • Zales

From The

Meet The Candidates Story by Jennifer Cohron Photos courtesy of the Daily Mountain Eagle

Congressman Tom Bevill addresses a crowd gathered for the first shovels of dirt turned for the Jasper bypass portion of Corridor X on April 7, 1993.

Paul Hubbert, whose wife, Ann, was from Carbon Hill, visited Walker County in June 1990 during his run for governor. Hubbert, a Democrat, lost to Republican Guy Hunt but carried Walker County by more than 3,000 votes.

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Alabama Secretary of State Don Siegelman speaks to Rob Boteler in the Daily Mountain Eagle’s composition department in August 1982.

Gubernatorial candidate Fob James brought out his political “pole” while speaking at Parkland Shopping Center on Aug. 28, 1978. Jasper was one of 17 municipalities James visited in a two-day span.

The James Gang, friends and relatives of gubernatorial candidate Fob James, visited Jasper in August 1978.

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Story by Jennifer Cohron | Photos courtesy of Chris Lawson

Walker Magazine

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Photo: Jennifer Cohron

Chris Lawson credits divine intervention for bringing him to the nation’s capital more than a decade ago. “I had no interest in politics. I loved history, but I didn’t equate that with government. It was just a God thing,” said Lawson, Rep. Robert Aderholt’s administrative director. Lawson graduated from Carbon Hill High School in 2003. After two years of community college, he needed more time to decide on a career path and save for tuition before transferring to a university. Lawson moved to Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2005 to complete an internship with Aderholt, who has represented Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District since 1997. When he applied for the internship, his plan was to stay just for the fall semester. A month after relocating to D.C., Lawson traded in an apartment in a dangerous neighborhood — the best he could afford on an intern’s $500 stipend — for the basement of the congressman’s residence. Aderholt invited Lawson to move into the home he shares with his wife, Caroline, and children, Mary Elliott and Robert Hayes, after learning of his previous living arrangement. “The Aderholts are so kind, and his office is wonderful. A lot of them are Southerners, so I fit right in. It was like home in a different place,” Lawson said. As an intern, Lawson focused on constituent services – giving tours of the Capitol, answering phones and sorting mail. The former taught Lawson the storied history of his new workplace while the latter gave him insight into the concerns of the 700,000 people who live in the Fourth Congressional District. “One time there was a big issue with UPS employees and their retirement. We hadn’t heard about it until people started calling us, and then we got hundreds of postcards. Until people write or call, we don’t always know about things like that because the government is so big,” Lawson said.

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Rep. Robert Aderholt served as best man at Chris Lawson’s wedding in 2014.

“[Washington, D.C.,] was like home in a different place.” - Chris Lawson

After the internship ended, Lawson was hired as an administrative assistant. He returned to Alabama in 2007 to complete a degree in geography at Auburn University, but each summer he made the trek back to D.C. to help with the internship program that had given him his start. After graduating in 2012, Lawson served first as a staff assistant and then a legislative correspondent in Aderholt’s office before being promoted to the role of administrative director. Setting up tours, managing the Congressman’s schedule and heading up the internship program are all part of his responsibilities. Aderholt has 10 employees in his D.C. office divided among

Walker Magazine

three departments – administration, legislation and communication. Lawson said some voters imagine a much larger staff, which is just one of the misconceptions he has encountered while working for Aderholt. “It makes me very sad because I think people really don’t know what we’re doing up there. They call and think we’re getting all of this free stuff, have platinum health care and are making too much money,” Lawson said. Lawson is even more sensitive to false impressions of Aderholt, who not only provided him a safe place to live when he moved to D.C., but also served as the best man at his wedding.

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At left: Chris Lawson conducts a meeting in Rep. Robert Aderholt’s Washington, D.C., office.

At Right: Chris Lawson served as an intern in Aderholt’s office before becoming administrative director.

“I worry that people just don’t know how good of a man he is. People forget that congressmen are just people, and they’re trying hard to do a job that is very difficult, especially now when there is so much division,” Lawson said. When Lawson comes in tired at the end of a 60-hour work week, he thinks about Aderholt, whose schedule is even more grueling than his own. Although voters are quick to criticize politicians, they also reach out to their representatives in Congress when they need help cutting through bureaucratic red tape. While Aderholt can do little about some requests, such as finding a job for an out-ofwork constituent, he can be influential for a veteran who is having trouble getting his benefits. More than a decade spent away from Walker County has made Lawson more passionate than ever about finding ways to make life better for people like his mother, who worked two jobs while he was in community college and still struggled to make ends meet. “No one considers D.C. home. This (Walker County) is home. When I moved away, it was just to try something new, but now I always ask myself how I’m helping people in this area. To me, that’s why I’m up there now,” Lawson said. •

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eorge ident G s e r P n with 2007. Lawso Bush, June W. Vice President Dick Cheney poses for a picture with Robert Aderholt, his children and Lawson, June 2008.

Lawson

with Fir st L

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ady Lau

ra Bush ,

June 20

08 .

man Congresswo Lawson with 0 , June 20 7. Nancy Pelosi

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Historic Downtown Jasper 205.221.6194 YoungJewelers.com

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game changer Story by Johnathan Bentley | Photos by Johnathan Bentley and Ron Harris

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Jami Harris never got the chance to play toybowl football. Growing up, the Dora native wanted to put on the shoulder pads and helmets and go toe-to-toe with the boys. Her mother had other plans. “Back then, mama was like, ‘You are going to cheer,’ so I had to,” Harris said. Now a mother herself, when her daughter Jalaya Jackson expressed her intent to play football with the boys, there was a moment of hesitation. “At first, I was a little skeptical because she’s a girl,” Harris said. “I was thinking that maybe she would get hit hard one time and maybe she would quit.” Then she saw her daughter go through a practice. “Those boys didn’t stand a chance with her. She hit them and kept on going. I thought, yeah, she’s going to play football,” Harris said. “I mean, she’s a tomboy just like me.” Jalaya, 7, is a veteran player as a member of the Dora Bulldogs 7-8-year-old team. She started playing as a 5-year-old but had to sit out her second season last year after she broke her knee cap in a non-football related injury. She never had much interest in being a toybowl cheerleader. “’Cause it’s too girly girl,” said Jalaya one of four Dora running backs on the team. She’s also a safety on defense — and she has the right mentality. “I like hitting people,” Jalaya added. According to USAfootball.com girls make up eight percent of youth football players. What makes Jalaya stand out is her speed. Dora head coach Rodney Smithers found that out in person when he put Jalaya up against the other Bulldog running backs.

Above: Jalaya Jackson runs for a touchdown for the Dora Bulldog’s in a game earlier this season against Carbon Hill. At Right: Jalaya’s mother, Jami Harris, helps Jalaya prepare before the game

“We were trying to (see what we had) at running back,” Smithers recounted of a preseason practice. “We don’t really have a way to do a 100-yard dash or anything like that. So I said, ‘Let’s have a race.’ We had the race and she won it. She’s fast,” Smithers said. “She’s also one of the toughest little girls you’ll see. She’s got a lot of heart.” Dora has put Jalaya’s speed to good use this season. She had four touchdowns, though one was called back due to a penalty. She had two scores against Sumiton. Against Carbon Hill — one of the top teams in the league — she went 75 yards untouched down the sideline for another score. With the ball in her hands, there is a chance good things are going to happen for Dora. “She’s a great player. To be a girl, she’s real tough and a real hard worker. She’s not afraid of the boys, I can say that,” assistant coach Billy Babbs said of Jalaya. “I run her outside. Once she gets around the corner, you can go ahead and put six points on the board.” Though she’s only a second grader at Sumiton Elementary School, Jalaya has given her football career some thought. “I want to keep playing, even in high school,” said Jalaya, whose favorite subject is math — perfect for adding the yardage on those long touchdown runs. Her mother isn’t one to quash her football dreams. “I would like for her to keep playing,” Harris said. “Of course I love it. The fact that she’s a little girl and she’s out there outdoing the boys. She’s hitting them and keeps going. She reminds me a little bit of me.” • 18

Walker Magazine

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Story and Photos by Elane Jones

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

Tyrone Nail

had not been on a horse in 30 years when he founded Back Forty Cowboy Church. Like the Apostle Paul, he learned how to “become all things to all people” so that some might be saved. “God told me, ‘A lot of churches today don’t want people with issues in their lives, but you be sure you turn no one away. There will be a lot of people who might not accept it, but you try with all you have to reach out and get the gospel to people,’” Nail said. Nail and his wife, Belinda, say they want everyone to feel welcome at their little church, which sits on a hill just off Lamon Chapel Road in northern Walker County. Church services are held each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in a non-traditional setting. There is no dress code, and no offerings are collected or memberships solicited. Sometimes horses and even donkeys are used as part of the Bible study during sermons. “The things that have gone on here and the way God uses a horse to bring somebody to Christ is amazing,” Nail said. “Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought we would be a witness to what God has done through animals and other people.” The Nails said their journey to build Back Forty Cowboy Church started with a weekend trip to Scottsboro in September 2011. While checking out at the Unclaimed Baggage Center,

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At Left: Pastor Tyrone Nail and his wife, Belinda, stand behind the church’s saddle that doubles as a pulpit. At Right: Youth minister Daniel Keeton allowed several children who recently visited the church to pet his horse, Bug.

Nail asked the four women who were working that day where they attended church. One said a local cowboy church. Curious, the couple drove to Elkmont on Saturday to meet the pastor and again on Sunday to attend the service. “We talked with the pastor and others a little bit before the service. Then the men had prayer, and I asked them just that quick (with a snap of his fingers), to be praying for Jasper, Alabama, because this is something that I feel like we need to do,” Nail said. In October 2011, the Nails returned to Elkmont for a gathering of different congregations associated with cowboy church, a growing movement in the South and Southwest. Cowboy churches meet in rural settings such as barns or rodeo arenas and are closely aligned with Western heritage. On a visit to Lonesome Dove Cowboy Church in Cullman, the Nails felt unqualified for the task of founding such a church because they were not associated with rodeos, saddle clubs or other aspects of cowboy culture. “I prayed and said, ‘Lord, we can’t do this,’” Belinda Nail said. “But all I kept getting was that your church here is not going to be the same as those churches.” During the next year, the Nails attended several cowboy churches in Alabama and met Bro. James Grace from Freedom Assembly of God, who helped them learn more about starting a church. “At the time, we lived down on Lamon Chapel Road, and I called our property where we ended up building the church, the ‘back forty.’ So that’s how we came up with the name the Back Forty Cowboy Church because it was something we could relate to,” Nail said. 22

Walker Magazine

The first service was held March 18, 2012, in a field with 23 chairs borrowed from Freedom Assembly of God. The Nails held Sunday worship services in the field in the wind, rain and cold, with only port-o-potties as restroom facilities before adding a prefabricated building. “That says something about the heart of the people right there, because having to use a port-o-potty, especially at church, is just something you don’t want to have to experience in life,” Nail said. When the church outgrew the prefab building, they built a larger structure that had a roof but no walls, and the people still came. “It is just unreal the things that could have discouraged folks from coming to church, but we kept on going,” Nail said. “During the winter, it was cold, and we’d put tarps up to keep the wind off, but that didn’t seem to bother anybody. They’d put on their coats and bring their blankets and just wrap up.” The church is still held in that same structure, only now it is enclosed by four walls made of rough lumber and a concrete floor. The church also has a large watering trough in which baptisms are held, a huge cross made from a pine tree and its own country gospel group. The church hosts various horse riding events throughout the year at its arena, which is located in front of the church. “If you don’t like the smell of horse manure or your kids getting a little dirty, then it’s probably not going to be your cup of tea,” Nail said. “But that’s what we’re all about, getting back to our country roots, where people can come as they are and their kids can play and get dirty and still come in the church and sit next to their parents and listen to the word of God.” • fall 2016

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fall 2016

Carbon Hill First United Methodist Church

Townley First Baptist Church

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Kansas United Methodist Church

Sipsey Union Church

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Eldridge Church of Christ

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Carbon Hill First Presbyterian Church

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Little Flock Chapel

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fall 2016

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Story and Photos by Dale Short

im Key gets a lot of ideas, and he seems to get his best ones out of the blue, while he’s watching television at night with his wife, Brandi. Last December he’d been laid off from his coal mining job and had more time than usual to brainstorm. One night in February he turned to Brandi and said, “’I need to get all the quarters we’ve got.’ When we started looking, we must have found enough to fill a half-gallon bucket.” When she asked what they were for, Key said he was going to make some rings. Then he went out to his workshop. He’d been no stranger to building and crafting ever since he was a boy. His idea for the quarters was to use a wooden mallet and a metalworking tool called a drift pin to fashion the coins into finger rings. “As you work with one of the coins,” he says, “it kind of bubbles out in the middle just through physics.” He kept shaping it until it made “a pretty decent facsimile” with the coin’s date on the rim--one concept being to make them into engagement rings. He did some fine-tuning with the design (“If I told you all the details I’d have to kill you,” he says with a laugh) and the next day he started making the rounds of “boutique-style places” he hoped would stock the unique products for sale. His results were underwhelming. “The shops said they’d already ordered rings, some of them from other countries.” At that point he knew it was back to the drawing board. “We were watching TV again,” he recalls, “and it occurred to me that if I was having this much trouble placing my work in stores, how many other talented people in Walker County and surrounding areas were in the same position?” Then came his other brainstorm: why not create a space where a few dozen artists could display their work together? Soon he was on the lookout for a building, and he found one — across Highway 78 from G. May & Sons, next door to Jasper Beauty Supply All the building needed was a name. Late-night TV to the rescue again: “I thought, ‘How about Bud’s Antiques?’ Bud was my grandfather on my mother’s side. ‘Or Bud’s Collectibles?’ And then for some reason ‘The Tin Cup’ popped into my head out of the blue. Brandi said, ‘I like that so we 30

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

volume 5, issue 1

Tim Key, owner of the Tin Cup, looks through a glass case at the business that includes his hand-crafted rings as well as other wares from artisans featured at the shop. 32

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

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www.bscc.edu

Tim Key stands in front of The Tin Cup, a store catering to artists in downtown Jasper.

Tin Cup. “We started here with a blank slate, a concrete floor. He’s settled on it.” The next step was a Facebook page. “Neither of us had ever been helped me do everything from gathering pallets to putting booths up.” Key says he’s been pleasantly surprised by how many vendors — on Facebook before,” Key says, “so we had my niece come over and create a page for us. And from that point, we’ve been going wide open more than 30 — have already rented spaces in the shop, and he and online. There’s a lot of traffic on Facebook, and a lot of people use Mike are already building more booths. Though their products run the gamut, he says some of the most popular items are chalkboards for Pinterest and other things online to find ideas. “When they see something they like, they can come here and hanging in kitchens, old windows up-cycled into picture frames and find it already made, or else they bring me handmade furniture. “We have a lot of what they call ‘shabby a picture and we make it for them, or maychic,’” Key says. be they get the raw materials here — an old “When they see something The variety is one of Key’s key selling ladder-back chair, a door, a window frame, they like, they can come here points. In one booth is a grouping of Hallowand make a project themselves. We’re full een jack-o’-lanterns made from wood. Nearservice, any way they want it done.” and find it already made, or by is a wall hanging sewn into the familiar The Facebook page uses the terms “recycling” and “up-cycling.” He explains the pink insignia of fighting breast cancer. Proelse they bring me a picture ceeds from the artwork will be donated to difference: “Recycling is when people find and we make it for them...” breast cancer research. an item and bring it in to sell it as-is. Say an Before moving back home to Walker old window frame. But if they put a back on - Tim Key County, Key was a salesman for an internait, paint it, and dress the frame, that’s up-cycling. It adds some extra value to it.” tional company that sold hunting and fishing Making things runs in Key’s blood. He grew up in Goodsprings, equipment. He was on the road constantly, and his family once moved and when he was a boy he and his father, Mike, built a log cabin. “He twice in one year. To say that he’s more comfortable with his current gave me an axe for my fifth birthday and I’ve still got it,” Key says. An circumstances is an understatement. “I’ve always loved talking to people,” he said. “This place is not adjoining machine shop was handy as well, and they often made or refurbished spare parts rather than go into town to an auto-parts shop. about me, it’s about our artists. And I love coming to work every morn“I couldn’t have done any of this without my dad,” he says of The ing.” •

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

Voted #1 tire shop

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CLUBHOUSE for

MEN Story and Photos by James Phillips

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

volume 5, issue 1

In a barbershop,

chewing the fat can sometimes become more important than a good haircut and shave. That’s certainly the case at Old 64 Barbershop on Hull Road in Sumiton, where men of all ages and all backgrounds come from miles around to hang out in a classic setting that had almost become a thing of the past. Eric Nix, owner of Old 64, started his shop nearly three years ago in March 2014. The then 35-yearold Sumiton Christian School graduate had spent much of his life working at jobs that he did not enjoy, and the idea of becoming a barber had nagged at him for years. “My dad is a body man, working on cars, and I did that for a good while, because it was an easy place to get a job,” Nix said. “That’s really when I thought about being a barber, because I wanted something other than that to do. I couldn’t see myself retiring doing that. The body shop thing would be a good career, but not for me.” A short time later, Nix’s wife became pregnant with their first child, an event that Nix said “flipped the switch” on his barbering career. “I always thought it was cool, not necessarily the job, but the atmosphere in general,” he said. “There were no barbers anywhere at that time, so I knew there could be a high demand for it, and it seemed like something that I could see myself doing as a career. People waste a lot of time on what they think their dream is. You can force it. If you have to force it, it is not your thing. That’s how barbering was for me. I kept thinking, “I’ve got to do that.” After graduating from the Alabama State College of Barber Styling in Gardendale, Nix opened Old 64. “In the beginning, I wanted to build a culture around the shop and it get out through the county and have some young guys have pride in the county again, that’s why I’m named ‘Old 64,’ because it is Walker County. No matter where I might take the shop, that’s what it means. That’s important to me,” Nix said.

Walker Magazine

fall 2016

Old 64 Barbershop, located on Hull Road in Sumiton, is a throwback to barbershops of the past where males, young and old, can get a clean haircut and build friendships with others from the area.

volume 5, issue 1

Eric Nix, owner of Old 64 Barbershop in Sumiton, cuts Braden Woodard’s hair. Nix opened up the popular shop almost three years ago.

Walker Magazine

At the time Nix opened the shop, there were no barbers in east Walker County and only a small number in the entire Birmingham metro area. Since his opening, there are still only a handful of barbers in the area, but barbershops across the country are seeing a resurgence. “A lot of the old guys blame the Beatles still, because of their long hair, for the barbershops losing popularity for several decades,” Nix said. “My generation really started letting it die, but thankfully, we are also kind of getting it back too.” Having a different look from the barbers of the past was a concern for Nix when he opened his shop. He was concerned his number of tattoos might scare off some of his older would-be clients. “I thought they would mind the tattoos,” he said. “For a long time, I was described as the new barber in town with all the tattoos. When we first got our T-shirts, if a tattooed guy would wear one out around town, people would ask him if he was the new barber, because they had heard I had tattoos. “In a weird way, I think we are breaking that stereotype, because the old guys are saying that we may have tattoos, but we have jobs and are giving them good haircuts,” Nix added. The shop is also filled with what Nix called “manly” decorations. Most of the items on the walls or on display were things Nix had accumulated over the years. From mustache and beard signs to an old ship painting, everything in the place speaks to men, even the couple of toys on display, figurines of former “A-Team” star Mr. T and retired professional wrestler King Kong Bundy. “Nobody knows who that is,” Nix said of Bundy. “A lot of folks think it is Butterbean, but I’ve never seen Butterbean in a singlet.” Blaise Rogers, a Corner High School graduate, started cutting hair at Old 64 a little more than a year ago. He said he got into the business after meeting Nix while getting a haircut. “I thought his (Eric) name was Matt for the longest,” Rogers said. “I was going to college at Jeff State and went to the barber college to get my haircut. We got to know each other and I asked him one day what he thought about me being a barber. He told me to go to the barber college and if I was good that I would have a job.” Nix and Rogers spend the majority of their day together in the barbershop, and the bond they’ve created during their time working together has turned into a great friendship. Much like the friendships the two men have created with many of their customers. “I was thinking the other day that there are guys who I hang out with on a consistent basis that I know through cutting their hair,” Nix said. “I didn’t even know them before, but they know me and my family and I know them and their families through this shop. You definitely create a bond in the barber shop.” Jason Richardson is one of those customers. He said the friendships that he has formed with Nix and Rogers is more important than fall 2016

the great service he receives at the barbershop. “I enjoy the classic barbershop atmosphere. The hot lather and straight razor shave is something that has been lost in recent years. It’s a man’s barbershop,” Richardson said. “Eric and Blaise are excellent at their profession and provide a high quality service. Also, I feel like I’ve made two very good friends there as well. I’ve always felt very welcome anytime I visit the shop.“ Some customers stop by Old 64 just to chat, even if they are not in need of a haircut or beard trim. “I would compare this place to a social club, almost like a clubhouse for men,” Nix said. “I really wanted that when I was planning the place. It is tricky to have a place where old guys and young guys can both hang out and have the same conversation. That right there makes it a unique place in itself.” While conversations continue at Old 64 throughout the day, there are a couple of topics that Nix and Rogers attempt to avoid — politics and religion. “Those topics are not really banned, but we try to stay away from them,” Nix said. “We definitely don’t voice our opinion on those two things. If a customer wants to talk about politics or religion, we let them for a few minutes and try to change the subject.” During the fall, football becomes a main point of conversation around Old 64. “We are a shop divided,” Rogers said. “I’m an Alabama fan.” “I’m an Auburn fan,” Nix said. “I catch most of the heat during football season, but I always joke with folks that I will cut an ‘AU’ in the back of their head if they aren’t careful.” The clubhouse-like atmosphere is helping the guys at Old 64 to start on a new generation of customers. Tyler Rigsby said the shop is the only place he or his son will get haircuts. “There is really nothing about the shop I don’t enjoy,” he said. “If I had to pick a specific reason, it’s because, simply, it feels like home. I can be myself and I’m always comfortable. No one could find a better set of guys than Eric and Blaise. My 2-year-old son Wyatt and I won’t go anywhere else.” Customers come to Old 64 from all over Walker County as well as Birmingham, Cullman, Gardendale, Fultondale and other places outside the area. When asked why people travel such distances to visit the shop, Nix had a simple answer. “I don’t know. I hope they like their haircuts,” he joked. “It goes back to being friends with people. We are establishing relationships. We know a lot of details about their lives. “Most of the time we are cutting up laughing and cracking on each other, but man, we have had some sad stuff that we have talked about. That’s what I like about it. It is cool in that aspect,” Nix added. • volume 5, issue 1

Blaise Rogers finishes up a haircut on Carter Woodard, an eighth grade student at Sumiton Middle School. Rogers has been a barber at Old 64 Barbershop for just over a year now.

C l a s sic . E l e g a n t. St y l e .

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october-december

october FAYE WHITTEMORE FARMS PUMPKIN PATCH The Faye Whittemore Farms Pumpkin Patch on Forrester Road in Jasper will be open for school tours Monday through Friday, and to the public every Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 until 5 p.m., throughout the month of October. For more information, call (205) 522-4137 or visit the farm’s website at fayewhittemorefarms.com.

charity disc golf tournament

The Grip-N-Rip Disc Golf Club will host a charity tournament on Saturday, Oct. 22, at North Jasper Park. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of a specialized wheelchair for Mitch Murray. Register at dgscene.com/mitchmurray. Spectators welcome. Sponsorships are available and donations are appreciated. For more information, call Jake Aaron at (205) 471-5739.

PETS ON PARADE

The 15th Annual Pets on Parade will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. until noon, at Gamble Park on Gamble Avenue in Jasper. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County at (205) 384-4571.

FIND A POTION FOR PARKINSON’S 10K/5K

The Second Annual Find A Potion for Parkinson’s 10K/5K and 1-mile Fun Run will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, at Gamble Park. A silly costume contest for kids and adults will be held at 8 a.m. to be followed by the fun run at 8:30 a.m. and the 10K/5K at 9 a.m. 44

Walker Magazine

NOVEMBER

3&4

DINNER THEATRE

The Walker County Arts Alliance Annual Dinner Theatre, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” will be held at Musgrove Country Club on Thursday, Nov. 3, and Friday, Nov. 4. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50. To purchase, email pat.wcaa@gmail.com.

VETERANS DAY PARADE

The Veterans Day Parade will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, in downtown Jasper. For more information, contact VFW Post 4850 Auxiliary member, Paulette Murray by mail at P.O. Box 327, Dora, AL 35062, by email at pmurray4850@ gmail.com, or by phone at (205) 9029195.

PILOT CLUB OF JASPER HOLIDAY BAZAAR

The Pilot Club of Jasper Annual Holiday Bazaar/Silent Auction will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Jasper Civic Center on 19th Street in downtown Jasper. For more information, contact Beckie Martin at (205) 221-8020.

ELDRIDGE DAY/BLOOD DRIVE/CAR SHOW

The 34th Annual Eldridge Day/12th Annual Eldridge Day Car Show/21st Annual Eldridge Day Blood Drive in memory of Grant Tucker will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Eldridge Town Hall. For more information, call the Eldridge Town Hall at (205) 924-4383.

december

“CHRISTMAS IN NAUVOO”

The 28th Annual “Christmas in Nauvoo” Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, beginning at 10 a.m., in downtown Nauvoo. Line-up for the parade will begin at 9 a.m., a the old Slick Lizzard Restaurant on Nauvoo Road. For more information, call Gene McDaniel at (205) 697-5652.

CHAMBER CHRISTMAS PARADE

The Chamber of Commerce of Walker County’s Annual Christmas Parade will be held Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m., in downtown Jasper.

east walker CHRISTMAS PARADE

The East Walker Christmas Parade will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6:00 p.m., in Dora and Sumiton.

“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER”

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, presented by Jasper Community Theatre, will be held Thursday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. inside the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in downtown Jasper. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

“THE NUTCRACKER”

The Nutcracker, presented by Athletic Arts Center, will be held Saturday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. The prices are $18, $15 and $10 and may be purchased online at www. athleticartsctr.com. The performance will be held at the theatre inside the new high school in Jasper. For more information, contact Athletic Arts at 205-387-9337. fall 2016

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Readers’

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SNAPSHOTS

walker area

community foundation

Cristy Moody and Danny Gambrell

luncheon

august 24, 2016 Jasper civic center Carol Alexander, Carol Downs, Jenny Short and Mike Short

Sidney James, Kristy Myers, Anne Lanier Stanfield, Robbin Reed Allen, Becky Thorne Carroll and Sandra Saddler

CANDYLAND DAYCARE, INC. Curry Highway • Jasper • 221-5683

State Licensed, Trained, Qualified Teachers 46

Walker Magazine

a trusting touch Breakfast, Lunch, & Snack Provided on USDA Program

Infants • Toddlers 3, 4 & 5 Yr. Old Preschool

Celebration 25 Years In Business

6am to 6pm summer 2015

August 28, 2016 smith lake

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mike beasley poker run

Emily Beasley and Cyndi Beasley

Tate Gilbreath, Jackie Gilbreath and Tony Sparks

Mitzi Goolsby and Donna Hensley

Michael, Valarie and Brandon Beasley

Harold Beasley and Wylma Jones

Lisa Killingsworth and Rebecca Franklin

The Tin Cup

“A showplace for locally handmade furniture, art, craft items and reinvented merchandise.” – Booth Space availaBle! –

(205) 544-8636 Tim Key

Vintage Market Antiques

volume 4, issue 4

Located Across From G. May & Sons

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David Williams and Stephen Downs

backyard blessings september 1, 2016 piggly wiggly, dora

Dorothy Sellers and Minee McCrary

Wanda Griffis and Kelly Reid

Billie Isom and Robin Doss

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Choice Awards 2016

4465 Alabama 195, Jasper, AL 35503 • (205) 221-7980 48

Walker Magazine

#1 Auto Parts Store 4 Years In A Row! summer 2015

september 10, 2016 downtown jasper

SNAPSHOTS

foothills festival

Corie and Pat Wells

Charlynne Adamson and Ava, Aiden and Carter Campbell

Dwight Posey and Susan Tubbs

Allecia and Stuart Phenicie

Jim Morris and Pat Morris

Jordanna Gunter and Dana McCarver

volume 4, issue 4

Wanda Ferguson and Maxine Dodson

Why I Love Walker County with Bart

Lockhart

Story by Brian Hale | Photo by James Phillips

Bart Lockhart, a 2004 Cordova High School graduate, is in his third year with the Sumiton Christian Eagles. After a standout career as a quarterback for the Blue Devils, Lockhart went to Delta State before transferring to and graduating from the University of West Alabama. He previously worked at Farmstead School and Maddox Middle School while assisting with the Walker High School football program for seven years. In 2014, Lockhart was hired as athletic director and offensive coordinator at SCS before being promoted to head coach in 2015. Lockhart is also assistant principal at Sumiton Christian. Lockhart and his wife, Amy, have three children – Evan, Eva and Rylan.

Q: What was your impression of Walker County growing up? A: Walker County has a strong family atmosphere. It’s one where everyone knows everyone, a real Mayberry-like quality, and I feel very blessed to have grown up here because of it. The tightknit communities are very supportive — I’ve felt it. The old saying that ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ holds true. My parents are wonderful people, but there are a number of people in this area who have had an influence in my life. Q: After attending college in Mississippi, what made you want to return to Walker County and make your permanent home here? A: It’s home. It’s a special place and going somewhere else to witness how things are different made me realize how awesome of a place this really is. Traveling around in Mississippi showed me that it’s a great place, but it’s not home. Q: As a citizen and the father of children who will be growing up in 50

Walker Magazine

Walker County, what are some of the changes you’d like to see take place? A: It seemed when I was growing up — from a child’s perspective — things went at a slower pace. We live in a social media world where everything is fast and life seems to be constantly on the go. I wish we could find some happy medium between the hustle-and-bustle and the small-town, slow-down, family atmosphere I grew up in. But it’s still the place I want to raise my family — the strong moral values of Walker County is to be commended because it’s not like that everywhere. Q: As a coach, what are you imparting to the young people who will be leaders in the community? A: The reason I became a coach came from my father. He was a youthleague coach, and I watched him go throughout Cordova picking up kids from practice, many of whom I saw that did not have dads. I saw how they responded to him and showed him respect. As I grew older, they came to tell me the

effect he had on their lives due to the lack of not having a dad. Because God blessed me with a great earthly father and I saw what he did for young people, I wanted to become a coach because I wanted to have the opportunity to affect children like he did the community of Cordova. Football is a great game, but the misconception is that it teaches character. Football doesn’t teach character unless the coach intentionally teaches it through football. I understand that few players that come through our program are going to make a living playing sports professionally, so we had better be doing something to prepare them to have a successful life when football is over for them — whenever that may be. We want to leave a lasting impact on their lives. Any successes we have in wins and losses is due to the kids. If we have a good season, we know it’s what the kids have done, but I won’t know if I’m successful until later in their lives, where the things that we’ve tried to teach them through the game of football have made an impact in their lives. fall 2016

TEAMWORK

Jasper Water Tank

Spec Building #5

Yorozu Groundbreaking

Interstate 22 Official Opening

The Jasper Industrial Development Board and The Walker County Development Authority work as a unified team to promote growth and development within Walker County. Contact:

Walker County Development Authority Phone: 205-302-0068 Web: wceida.com volume 5, issue 1

Readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Choice Awards 2016

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