CONNOISSEURS OF ALABAMA

Bridging the gap between the artfully minded and connoisseurs of collectibles through one of Homewood’s staple stores, Alabama Goods.

BY ANNA GRACE MOORE PHOTOS BY KELSEA SCHAFER

PPerusing through Alabama Goods, a connoisseur of collectibles will find herself circling tables more than once, looking up, down and from side-to-side as there are more goods than first appear when met with the naked eye.

Alabama Goods is home to up to 300 Alabama vendors, with all of the goods made right here in the Yellowhammer state. Founders and owners Sherry Hartley and Beth Staula are proud to not only bridge the gap between craft makers and collectors, but they are also proud that their store boosts Alabama’s economy, puts food on Alabama artists’ tables and is a signature spot for tourists, looking for a signature token of Alabama culture.

Sherry and Beth, the dynamic duo, first met in a chamber of commerce meeting when Sherry had just sold her business and Beth was looking to sell hers. After forming a friendship, they realized there was a void for places to buy unique gifts, especially those made locally.

“We both love the state of Alabama,” Sherry says. “We recognized a void we felt like we could fill. Since then, what we have come to love about this company is we get to know our vendors as opposed to going to market.”

The pair focused their efforts on corporate gifting and launched Alabama Goods’ website in 2007. Having weathered the 2008 recession and coming out strong, Sherry and Beth erected their first brick-andmortar store in Homewood in 2010 and have since doubled their space in 2013.

Alabama Goods expanded to Huntsville in 2020 and plans to open their third location in the Stadium Trace Village shopping center of Hoover in late 2023. The Inc. 5,000 list of fastest growing businesses named Alabama Goods as a top contender for businesses in the Southeast, too.

One unique aspect about the vendors both online and instore is that no matter how many, Sherry and Beth have a personal relationship with each of them.

“We know our vendors personally,” Beth says. “We know their stories, their products, their families. That personal relationship is everything. We know that we’re important to them.”

It is hard to imagine that Sherry and Beth built their inventory and did not start out with hundreds of options. Beth says she and Sherry hustled, attending