SANDRA FULLER’S ARTISTIC SPARK • INSIDE ARCHIE’S BAR-B-Q • HOMESCHOOLING IN A PANDEMIC ERA
A CLEAN START
A COLLECTION FOR CLEAN BEAUTY
MEET THE KIDPRENEURS SAVVY STUDENT BUSINESS OWNERS
APRIL/MAY 2021 HooversMagazine.com Vol. 10 | Issue 2 $4.95
HOME AGAIN
THE SOUTHERN SOURCE’S COASTAL-MEETSFARMHOUSE STYLE HooversMagazine.com 1
2 April/May 2021
[Newbor n + Child + Family Por traiture] info@apeppermintphoto.com + 205.807.6431 w w w . a p e p p e r m i n t p h o t o . c o m HooversMagazine.com 1
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FEATURES
44
MEET THE KIDPRENEURS These savvy student salesmen sell everything from cookies to clothing. Learn more about where their businesses came from and where they are heading.
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A CLEAN START This engineer-turned-skincare consultant is sharing her everevolving collection for clean beauty.
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BUILDERS & BUYERS
With spring comes the time for cleaning and home projects. Here’s your guide to renovations, landscaping and other resources.
2 April/May 2021
PHOTO BY LINDSEY DRENNAN
Special Advertising Section
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PHOTO BY KATE ZILLS
arts & culture
11 Forever Observer: Sandra Fuller’s Artistic Spark 17 Book Nook: Spring into Reading 20 Read This Book: Alabama Roots
schools & sports
21 Under Their Wings: Homeschooling Families in a Pandemic Era 28 Five Questions For: Hoover City Schools Foundation Director
food
& drink
29 Like Father, Like Son: A New Name for Archie’s Bar-B-Q & Burgers
home
in every issue 4 Contributors 5 From the Editor 6 The Question 7 The Guide 18 Aldridge Gardens 62 Chamber Connections 66 Out & About 70 Marketplace 72 My Hoover
& style
37 Home Again: Meredith Tolleson’s Coastal-Meets-Farmhouse Style
HooversMagazine.com 3
contributors EDITORIAL
Alec Etheredge Nathan Howell Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Scott Mims Emily Sparacino
CONTRIBUTORS
James Culver Lauren Dowdle Lindsey Drennan Amy Ferguson Sara Hancock Morgan Hunt Heather Jones Skaggs Elizabeth Sturgeon Lauren Winter Kate Zills
DESIGN
Jamie Dawkins Connor Martin-Lively Brittani Myers Kimberly Myers Briana Sansom
MARKETING
Darniqua Bowen Kristy Brown Evann Campbell Jessica Caudill Kari George Caroline Hairston Rachel Henderson Kinley Johnson Rhett McCreight Viridiana Romero Brittany Schofield Lisa Shapiro Savana Tarwater Kerrie Thompson
ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Daniel Holmes Stacey Meadows Tim Prince
Lauren Dowdle, Writer
An award-winning writer, Lauren lives in Hoover with her husband, daughter and four fur-babies. She writes for a variety of local, national and international publications. A graduate from the University of Alabama, Lauren played the tuba in the Million Dollar Band, which is how she met her husband. When she isn’t writing or chasing around a toddler, she loves to bake for friends and family.
Lindsey Drennan, Photographer
Lindsey is a lifestyle and wedding photographer as well as a graphic designer. She has been in the wedding industry for over six years with Lindsey Ann Photography and has a passion for design as well. When she’s not working, you’ll find her renovating her house or playing with her golden, Aiden. You can follow her photography at @liindsey and her renovations @themodernrenovator on Instagram.
Chandra Sparks Splond, Writer
Chandra is an editor, speaker and award-winning author and blogger. She was the consulting editor for BET Books/Arabesque romance. She has also edited for several New York Times, USA Today and Essence bestselling authors and worked as a copy editor for Good Housekeeping magazine. Visit her at chandrasparkssplond.com
Lauren Winter, Photographer
Southern to the core, Lauren grew up in Birmingham and now lives in Bluff Park. She is mama to two little girls, and owner of Fresh Grace Photography, which specializes in lifestyle family photography and weddings. In addition to her girls, Lauren’s favorites include sweet tea, camping, football, bluebirds, thunderstorms and puppy breath.
Hoover’s Magazine is published bimonthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Hoover’s Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Hoover’s Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Hoover’s Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Hoover, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit HooversMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $16.30 for one year by visiting HooversMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532. Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@hooversmagazine.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.
4 April/May 2021
from the editor
A
ON THE COVER
Home Again
Meredith Tolleson of @thesouthernsource has brought her California-coastal-meetsfarmhouse style to her new home at Lake Wilborn, just down the road from where she grew up. Photo by Lindsey Drennan Design by Connor Martin-Lively
As I type this letter, we have hit the one-year mark since our world was forever changed by a virus. None of us had any clue then just how long this strange season would last, and even as more and more of us get vaccinated today, we now know there won’t be one magical day where suddenly everything snaps back to a pre-pandemic normal. What we do know is decades from now we’ll be telling stories from the pandemic of 2020 and beyond to kids and grandkids, so I am starting to think of just what time capsule our photos and magazines from this time will be. At first glance, this issue might not scream “pandemic magazine,” so I thought I’d share how it is, in many ways, very much one. Our Out & About event photos take up very few pages, and any events we preview in The Guide come with fine print to check for updates online before attending. Most of the writing in the pages that follow started not with our usual in-person interviews but with emails, old-school phone calls and Zoom calls. Our photography all took place with social distance, masked photographers and often outdoor settings. Our home feature tells the story of how Meredith Tolleson and her husband, Ty, built a house amidst the pandemic, and our story on a Ross Bridge homeschooling family talks about how they encouraged others who were unexpectedly schooling from home in the past year. Between those two stories you can read about how Archie’s Bar-be-cue & Burgers, formerly Golden Rule BBQ, changed its name in the midst of pandemic times too. Elsewhere in this issue, writer Chandra Sparks Splond introduces us to a set of young entrepreneurs who are sure to inspire you, and Amy Ferguson spotlights another entrepreneur who taught me a lot about what clean beauty means and awed with her resilience getting a company up and running as most of the world was staying home and changing their usual shopping patterns. In some ways this all feels like the pandemic that never ends, but today I write from on a glorious Alabama early spring day where the temperature hangs out around a dreamy 70 degrees. I moved my “office” to my front porch, feel like I could run 10 miles if I throw on running shoes and have plans to dine outdoors with friends tonight. There’s a lot we still don’t know about the future, but today leaves me confident in saying this: Spring has arrived. More vaccines are coming. And good things are in store. Wishing you well as days grow longer and trees grow brighter,
madoline.markham@hooversmagazine.com
HooversMagazine.com 5
“ ” THE QUESTION
What’s your favorite “hidden gem” in Hoover?
Trails to the Cahaba River behind Trace Crossings/ Park Trace.
Lover’s Leap in Bluff Park! Tip Top in Bluff Park! On a Shoestring also in Bluff Park. Basically Bluff Park!
Tacos (and quesadillas) from Cafe Castillo inside Ashley Furniture!
Hoover Lake House is such a sweet space with a quiet, beautiful walking trail around the lake. The house itself is a great venue.
Hoover Food Mart. Blue Pacific! Authentic Thai food, and it’s great! Love the coconut soup!
If you haven’t eaten at Bistro Provare at Jeff State, you haven’t fully supported Hoover’s culinary excellence.
Star Lake.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza at Tortugas (Wrigley)! Wow! Yum!
-Elisabeth Bottom
-Craig Strong
-Jana Budoff Maynard
-Noah Holtkamp
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-Amy Apperson Gamble
-Beth Bloomfield
-Michael Staley
-David J. Bannister
THE GUIDE
MAY 5-9 REGIONS TRADITION Greystone Golf and Country Club This annual tournament brings together 81 of the top PGA Tour Champions players and World Golf Hall of Fame members to compete for a major championship. Since the tournament became Regions Tradition in 2011, it has raised over $4.5 million for local charities and more than $19 million since the tournament’s inception in 1992. Children’s of Alabama serves as its primary beneficiary. Photo by Keith McCoy HooversMagazine.com 7
THE GUIDE
AROUND TOWN Check for event updates closer to dates based on COVID-19. THROUGH MAY 2021 An Epic of Earth and Water: Clare Leighton and the New England Industries Series Birmingham Museum of Art, Arrington Gallery APRIL 1 The Spring Edit Lane Parke, Mountain Brook APRIL 1 Alys Stephens Center Presents: Red Baraat Virtual APRIL 3 Ellis Porch Statue to Statue 15K Starts at Vulcan Park & Museum
APRIL 30
Denim & Dining 6-10 P.M. Aldridge Gardens Outdoor Pavilion
Come out for this annual fundraiser for the Hoover City Schools Foundation, this year held outdoors with space for social
distancing. The event will feature Jim ‘N Nick’s barbecue, beverages, dessert, a coffee bar and entertainment plus a live and silent auction, all included in the ticket price. The money that is raised will help fund enhanced
academics for all Hoover schools and its nearly 14,000 students. Limited tickets are available. Early bird tickets are $85 and can be purchased at hoovercsf. org. Ticket prices will increase to $95 the week of the event.
APRIL 29-MAY 1
Spring Plant Sale THURSDAY & FRIDAY 9 A.M.-5 P.M. SATURDAY 8:30 A.M.-NOON Aldridge Gardens Time for spring planting! Volunteers and gardeners will be on hand at this annual sale to help with selections and to give advice about placement, care and maintenance, and you can own a little bit of Aldridge Gardens when if you buy a pass-along plant that lived there. The main feature is always the Snowflake hydrangea, but shoppers can also choose from a host of others too. Aldridge Gardens members get 10 percent off all purchases with their membership card too. 8 April/May 2021
APRIL 10 Highlands College Half Marathon + 10K Virtual APRIL 10 Gumbo Gala Presented by Episcopal Place Sloss Furnaces APRIL 10-11 BirmingFAM Festival Trim Tab Brewing Co. APRIL 13 Trey Kennedy: The Are You For Real? Tour Alabama Theatre APRIL 15 Alys Stephens Center Presents: Rollin’ in the Hay Virtual APRIL 15-25 Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite Virginia Samford Theatre APRIL 16-18 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Barber Motorsports
THE GUIDE APRIL 17 11th Annual Mutt Strut: DogFriendly 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run Benefitting Hand in Paw Virtual APRIL 17 Grand Riverfest The Outlet Shops of Grand River APRIL 23-25 Magic City Art Connection Linn Park APRIL 23-25 Alabama Ballet Presents: Romeo & Juliet BJCC Concert Hall APRIL 24 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama Red Shoe Run: Rockin’ 5K 2021 Downtown Homewood APRIL 30 Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus The Lyric Theatre MAY 4-9 Birmingham Barons vs. Biloxi Shuckers Regions Field MAY 12 Rain- A Tribute To The Beatles Presented By Broadway in Birmingham BJCC Concert Hall MAY 15 Do Dah Day Highland Avenue MAY 18-23 Birmingham Barons vs. Montgomery Biscuits Regions Field MAY 23 Zach Williams The Rescue Story Tour The Alabama Theatre
APRIL 24
Celebrate Hoover Day
11 A.M.-3 P.M. Veterans Park
Celebrate the City of Hoover with a day of fun and festivities at the park. The rain date is Sunday, April 25, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
COMMUNITY
THE TRADITION CONTINUES Although health concerns delayed the 2020 Hoover Belle Presentation, 38 new Belles were presented in a ceremony recently. Former Hoover Belle Haley Scallions served as mistress of ceremony and announced each young lady. After all new Belles were presented, the traditional Belle and presenter dance followed. During their two-year term of service, Hoover Belles engage in community service hours in support of the city through civic and philanthropic endeavors.
POLICE
BACK THE BLUE How do you encourage first responders that the community is supporting them? The volunteer group Hoover Patriots presented Hoover Police Department with this wooden blue line flag to do just that for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Jan. 9. The flag was handmade with individual spruce boards and a brass name plate purchased from Amerson Engraving in Hoover. HooversMagazine.com 9
VOTE TODAY! HOOVER’S
BEST HO
2021
OV
ERSM
AGAZINE
Best Friendly Service Best Kid Friendly Dining Best Casual Dining Best Ethnic Dining Best Date Night Restaurant Best Sweet Treats Best Drinks/Cocktails Best Chef Best Coffee Best Barbecue Best Milkshake Best Patio Dining Best Pizza Best Lunch Spot Best Burger Best Margarita
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Best Community Event Best Neighborhood Best Local Cause Best Outdoor Spot Best Church Best Public/Private School Best Dental Practice Best Orthodontics Practice Best Spa Best Fitness Center Best Personal Trainer Best Pediatric Practice Best Eye Care Practice Best Chiropractic Care Best Pharmacy Best Family Medicine Practice
ONLINE VOTING RUNS APRIL 1-16 Winners will be announced in the June/July 2021 issue of HOOVER’S MAGAZINE
Best Animal Clinic Best Hair Salon Best Nail Salon Best Florist Best New Business Best Customer Service Best Childcare Best Boutique/Clothing Best Gift Shop Best Store for Home Furnishings/ Décor Best Hardware Store Best Dry Cleaner Best Kids Activity Best Remodeler Best Jewelry Store
Best Store for Kids/Teens Best Specialty Store Best Senior Living Facility Best Nursey Best Real Estate Agent Best Real Estate Agency Best Insurance Agent Best Insurance Agency Best Bank or Credit Union Best Auto Service Best Car Wash Best Financial Advisor Best HVAC Service
HOOVERSMAGAZINE.COM/HOOVERS-BEST-2021
&CULTURE
ARTS
FOREVER OBSERVER
Sandra Fuller is always soaking up anything she can about art and encouraging her students to do the same. BY ELIZABETH STURGEON PHOTOS BY MORGAN HUNT HooversMagazine.com 11
O
One of Sandra Fuller’s earliest memories begins where most stories do: a 3-year-old Sandra opened up her Cinderella book to the blank interior pages that rest behind every front cover—the ones so often empty, with exception of a scribbled name or note, and pushed aside for the opening lines. Her first impulse was to grab a pencil. With her aunt and mother in the car, she was almost in tears after covering the empty pages with drawings. “But when my mom saw me in the backseat,” Sandra says, “she told me I could do whatever I wanted to in my book. I filled those pages and then moved on to other books at home, then to notebooks and papers.” These early memories showcase the artistic spark in Sandra, which has since grown into decades of making and teaching art. “I’ve always wanted to
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soak up everything I could about all kinds of art,” she says. And she certainly has. Sandra has studied under many great teachers, put her work in museums and shows across the Southeast, and shared her skills and passions in various art associations and her lessons. Though she now primarily works with acrylic paint and watercolor—along with whatever her students are working on—Sandra has developed a skilled background in many different mediums, which started with weekly lessons from when she was in third grade through high school, then in her college and post-grad courses. Just one county over from her childhood home in LaFayette, Auburn University drew Sandra to their art department where she continued her art education. She and her husband, Gene, eventually
moved to Huntsville for his work at NASA, and, there, she took more courses at the University of Alabama Huntsville, plus a few summer terms at Louisiana Tech. She learned jewelry making, watercolor portraiture, printmaking and a bit of sculpture, and her concentrations grew. Sandra’s current body of work shares bright color and movement—where abstract meets realism, she says—often depicting scenes reminiscent of her childhood in the country, pulled directly from her memory. “I have been an observer forever,” Sandra says. “My cousin and I grew up like sisters, with three days difference in our ages. We would get on our horses and ride everywhere. I know what rolling hills look like.” Sandra sees her work as three different styles. First is her realistic work, which usually depicts moments from her family farm: pathways and cloudy skies, flecked trees arching over one another, all made up of the brightest colors. When she sits
down, Sandra always has an exact image she wants to put on the canvas. She’s inspired most by the “active and busy life” of her home in LaFayette. About a year ago, for her son, Sandra painted her grandmother’s quilts airing on the fence line, all patterned and patched as one of the final steps in the family affair. “My family at night—my father, grandfather, uncle, mother, aunt, and I —would sit around the big stretchers stitching the quilt top to the lining of her piece.” Sandra labels the majority of her work as abstract. Large, expressive brushstrokes are intertwined with landscapes and other specific images, and they’re always filled with bright reds and pinks, greens and blues. Sometimes the sky is warm and orange, or the trees and grass shadowy and violet. No piece escapes the vivid life Sandra brings to color combinations. “To me, abstract is when you see something you recognize in the painting, maybe a faded face or a mountain in clouds that is obscured, HooversMagazine.com 13
CONSERVE & PRESERVE
Sandra Fuller paints realistic, abstract and nonrepresentational works from her home studio in The Preserve.
Have you seen the “Conserve & Preserve” signs along Patton Chapel Lane, or near the entrances to the Preserve? “That’s my idea of what it looks like in the wintertime,” Sandra says about the painting she created for the Clean Hoover Initiative as a leading Hoover artist. Sandra is also a member of the Hoover Arts Council, which was established in 2017 to promote and foster fine and performing arts in the city. She and many other artists on the council worked and taught classes at Artists on the Bluff until the space closed in 2018, and now they dream of opening another shared space in Hoover where artists can display their work and perform.
in between representational brush strokes. It’s like putting pieces of a puzzle together.” Then, there’s her nonrepresentational work. “Nonrepresentational is movement, pattern, texture, color, all of it,” she says. “It’s just whatever it is, not representing anything.” This work allows Sandra to let go of structure and realism and find relief in the movement of the brush. Then, she’s left with just the beauty of the paint left behind. Sandra often paints just for herself and her family, but she also creates work for clients and individual shows as well. Her children are all involved in creative careers themselves, with skills in interior design, architecture and woodworking, and have served as agents for her commissioned projects. She also finds her practice alongside her students, teaching art to children, teenagers, and adult students over her time in Huntsville and Hoover. She first started teaching art when her three children—Cass, Kelle and Robin—were all in or 14 April/May 2021
near high school. Sandra was called to fill in a position at the high school, and she ultimately finished the whole school year. She continued to teach some classes at UAH and at the college’s studio spaces. When Sandra moved to The Preserve in 2007, she turned her basement into a studio and classroom space, mostly for private lessons. During COVID-19, those lessons have turned into Facetime calls with some of her regular students. Her lessons often vary based on the students she’s working with, but they almost always cover art principles before students get a good start on a piece. She enjoys getting to work with students, especially her beginner students, one on one. “I want them to be able to ask questions and not be intimidated by other students,” Sandra says. “I want them to know what mediums and brushes to use, basically to have a good introduction.” Eventually her students find a subject or idea they want to focus on, after starting with drawings,
ON EXHIBIT In addition to her shows and involvement in the arts locally, Sandra’s work has decorated spaces around the U.S. and Europe. Coca-Cola, Retirement Systems of Alabama, Microsoft, Regions Bank, Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie Company, and other companies have her art in their buildings. Her work is also included in permanent collections at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Huntsville Museum of Art, and Jemison-Carnegie Heritage Hall in Talladega.
5th Annual
NOW OPEN
*Weather permitting. Please check the website or Facebook page for field conditions.
Only the tulip field will be open. Buildings will remain closed due to COVID-19 precautions. Masks are required and social distancing will be maintained. • Admission $5 • Tulips/bulbs $1.50 each plus tax • Tulip field open Monday-Saturday 10-4, Sunday 12-4* • Payment will be by contactless card payment only
American Village • 3727 Hwy. 119 • Montevallo
www.americanvillage.org
HooversMagazine.com 15
adding color, and then finding a favorite medium or experimenting with a new technique. Sandra works with them as she teaches and demonstrates. As students continue to take her classes, and often form a community in and outside of her studio, Sandra sees them take on the childlike spirit that she sees from her younger students, who always embrace challenges and make excellent artists. Give them a few blocks, and fourth and fifth grade students will model the great sculptors Sandra teaches them about without fear or judgement. “Children are much more forgiving of their artwork, 16 April/May 2021
and sometimes it is much better than if I had given it to an adult. They don’t question their work.” And with this spirit comes a curiosity to know more and constantly learn. “My students are always learning and developing and exploring different mediums,” Sandra says. “They are just like me—they just want to know more.” Sandra will be opening her studio back up for in-person classes at a limited capacity starting in April, and she’s also exploring an option for virtual students. Email her at sandradfuller@bellsouth. net for more information.
BOOK NOOK
Spring into Reading Reading is a super power, and I regularly time travel, magically appearing in another land in another time without leaving my home. The transcendent feeling of being transported by an author’s words provides just the escape I need to get through rough times. And I’m not alone. According to statistics, 35 percent of the world is reading more during this pandemic. Like many of our patrons, reading e-books has become the norm for me. Here at the Hoover Library, digital checkouts have increased by 26 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. Using both the hoopla and Libby apps, which you can find links to on the Hoover Library website, there is no end to what I can read. So, Fiction Specialist what books should you be on the lookout for this spring? This spring, you won’t want to miss Harlan Coben’s Win, the first in a new thriller series, and Lisa Scottoline’s Eternal, the author’s first foray into historical fiction. More familiar names publishing this month are Lauren Willig with Band of Sisters and Kazuo Ishiguro with Klara and the Sun. Personally, I am most looking forward to Birmingham-based author Patti Callahan’s highly anticipated Surviving Savannah, so I can learn more about the luxury steamship that sank in 1838 outside of Savannah with the elite of the city aboard. If, like me, you are always on the lookout for great authors with a worldly perspective, check out Chang-rae Lee’s My Year Abroad, Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt, Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were, and Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Committed, a sequel to her popular Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Sympathizer. Sampling another culture through novels can be an immensely enriching experience that reveals conventional human stories from a new point of view. If you prefer nonfiction, you may enjoy these upcoming memoirs. Courtney Zoffness brings us Spilt Milk, an exploration of the legacies we inherit and leave behind. Isabel Allende offers up a stunningly intimate look at her life with The Soul of a Woman. Her life has been a fierce fight for her independence, and she shares what feeds the soul of a feminist in today’s world. Lastly, in The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race, Walter Isaacson shares the story of Nobel Prize winning scientist Jennifer Doudna, who invented a revolutionary gene editing tool. Springtime promises to be a great time to read!
Shannon Haddock
HooversMagazine.com 17
Did You Know?
It is springtime in Hoover, Alabama, and my favorite time to be at Aldridge Gardens. As the sun comes up over the lake and our first visitors are ready to take their quiet strolls or energy walks around the paths, the beauty of nature is everywhere. There are so many “did you knows” about Aldridge Gardens, and I wanted to share a few of those with you. Did you know… We don’t think there is a more beautiful spot in Alabama to take photographs, and our calendar is filling up quickly with requests for sessions. Be sure to call and schedule a date in advance to take advantage of our beautiful outdoor vistas. Summer camps are so much fun at Aldridge Gardens and are held during the month of June only. These camps are half day camps, taught by certified Alabama teachers who incorporate nature, learning and fun together in a fun filled day. Camps fill up quickly, so register online early. Membership has its benefits and fishing in our lake is one of those benefits. Certain days are open to fishing in our lake for members only, and I have seen some beauties pulled out. Members-only guided bird walks are offered on the third Saturday of each month from March through November. These are conducted under the guidance of Dr. Richard Ryel and his wife Patricia and are free to our members. Who knew we have Bonsai at Aldridge Gardens and a Bonsai membership as well? We have Bonsai classes throughout the year and you can view our beautiful Bonsai display anytime we are open. There are so many reasons to become a member at Aldridge Gardens, but most importantly is that you help support our beautiful gardens. I hope you are planning a visit soon to enjoy what nature has to offer here in the middle of the City of Hoover.
3530 Lorna Road • Hoover, Alabama 35216 • 205-682-8019 • www.aldridgegardens.com • info@aldridgegardens.com
Springtime Happenings Finally, winter has started to ease, and we are blessed with warmer weather. And, as that warm weather starts to settle in, Aldridge Gardens comes alive! Native azaleas start to explode with their riot of color. The spring bulbs and wildflowers awaken from their winter sleep. The camellias slowly start to fade, but are still hanging on with incredible blooms. And the hydrangeas…oh how we count the days until the Gardens are full of the wonderful blooms of the French hydrangeas AND our world-renowned Snowflake. And given that we have had a more seasonable winter, we anticipate Mother Nature will not let us down this year! Another wonderful thing about the warmer weather is that the fishing in the Aldridge Gardens’ lake REALLY moves into high gear. Only MEMBERS get the terrific benefit of fishing in our lake, so join soon or miss out on the fun. And if you can’t catch a fish in our lake, we can recommend a good bowling instructor! Last year, our Annual Plant Sale was canceled because of the pandemic. This year’s sale is scheduled for April 29, 30 and May 1. April 29 and 30 hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Saturday we will be open from 8:30 a.m. to noon. As always, the early birds get the best deals, so plan to come early! We will have native azaleas, hydrangeas, pass-alongs and some old favorites. And remember, 100 percent of the profit helps Aldridge Gardens continue to improve our grounds, and MEMBERS get a 10 percent discount on their purchases. Summer camps will be here before you know it. The BEST way to get the information AND to register your little ones is to visit aldridgegardens.com. We have all the details, and registration cannot be easier. We hope to see you in the gardens throughout the year, but especially this spring. Your patronage helped us shatter our annual attendance record in 2020, and we are looking at breaking THAT new record in 2021!
ARTS & CULTURE
READ THIS BOOK
Alabama Roots Recommendations from
Casey Middlebrooks, PhD Hoover City Councilman + Spain Park High School Librarian
A good nonfiction book or historical fiction novel will take you on a journey connecting you to the events and lives of those on its pages. Our history and culture here in Alabama give us a great deal to be proud of and much to learn from too. All of these books have been meticulously researched and are well written, and while some characters are fictional, the land, the times and the feelings are all real. Be prepared to immerse yourself in these Alabama roots.
Homegoing
By Yaa Gyasi Born in Ghana and raised in Huntsville, Gyasi gives us some of the best historical narrative writing in recent times. Homegoing is a captivating story that follows two branches of one woman’s family torn apart in the African slave trade. Each chapter gives a voice to a descendant spanning seven generations as each branch of the family tree grows and survives apart from each other, unbeknownst to them. It’s a beautiful, terrifying debut novel, and I look forward to her sophomore work recently published.
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee
By Casey Cep The reverend Willie Maxwell supposedly killed five family members, got away with it and then was shot in front of 300 people. Tom Radney, a lawyer turned politician, represented the reverend and then the man who shot him. This glimpse into the life of author Harper Lee adds up to a fascinating true tale of a story. I was completely immersed in this well researched narrative full of crime and greed, voodoo and southern ideals, and larger-than-life characters emanating from the communities surrounding Lake Martin.
Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”
By Zora Neale Hurston Begun in 1927 but left unpublished until 2018, Barracoon offers a living, breathing piece of oral history from one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade via the Clotilda. Oluale Kossola, a.k.a. Cudjo Lewis, was captured and sold into slavery by a neighboring African war tribe. A masterful storyteller, Lewis recounts his captivity, his journey across the ocean and life in bondage, and his life post emancipation, which includes the formation of Africatown. This engrossing work by author/anthropologist Hurston is a vital piece of American history.
The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop
By Fannie Flagg Thanks to the award-winning movie, we are all familiar with the characters and setting of Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop Cafe. We now get to revisit Whistle Stop in this follow up published 34 years after the original. A book like this reminds us of what’s really important: family, friends and just being good to people. The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop is a feel-good novel that takes us back home and provides us with lots of laughs and a little magic along the way. Read it and see if it doesn’t make your heart swell.
Stars of Alabama
By Sean Dietrich With his charming writing style and natural storytelling, the prolific and beloved Southern blogger Sean of the South brings us his debut novel set in Alabama during the Depression era. Dietrich reminds the reader that sometimes the people you call your family may not necessarily be related to you. Family are the people that love you through thick and thin, are always there when you need them, and accept you just as you are…flaws and all.
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SCHOOL
&SPORTS
UNDER THEIR WINGS
Encouraging others schooling from home was just one part of the pandemic journey for homeschoolers. BY HEATHER JONES SKAGGS PHOTOS LAUREN WINTER HooversMagazine.com 21
Jessica Goldfon teaches her children Jack and Abby in their homeschool classroom in Ross Bridge.
S
School disruptions and closures due to COVID-19 have caused many parents to take a step back and reevaluate other methods of learning outside of the conventional classroom. Though distance learning isn’t the same as homeschooling, many families who have students attending classes on campus and online are finding new options for education in light of the pandemic. For Jessica Goldfon and her family, it was a decision they had considered for several years even before COVID, and now three years into their journey they have been able to reach out to other families unexpectedly thrust into a life of distance learning or homeschooling due to the pandemic. For these parents, veteran homeschooling parents like Jessica have been a valuable resource. “Homeschoolers are a very welcoming group as a
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whole,” says Brandie Brown, Foundations/ Essentials Director at Classical Conversations, a Hoover-based homeschooling program that Jessica’s family is a part of. “We understand there are many reasons parents choose to home educate their children.” In the past year, Brandie has seen veteran homeschooling families take new families under their wing. “I have watched them patiently answer questions and encourage them when everything seems so overwhelming,” she says. “It’s truly an amazing group of people who are always willing to share what has worked, what has not worked, and how to try, fail, and adjust without giving up.” Even in the pandemic, as their learning days at home did not change for most families, Classical Conversations did not go untouched and had to
make several modifications for their families. “As the state ordered stay-at-home mandates, we had to figure out an online platform quickly. Our parents were so gracious, and we charted unknown territories,” Brandie says. Like public schools, Classical Conversations had to move all class gatherings to a virtual format. In addition, more virtual opportunities for the children to interact and do presentations with their peers
were added. The Bluff Park campus created a safe drop box where parents could gather supplies for science lessons and experiments to be completed at home and then shared with each other. “It is certainly a challenge, but we made the best of it,” Brandie says. “We created a comprehensive COVID-19 plan to ensure all families are protected to the best of our ability.” The core of Classical Conversations’ ChristianHooversMagazine.com 23
“Your why, like in many endeavors in life, is your motivating force. It’s what you fall back on when the days get hard and the fun wears off.“ -Brandie Brown based curriculum remained the same though. Their method takes a classical approach to teach students how to learn for themselves by equipping them with the tools of learning. “We begin with core knowledge and skills, followed by formal instruction in logic and rhetoric. In addition, students develop verbal and written styles of expression,” explains Brandie. Classical Conversations emphasizes three important sets of skills. First, the “grammar” of each subject: the core knowledge one needs to know about each area of study. It also focuses on dialectic thinking skills, or the ability to ask the right 24 April/May 2021
questions and draw proper conclusions, and on rhetorical skills, or the ability to speak and write clearly, gracefully and persuasively. “We liked the structure through the curriculum, socialization through community days, and life skills while keeping God in the center of everything that we learn,” Jessica says. “Our days are filled with knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We enjoy the ability to learn together, and we celebrate the freedom to pause and richly discuss the assignments for the day.” In a sea of different philosophies and “boxed
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curriculums” in the realm of homeschooling, Jessica says Classical Conversations not only enabled them to homeschool but also beautifully transformed their family. For them the process started when they attended informational meetings and an open house to observe the process. “Our transition was one step at a time and in faith,” Jessica says. The Goldfons had planted roots in Hoover over 11 years ago, and Jack, now 15, and his 13-year-old sister Abby
DYK? did you know? We maintain more than 4,800 manholes in Shelby County. If stacked on top of each other, they would reach the height of Mt. Everest, plus 31 football fields.
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attended public school until three years ago. It was not due to a lack of a good school system that the Ross Bridge family made the change to homeschooling. They had been considering homeschooling for several years. “Honestly, the lack of confidence on my part is what initially kept us from homeschooling,” Jessica admits. Once the family started taking steps out of their comfort zones, the more their desire to homeschool continued to grow. “Our priorities shifted, courage increased, and confidence rose. We knew that homeschooling was for us.” With the light shining on more options to home educate due to COVID-19, Brandie offers this advice to anyone considering this new path. “Ask yourself, ‘Why?’ Before ever looking through the curriculum or making lesson plans, it is important for parents to have a purpose that motivates them to homeschool. Your why, like in many endeavors in life, is your motivating force. It’s what you fall back on when the days get hard and the fun wears off.” Jessica also offers this advice: “Push all fear aside, come out of your comfort zone, and take the first step (to see if it is right for your family.) You are equipped!” HooversMagazine.com 27
SCHOOL & SPORTS
5
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Shelley Shaw
Hoover City Schools Foundation Director PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Shelley Shaw finds she does her best work when she works for an organization she is passionate about, and that’s just what she’s doing as the director of the Hoover City Schools Foundation. Through it her only “client” is Hoover City Schools and its students, a group of people she has had ties to through the years as her two children were growing up and she wanted to support the classrooms in their schools. Today she has a 2017 Spain Park graduate at Auburn and a sophomore at Spain Park, but her passion for students pours out to all 17 schools. We chatted with her to learn more about it.
Can you tell us more about the grants the foundation offers? For teacher classroom grants, there’s an application, and the grant committee reviews those and awards them. For instance at Simmons this year we have awarded money to two seventh-grade teachers who are putting together a greenhouse for life sciences that will be a part of the curriculum. STEM (science technology engineering and math) is a big How did you come into your role with focus too. We have helped the district pull together GEMS (Girls Engage in Math and the foundation? I was on the foundation board and had Science), a club with a science fair held served as secretary and was moving into annually. It gets them excited about VP position during 2019 when our learning and helps them consider this executive director stepped down. Because career field. That’s a district level grant, and I had experience on the board and it can be duplicated at different schools. nonprofit experience and a lot of volunteer roles with the schools, it was a good fit for What about the second type of grant me and for the board to ask that I keep the foundation gives? SeedLab became a focus for the things going for 2019. Previously I was president of the Hoover Parent Teacher foundation within the last few years. It is a Council and PTO president, and because I way of growing an idea and being able to had previously worked for March of Dimes duplicate it. Teams of teachers are selected as their communications director, I based on their presentations and are given understood being in a volunteer a set amount of funds to explore a new organization. After serving as the interim idea. One group last year wanted to start a director, I was named director in March Strong Girls Club where girls spend time with female teachers to learn about how to 2020. write a thank you note, how to wrap a present and things that you might not be Can you describe what the foundation is and does in a nutshell? The foundation was formed to be a bridge and fill in gaps where funding might fall short. Hoover receives federal, state and local money, but it will never be enough. We award grants to fill in those gaps programs that, for example, are related to drug awareness or parent university.
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learning at your house. It’s engaging and boosts the girls’ confidence. We helped them get it going, and the seed grows. A middle school homework club also started when it was obvious more time needed to be spent with students, and seventh-grade science teachers at Berry Middle School wanted to have a field trip specific to STEM careers to get students excited about science. How can folks in the community support the foundation? We have appreciated the donations and recognize this has not been an easy year for companies and individuals to give the extra. One way we have been able to continue fundraising is through a program called Commit to 36 (committo36.com). In a typical school year there are 36 weeks of school, so we encourage people to give $1 a week for 36 weeks—a number many people can commit to. We met our goal for that and will continue it this year. Our Denim and Dining this year is April 30 at Aldridge Gardens, where we can be outside and keep social distance. It will be a fun night out and is a casual event where you can wear your blue jeans and get together to raise money for Hoover City Schools. It’s back for 2021. Tickets are available at hoovercsf.org.
&DRINK
FOOD
FAMILY TIES
Archie’s Bar-B-Q & Burgers, formerly Golden Rule, takes its name from family roots at its heart. BY LAUREN DOWDLE PHOTOS BY MORGAN HUNT HooversMagazine.com 29
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Michael Manakides likes to say he’s worked at his father’s restaurant his whole life — and also the past two years. He’s not wrong. “I was brought here before I was brought home from the hospital,” he says. “I’ve been running around here since I was a kid.” For him, the Golden Rule BarB-Q on Montgomery Highway has always felt like home, in part because of the many long-time employees, who were really more like family, Michael says. Though Golden Rule started in Irondale in 1891, the Hoover restaurant was its first franchise. The location opened in 1974, and Michael’s father, Nick, acquired it four years later, creating a place for friends and families to gather for homecooked food. Michael took on his first real job at Golden Rule when he was in high school, later working summers and holidays while he attended Auburn University. Even after graduating from college and accepting a sales role, Michael still helped his father at the restaurant part-time. So, when his father decided it was time to cut back on his hours two years ago, Michael was ready to step into the role of general manager, working alongside manager Miranda Tolliver. He planned to continue the family tradition that kept so many in the community coming back, meal after meal.
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COOKED TO PERFECTION When a dish is in the name of the restaurant, it better be good—and Archie’s barbecue and burgers don’t disappoint. After cooking on the pit for six hours, their barbecue pork can be ordered chopped or sliced and served on sandwiches or plates. The hamburgers and hamburger steaks are another favorite and are prepared to order. Of course, no meal is complete without one of their homemade fried pies. These apple and peach turnovers are made from scratch with fresh dough and fillings each day, and can be ordered ala mode. “Some people come just for those,” Michael says. 32 April/May 2021
That part has remained the same since Michael took over. But after 46 years as Golden Rule BarB-Q, the Hoover restaurant changed its name last year to Archie’s Bar-B-Q & Burgers. Customers still order their same favorite barbecue, burgers and sides from the longstanding menu hanging above the kitchen, but now there’s a new sign outside. The new name came not long after the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Once the virus started, we saw it as an opportunity to break away from the franchise and build our own brand,” Michael says. “You do
business the same for 46 years, and one day, everything changes (with a virus).” They decided giving up a franchise fee was a much better alternative than having to let any of their valued team members go. “Losing a name was better than losing an employee. We haven’t laid off anyone during the pandemic,” he says. “We really thought it was in the best interest of our business.” While the name might be different, patrons can expect to see the same familiar faces serving up HooversMagazine.com 33
Tiwanna Hilson, Anthony Simmons, Marque Brown and Donald Camack pose for a photo at the barbecue pit inspired by a photo of the restaurant employees who trained them, pictured on the right page.
Lisa Holder, Lori Blum and Kristal Argo are longtime employees at the restaurant.
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their favorite dishes. Several employees have worked at the restaurant for more than two decades, including Donald Cammack, Tiwanna Hilson, John Zortorres, Marquie Brown, Anthony Simmons, Lisa Holder, Haywood Fuller and Lori Blum. “I’m super proud of how resilient and loyal our staff has been through all of this,” Michael says. But where did the new name come from? The answer has another fatherly tie. Nick’s father, Archie, helped him run the business when he first acquired it. Archie owned and operated Mary Ball Candy Co. from 1958 to 1988, so he shared his insight into running a successful company with his son. He could also be found talking with customers or even helping out in the kitchen. When the family needed a new name for the restaurant, it only made sense to go with Archie’s. “We wanted to pay homage to him,” Michael says. “He was a big part of the business and a fixture here. Everyone knew him as Mr. Archie. We thought the name was simple and meant something to our family and the people here.” Another thing that matters to the regulars at Archie’s is the atmosphere, which continues to transport customers to a simpler way of life. “It’s like going back in time,” Michael says. “People have told me it’s old-school Birmingham barbecue.” From the smell of the pit going in the back to the waitresses who know the regulars’ orders, the restaurant has been the place to come together for many across Hoover for nearly half a century. And they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. HooversMagazine.com 35
“We have so many different types of people who eat here. It’s such an eclectic group of people. You could have anyone from the mayor to Alabama Power workers at the bar,” Michael says. “That’s probably my favorite part about the
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restaurant.” Archie’s Bar-B-Q and Burgers is located at 1571 U.S. 31. They are open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
&STYLE
HOME
HOME AGAIN
Meredith Tolleson has brought her California coastalmeets-farmhouse style back to a familiar area. BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LINDSEY DRENNAN HooversMagazine.com 37
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Back when Meredith Tolleson was a student at Hoover High School, she had no idea she’d one day live just a few minutes away from her alma mater with her own family. Fast forward almost 10 years, and Meredith and her husband, Ty, were living in Crestline Park when her parents decided to move after 25 years in the home she’d grown up in. Her parents ended up building in Signature Homes’ Lake Wilborn development just down the road from Hoover High School, and Meredith got to walk through the design process with her mom. The first time Ty came to see the new house with Meredith, they were sold on moving to the community themselves too. After walking around and spending time in the community, it felt like a little Seaside with all the pools, bike trails and other amenities. “Our lot was the last one this phase of development, it backed up to the park, and it just seemed perfect,” Meredith recalls. “So we were like, ‘Alright, let’s do it!’” The couple ended up moving in with Meredith’s parents while the house was being built, just before the COVID-10 pandemic began. They definitely didn’t expect to all be quarantined together, but the silver lining of that time of uncertainty was that Meredith and Ty got to watch their home be built from the ground up each day. “It was such a blessing,” Meredith says. “Building during a pandemic had its scares, but the process never
38 April/May 2021
stopped.” Being near the new house also allowed them to walk around homes that were being built to get ideas for paint colors and other design elements to select for their own home. They ended up choosing a floorplan that drew in copious natural light from the front and the back of the house, especially with its high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to the backyard. From there, Meredith had a blank canvas to fill with her California farmhouse flair both for her and Ty to enjoy and to share on her lifestyle blog @thesouthernsource. Drawing inspiration from designers in California, she incorporated cane weaving, lighter colors and coastal elements into the spaces in the new home. Many of her pieces come from Collected for the Home, an online home décor shop with affordable price points Meredith owns with an interior designer friend. “We want to offer something affordable that’s between Target and Studio McGee,” Meredith says of the brand. Meredith also tapped the power of social media with her new house. Sharing her home experience organically with her audience got her recognized by the owners of Signature Homes, and she was hired on full time to manage their social and digital marketing late last year. To follow her posts about everyday life in Alabama and affordable home decor tips, find her on Instagram @thesouthernsource.
Art Wall This wall across from the dining room shows off Meredith’s flair for coastal elements with landscape artwork and pillows from Collected for the Home and a rustic bench from At Home in Homewood. HooversMagazine.com 39
Dining Room At first, Meredith wasn’t sure how to fill the large wall behind her Gabby dining room table, but when she got a set of her grandfather’s family photos from vacations in Florida from 1960s and 1970s, she knew just what to do. She purchased these gallery wall frames from Target—a much less expensive alternative to buying a large piece of art.
40 April/May 2021
Living Room When she and Ty lived in Crestline Park, Meredith fell in love with the distressed look of the fabric on these chairs, so she bought a second one for their new home and built the living room design around it, complete with a sectional in a stain-resistant performance fabric and a rug from Loloi.
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Kitchen Originally Meredith thought she wanted all white kitchen cabinets, but Ty convinced her to reconsider. They love the warmth of the grey color they ended up selecting with antique brass hardware. A large white island with marbled quartz countertops adds contrast to the grey cabinets and solid white quartz countertops on the perimeter.
Back Patio Meredith is always cooking up new dishes and cocktails to share with her @thesouthernsource Instagram followers and especially enjoys serving them outdoors on their Summer Classics teak furniture when the weather is warm. She found the blue and white pillows on the love seat at Target.
42 April/May 2021
Ask a child what he dreams of doing in the future. His answer brings everything into focus for us. WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE DREAMS.
Entryway Meredith found these two concrete lamps at market in Atlanta, and later she selected a wooden console from World Market and a simple round mirror from Target to fill out the first space guests see as they enter their home.
1 6 0 0 7 T H AV E N U E S O U T H BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 (205) 638-9100 | ChildrensAL.org
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MEET THE KIDPRENEURS By Chandra Sparks Splond | Photos Contributed
If you’re looking for the next big thing in business, you might be surprised to find it comes in a pretty small package. Kidpreneurs, a term coined to acknowledge kid business owners typically between the ages of five and 18, are on the rise in Hoover and across the country. These savvy salesmen sell everything from cookies to clothing, and they spend countless hours testing recipes, researching pricing and connecting with customers.
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With anyone starting a business, it’s a huge undertaking, but unlike many adults, kids have the added pressure of having to juggle school and not being old enough to sign legal documents or apply for loans. But still, these young entrepreneurs persist. If you’re looking for a little inspiration and motivation, check out these local kidpreneurs.
Jaina Noelle Burrell Age: 12 Business: Popsurprise.co Jaina Noelle Burrell was born to start a business. “I’ve always loved business and the idea of selling items that people love,” she says. “Around 4 or 5 years old, I held a yard sale, and around 9 years old, instead of starting a lemonade stand, I set up a doggie treat stand. Many people in my neighborhood owned dogs and walked them daily. I knew that doggie treats would be a hit, and I made nearly $50 within less than two hours.” Her early efforts have evolved into Popsurprise.co, which allows the GeniusBe Initiative student to sell “cute fun girly things and accessories like jewelry, glittery bows and hats, purses, scrunchies, hair clips, handmade soaps etc.” It has also given her a lot of insight into the ins and outs of having a business. “I learned that owning a business can be a good source of income,” she says. “I learned it is good to ask questions and also important to know the difference between what you sell in revenue and what you make in profits. I learned that it is important to be responsible and take good notes and keep good records.” She is also eager to share her experiences with other budding business owners: “Ask yourself, how will my business idea help others? Pray about it, and start looking up information about your business on Google. Ask for help. Know that starting a business can be tough at times and can feel like a bumpy road. If you fall down, get back up again. If you make a wrong turn get back on the right path! Never give up, and if you keep trying every time you mess up you will at some point succeed.”
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WAYS PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR BUDDING KIDPRENEURS If you’re interested in helping your child build a business, Charita Cadenhead, cofounder of the Metro Birmingham Children’s Fair, and Tae Lee, owner of Never Go Broke, Inc., have these suggestions: Follow your child’s interests.
“Remember that it is the child’s business, and in order for it to work, the business has to be something that interests them more than it interests the parent. Parents mean well but sometimes they can inject their own ideas, and those ideas may deviate from the original concept and detract from the child’s creativity and stifle their interest and motivation,” Cadenhead says. Set realistic goals.
“There is nothing wrong with having big dreams, but start with goals that you can reach and complete. From there, continue to set more goals and conquer them. On a lot of occasions, we get discouraged because we set a goal that was out of our reach. If we set goals that are realistic, we keep going,” Lee says. Know your target audience.
“Parents may be of help in making sure that the child is staying focused on the target audience. Both children and adults often have trouble with this, and it becomes clear when they identify their audience as ‘everyone,’” Cadenhead says. “Know your target audience, and be as specific as possible about identifying them.” 46 April/May 2021
Tamira Danielle Age: 17 Business: Tamira Danielle Beauty Tamira Danielle is determined to leave her mark on the world of beauty. “I decided to start my business because I am very passionate about being independent, and growing up, I have never liked to be bossed around,” she says. “I guess I always knew being an entrepreneur was perfect for me.” Since launching her business in May of last year, Tamira has been selling clothing, natural homemade lip glosses, lashes and accessories. Along the way, she has found a loyal following and loves engaging with her “beauty babes” who have helped to make her business a success. “The funniest thing that has happened to me as a business owner was one of my customers, which I call my ‘beauty babes,’ came to pick up her order, and I was literally doing the most ridiculous dance walking up to her… When she noticed, we were both dying laughing. This is why I love being very interactive with my beauty babes because they are family to me.” The Hoover High School senior has plans to expand her business with a branded clothing line and a YouTube channel where she wants to help other youth start their own business and keep them motivated. “The best part is making all of my customers happy and getting to know them,” she says. “I also love empowering and uplifting them to follow their dreams… Anything is possible and know the worth of your brand.”
Saniya Meghani Age: 13 Business: Sunset Beads
Use available resources.
“Mentorships, internships, and books are some of the best resources to allow kids to become successful in their business,” Lee says. Cadenhead agreed, adding the library is also an
For Saniya Meghani, inspiration for her business struck during a shopping trip. “In the summer of 2019, I had gone on a shopping spree to buy lots of jewelry making supplies. At the time, I had no idea that I would be starting a business,” she says. “Fast forward a few months, and people started to notice my jewelry. When they asked me where I got my necklace or bracelet from, I said, ‘I made them.’ Sooner or later, people started encouraging me to open a little shop, and so I did. “A lot people ask me how I even got interested in making jewelry. The answer to that is quite silly, but when I was in second grade, Rainbow Loom bands became very popular, and I jumped onto the bandwagon and started making my own bracelets. I got really good at it, and I started to give them away at school, and ever since I’ve had a love for making jewelry.” The R.F. Bumpus Middle School eighth grader uses that early passion to sell homemade jewelry like beaded chokers and bracelets, as well as friendship bracelets. Since launching Sunset Beads, she has learned the importance of balance. “The hardest part of owning a business is time management,” she says. “When I first started, I devoted all of my time (to) making jewelry and sending out orders. When school started again, I realized that I needed to balance my time more.” She has also learned the importance of patience and finding unique ways to promote her business. “You may hear stories about how someone opened a business and got hundreds of orders in a few days. Sometimes that may not happen, but don’t get discouraged. It takes some time to get a good customer base. Here’s a tip: Sell at your local farmers’ market. Doing this will get you started and your business’s name will be passed around, and before you know it, you’ll have the business of your dreams.”
invaluable resource. “Prior to the pandemic we rolled out a series of Youth Entrepreneurship Training and Development workshops that were held at various locations,” she says of the Metro Birmingham Children’s Fair. Consider the costs.
There’s truth to the old adage that you have to spend money to make money. In addition to their age, kidpreneurs have the added burden of not having access to money to get their businesses started, Lee says. There are also the considerations of remembering to market and advertise the business and managing their time. “While being biz savvy kids, they still have to contend with other aspects of their lives including school, homework, extracurricular activities and of course kids just being kids,” Cadenhead says. Be consistent.
As with anything, but especially in business, things take time. “Kidprenuers should stay consistent and be patient. When it comes to entrepreneurship, progression in your business takes time. It does not happen overnight, so in order to see your business grow, stay the course. Be sure that your clients see you and that you aren’t just working on your business sometimes. The more they see you being consistent, the more they know that you are serious,” Lee says. HooversMagazine.com 47
Quinecia John-Baptiste Age: 17 Business: I Am Her Quinecia John-Baptiste has found the key to success, literally. Last June the Hoover High School senior launched I Am Her, which specializes in keychains and keychain accessories. “My thought…of starting a business came from me wanting to do more with my time,” she says. “I felt like time was just passing by me, and I wasn’t doing much to occupy myself.” The result has been tons of experience learned through trial and error. “The funniest thing that has happened to me as a business owner is when I first started making keychains, I wasn’t sure how to use resin. So I just was dumping both mixtures together and the letters would not get hard. I waited a week for it to get hard, and (it) never did. I didn’t read the instructions at all, and that was my first fail attempted.” Since then, she’s found her way though. “The best part of owning your own business is seeing people walk around with your business, like it brings nothing but happiness and smiles.” Learn more about her business and shop at neneleshaun.com.
Kyla Hill Age: 13 Business: Budrcup Bunny When Kyla Hill started Budrcup Bunny back in 2018, she quickly learned there’s more to business than meets the eye. “I started my business because I thought it would be something fun to do,” she says. “It takes a lot of time, effort and energy.” The R.F. Bumpus Middle School eighth grader’s business specializes in making lip balm, bath bombs and lip gloss. Despite the time and effort, Kyla continues to persist and works to overcome obstacles, including surprise from peers when they find out she has a business. “The best part is selling and making products. The hardest part about owning my business is promoting and making the product,” she says, adding, “Don’t be scared of the awkwardness of promotion.” Hill also wants to encourage other youth who would like to start a business. “If you want to do it, just do it, and don’t procrastinate,” she says. 48 April/May 2021
Capra Lockridge Age: 18 Business: Collateral Cookies As a result of the global pandemic, Capra Lockridge discovered a passion she’s using to help others. Since last June, Collateral Cookies has sold and delivered cookies and cookie cakes for any occasion. “I found a passion for baking, and I knew I wanted to share it with as many people as I could. I also love helping the greater good,” she says. “I believe everyone deserves happiness and empathy, which is why I decided to donate 30 percent of my proceeds to charity. “All the cookies we sell are made with high-quality ingredients to ensure you get the best homemade cookies. We’re also open to custom orders,” says the Spain Park senior. Lockridge is taking any challenges she faces in stride. “The hardest part of owning my own business is managing it with my food service job,” she says. “A close second would be people turning my business away due to my age.” She encourages others who might be interested in starting a business to put in the work: “My advice to other kids is to prepare, prepare, prepare. When starting a business, you can’t go into it blindly. Prepare what you’ll sell, for how much, and see what the laws are on selling in your state.”
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A Clean Start This engineer-turned-skincare consultant is sharing her ever-evolving collection for clean beauty. By Amy Ferguson | Photos by Kate Zills Is there anything more humiliating to admit at age 32, as a hard-working mother and wife, that you’ve fallen victim to the phenomenon that is TikTok? I’m strictly asking for a friend, a friend who has been convinced over and over again that she needs certain beauty products because complete strangers (who are half her age, by the way) say so. But 28-year-old Kate Zills, who runs an online clean beauty store called MADE, isn’t here to judge my friend or me or anyone else who has been influenced by TikTok. In fact, she completely gets it. “In my attempts to research clean and effective skincare products, I became so frustrated with the entire process,” Kate says. “It would take me 30 minutes to find one product I could use in a single store, and then I’d get furious as to why some
ingredients were even allowed on the shelves. I kept thinking there had to be an easier way.” For some, that easier way is trusting the advice of random users on TikTok, who may or may not know what they are talking about. But Kate had deeper motivations to take things into her own hands. As a full-time environmental engineer with Hazen and Sawyer, a company focused on controlling water pollution, Kate’s thoughts about the world quickly changed when her eyes were opened to the amount of hazardous waste and contamination constantly threatening all types of communities, both near and far. “I’ve seen first-hand how damaging chemicals can be to us and to our environment,” Kate says. “People just don’t know how fairly unregulated the market is.” HooversMagazine.com 51
KATE’S SKINCARE ROUTINE Interested in how Kate cares for her own complexion? Check out some of her tried and true favorites from her daily skincare routine, which includes products that cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and protect. Pamplemousse Cleansing Oil by Leahlani Skincare
Kate starts and ends her day by cleansing her face with this daily cleanser, which dissolves excess oil, impurities and makeup and leaves skin feeling fresh and hydrated. Eye C Firm by Fitglow Beauty
This plant-based cream can be kept in the fridge and works to reduce the look of lines, dark circles and puffiness. Kate also uses this product both in the morning and evening. Beauty Sleep Elixir by Beuti Skincare
This product can be used both at night and during the day to give your skin a natural smooth glow. It also acts as a primer under your makeup and helps treat one-off breakouts. Honey Love Exfoliator by Leahlani Skincare
Kate swears this weekly exfoliating treatment will transform and polish your skin. Impeccable Skin by Suntegrity
Available in six different shades, this product provides foundation-like coverage and features SPF 30 to help prevent damage from the sun (aka fine lines and wrinkles). Age Clear Serum Pads by Fitglow Beauty
These preloaded pads are filled with age-defying and blemish-fighting ingredients that clean out pores, remove impurities and encourage skin renewal. Kate uses this product at night after cleansing. Cloud Comfort Cream by Fitglow Beauty
This moisturizer works to rebuild skin strength and provide moisture. It works well for those of us whose skin needs a little extra love during dry winter months. Mermaid Mask by Leahlani Skincare
Use this mask once a week to boost circulation, purify pores and revitalize dull skin for a refreshed glow. 52 April/May 2021
And that’s why Kate walked away from the comforts of her secure career to become an entrepreneur in the clean beauty industry. Enter MADE, a digital clean beauty boutique with hand-picked products featuring what she has found to be the cleanest of ingredients. Operated out of a spare bedroom in her Bluff Park home that she shares with her husband and fourlegged fur child, MADE’s products are tested for effectiveness, and only the ones she finds to be the best make it into the store. “[The store] is like an online art gallery,” Kate says. “I’m always trying new products, so it’s like an ever-evolving resource for clean beauty.” Still don’t quite understand exactly what clean beauty means? That’s okay, because despite what many mainstream brands would have you believe, there is not a legal or official definition of “clean beauty.” Often described with buzzwords like “organic,” “green,” “natural” and “environmentally-conscious,” the truth is that clean beauty means something different to every person, every manufacturer and every retailer. “There is a common understanding of certain ingredients that are considered harmful, but not everyone agrees on what those are,” Kate says. For her, it’s a rather lengthy list of parabens and phthalates along with other elements like formaldehyde, hydroquinone, oxybenzone and resorcinol, to
MADE founder Kate Zills, pictured on the left page, tests every clean beauty product she sells herself.
name a few. But it’s also a lot more than that. “To me, clean beauty is conscious beauty,” she says. “I don’t settle for just good enough. I want to be proactive and aware about what I’m putting on my body.” Growing up in Florence, Alabama, Kate was always fascinated with beauty. As a teenager, she devoured magazines like Cosmopolitan and Seventeen and always gravitated towards headlines that promised to reveal “The No. 1 Secret to Perfect Hair” and “The Best Way to Achieve Glowy Skin.” She was even wearing daily sunscreen at age 15. But
The Heart Knows There Is Only One Right Choice
Paid for by John & Melody Greene
her natural interest in the beauty industry doesn’t mean the journey with MADE has been smooth sailing. Actually, it’s been quite the opposite because of that global pandemic that won’t seem to go away. A few months before COVID-19 turned the world upside down, MADE went online in August 2019 after a countless number of late and long nights (Kate’s daytime hours were still devoted to Hazen and Sawyer at the time). With a handful of successes under her belt, Kate felt comfortable enough to officially resign from her engineering role, and on March 1, 2020, she signed a lease for a small space
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in The Mercantile, a marketplace designed especially for local vendors located off of Highway 280. And then, two weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. She was devastated, but not discouraged. “In a perfect world, it wouldn’t have happened that way,” Kate says. “If you had told me that in a few short months after starting a business, the entire world would stop due to a pandemic, I would have never made the leap of faith that I did, and MADE wouldn’t exist today. I would have missed out on so many wonderful opportunities. Things really do have a way of working themselves out.” Graciously, The Mercantile’s landlord released her from their agreement, leaving Kate at a pivotal crossroad in her life. Instead of giving up on her dream and returning to the security of the engineering world , she pressed on. “You have to be your own cheerleader,” Kate says. “I’m so thankful that I have a supportive husband, and I cannot imagine doing this without him, but at the end of the day, you have to be your own advocate.” 54 April/May 2021
Caleb Zills, a risk control consultant for an insurance company, acknowledges he was hesitant when his wife chose to step away from a job in which she had dedicated a large portion of her life. “When [Kate] decided to launch MADE, many people doubted her,” Caleb says. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any doubts. But, what everyone didn’t know, and I had forgotten, is that Kate isn’t a normal person. She is special. She used all those doubts as fuel.” Determined to keep on keeping on, Kate built upon MADE’s momentum on the website and its social media platforms, which began to capture the attention of several local clean beauty enthusiasts, including Carlie Billingsley who resides in Chelsea. Fascinated with the idea of clean beauty, but overwhelmed with all the available options from which to choose, 28-year-old Carlie reached out to Kate for guidance. “She helped steer me in the right direction and helped me choose makeup and skincare products for the benefit of my specific skin type,” Carlie says.
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As a full-time neonatal ICU nurse at Grandview Medical Center, Carlie was drawn to the fact that Kate tried all the products herself first, making it easier to browse through the MADE store and trust that the products are both safe and effective. Carlie even responded to Kate’s recent request for part-time help with things like packaging and inventory. “I’ve been blown away,” Carlie says. “I had no idea the amount of work and dedication it takes to start your own business. I learn new things each time we get together. It’s been so fun to get to know Kate and the heart behind MADE.” Consider Caleb blown away as well. For two years, he has watched as his wife committed 110 percent of herself into this dream and proved all the doubters wrong, himself included. “I’m so proud of her,” Caleb says. “I’m so lucky to have such an inspirational, motivated, dedicated wife. It doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty attractive too.” Passionate about this work she describes as “feeding her soul,” Kate is more than excited about what is in store for MADE, including the release of its first skincare product later this year. “I am learning to lean into the unknown and to truly trust God with my future,” Kate says. “For now, I’m just enjoying bringing people the very best in clean beauty.” Learn more about MADE products at madethesimplelife. com.
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BUILDERS AND BUYERS
Desjoyaux Pools by DSLD Land Management 1178 Dunnavant Valley Road • Birmingham, AL 35242 205-437-1012 • dsldland.com • dsldsocialmedia@gmail.com DSLD Land Management is a family-owned and -operated full-service design/build landscape contractor that has served the Birmingham area for over 35 years. DSLD welcome projects of any scope and size and stands ready to serve our clients with one of Alabama’s most credentialed professional staffs. DSLD’s new venture with Desjoyaux Pools, the world’s largest swimming pool company, gives customers the option to choose the size, shape and design of their pool. Desjoyaux Pools are built using recycled materials and pipeless filtration systems that use less energy than traditional pools. DSLD Land Management provides turnkey installation of your swimming pool, requisite construction and all landscape elements.
C&D Home Solutions 3403 Lorna Lane • Hoover, AL 35216 205-749-6120 • cdhomesolutions.com C&D Home Solutions utilizes the best of modern technology to keep in touch with you and streamline your experience. C&D Home Solutions is your one-stop-shop solution for professional window and door, siding, and gutter installation. You can trust your home will be in good hands with our highlytrained team. We pride ourselves in top-quality products and services for our customers. We do business with some of the best manufacturers in the country. C&D Home Solutions is a fully-independent, licensed and insured business operating in the state of Alabama. Equally important is that we’ve scoured the market to find the best quality products at the lowest prices so that you can always purchase with confidence. We partner with the best window and door manufacturers on the planet, like Pella and ProVia. Contact us today for a free quote on your next project. 58 April/May 2021
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BUILDERS AND BUYERS
Vulcan Pest Control 115 Commerce Drive • Pelham, AL 35124 205-598-2581 • Toll Free: 1-855-663-4208 • vulcantermite.com Protect your most valuable assets! Don’t let termites cause destruction on your property—get them gone quickly with professional termite pest control. If you’re looking for the best termite company in Central Alabama, you’ve found it. Vulcan’s Termite Division has over 120 years of combined experience providing commercial and home termite treatment. Our staff works diligently to provide inspections and necessary reports in a timely manner so the stress of buying or selling your home is minimized. Schedule your FREE termite inspection today! One of our termite exterminators can evaluate the situation and suggest the best treatment method.
Down South Joiner Flooring 202 Pitts Drive • Columbiana, AL 35051 205-223-8190 At Down South Joiner Flooring we install tile, laminate, hardwood and ceramic and offer all flooring remodeling services. Whether you require sections of your floor covering changed or you have an interest in redesigning the floorings throughout your home or company, an experienced floor installation specialist can guarantee that you obtain the outcomes that you’re seeking. Down South Joiner Flooring is your local flooring contractor serving the Columbiana area for years! We install new hardwood flooring, re-sand existing wood, install laminate flooring, install floating floor, screen and coat. We have been offering a full range of flooring services to the local community for years. We work hard to ensure that our clients are fully satisfied with the end result. In addition to being able to provide a wide selection of flooring options for every room, we also have professional staff who can assist with every phase of installation, from selecting the materials to designing the layout. Give us a call today for more information! HooversMagazine.com 59
BUILDERS AND BUYERS
Ray & Poynor 2629 Cahaba Road • Birmingham, AL 35223 205-879-3036 • raypoynor.com Ray & Poynor is a trusted real estate firm serving the Birmingham metro area since 2010. With an average of 17 years in the industry, our residential real estate experts guide our clients through the buying, selling and relocation process. As a locally owned and operated company, we know the market and are invested in our clients and in our community. Our goal isn’t to achieve a certain number of homes listed or sold—it’s to serve our clients as a resource beyond a single transaction. Our success is measured by the relationships we build. If you’re looking for a new place to call home, contact our office—we would be glad to assist you.
A Better Closet 1031 14th Street • Calera, AL 35040 205-621-1638 • abettercloset.net • sales@abettercloset.net A professional design and installation service, A Better Closet delivers custom storage solutions to help organize every room of your home. A Better Closet is a locally owned, family-operated business, and we have been building custom storage for over 30 years. Our designers and craftsmen will transform every area of your home (floor to ceiling) to the custom storage of your dreams—with beautiful, lasting results that are guaranteed over the life of your home. At A Better Closet, exceptional service is built in to the equation. When you schedule a free in-home consultation, we focus on finding the plan that is best for you because we know your home, family, preferences and needs are unique. A Better Closet wants to maximize every inch of space to increase your home’s storage potential and value. Whether you want to make the most of a walk-in closet, custom storage, kitchen pantry or home office, A Better Closet can help. 60 April/May 2021
BUILDERS AND BUYERS
Cahaba Glass Company 160 Chandalar Place Drive • Pelham, AL 35124 205-621-7355 • cahabaglassco.com Cahaba Glass is your ultimate resource for any automotive, residential and small commercial glass needs. For the home, we specialize in the installation of custom shower enclosures, mirrors, glass shelving, furniture top glass, cabinet door glass and specialty glass. Our glazier will replace unsightly window units and patio door glass to give your home that “like new” look. If your small commercial building needs updating, we offer a full range of glass and architectural products to meet your needs. Our experienced staff will assist you with your automobile insurance claims to make the necessary repairs or replacements due to breakage as well. When you choose Cahaba Glass Company, you are choosing a proven leader in the glass business. Let us help you make your project shine!
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Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce C O N N E C T I O N S
Recent Ribbon Cuttings
Jefferson’s Sports Bar Please join us in congratulating General Managers Kristin Melton and Carl Seals and their entire Jefferson’s team on their fresh start in Hoover. The restaurant sits on Valleydale Road and has been in the city for years but has recently come under new ownership and done some major renovations. The Original Jefferson’s Restaurant opened in Jacksonville, AL, on September 15, 1991 and Jefferson’s was an immediate hit. People loved the huge juicy hand-patted burgers (still do!), fresh gulf oysters and world-famous delicious wings. Welcome to Hoover!
Amped Fitness A joint ribbon cutting with Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce was held Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Pictured are Co-Owners Stephen Thomas and Travis LaBazzo, Marketing Coordinator Kali Matthias, General Manager Sara Valdes, along with other team members. Please welcome Amped Fitness the all-in-one fitness center to Birmingham. They are located at 3427 Colonnade Parkway, Birmingham 35243. Call them today 205-407-4784!
Baker Camp Arnold We’re still here to serve! That message came from Josh Baker and his team at Baker Camp Arnold Capital Management. They held a ribbon cutting to officially announce their new home at 421 Emery Drive. The company had previously been about 300 yards away on Stadium Trace Parkway. Also serving on the City of Hoover Veteran’s Committee, Baker says Baker Camp Arnold offers a wide range of products, but small businesses are their wheelhouse. Congrats on the new digs, Baker Camp Arnold Capital Management team!
Crab du Jour On Tuesday, January 26, 2021, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held to Congratulate Hang Zheng, Mellanie Hearts and Ronald Cornelius and Team on the opening of Crab Du Jour Hoover inside the Riverchase Galleria. They are located on the second level (old Ruby Tuesday). Whether you are stopping in for a business lunch, family dinner, date night, or a night out with friends, you’ve come to a perfect stop. Delicious home-style seafood with generous portions is what you can expect with every meal. They’re cooking up crab, crawfish, calamari, and lobster in the kitchen, made fresh daily. They are open Monday - Thursday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and Friday - Saturday 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Welcome to Hoover!!
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HOOVER, AL 35244
Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce hires new President and CEO HOOVER, AL - The board of directors of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the completion of their search for a new President and CEO. The Chamber has hired Toni Herrera-Bast to fill the position, having narrowed the applicant pool from more than 70 applicants. Herrera-Bast comes to the Chamber having most recently served as Vice President of Public Relations with the YWCA of Central Alabama. “After an extensive search for a new President & CEO of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, we are pleased to have selected Toni Herrera-Bast,” said Paul Dangel, Chair of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors. “Toni has an extensive background in public relations and communications; this, combined with experience in not-for-profit and forprofit management executive positions, makes Toni very qualified to lead our Chamber. We expect Toni to not only continue the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce’s excellent programs, but to work with partners, members, investors, and community stakeholders as we launch a strategic plan with the goal of bringing the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce to an amazing new level.” Prior to her position with the YWCA, Herrera-Bast was the Director of Media for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and she also served as the PR and Marketing Manager for the Birmingham Airport Authority. “I am excited to join the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce,” Herrera-Bast said. “I look forward to using my experience in nonprofit and for-profit to benefit the Chamber’s future by way of a strong strategic plan that is aligned with the city’s priorities. I look forward to working with the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Mayor Frank Brocato, Hoover City Council, and Hoover business leaders to take the Chamber to even greater heights.” Herrera-Bast will start in her new role with the Chamber on March 1.
About the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce
The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce has served as the voice of businesses in Hoover for more than 40 years. Having more than 1,000 member businesses, the Chamber provides services to the Hoover community, member businesses, visitors, and prospective residents.
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New Members AS OF JAN. 1, 2021
uCrab Du Jour Cajun Seafood 1/11/21 uBridgeworth Wealth Management 1/15/21 uContent Logistix 1/15/21 uHAILO Ventures LLC 1/15/21 uState Farm Insurance - Jerry Austin 1/15/21 uHAILO Ventures 1/21/21 uArlington Business Center 1/25/21 uAlabama Halal Foods International 1/29/21 uBumblebee’s Cleaning Services 1/29/21 uThe Craft Burger 2/11/21 uMerit Financial Advisors 2/19/21
Thank you to our 2021 Board of Trustees
The Presidents Circle of the Board of Trustees Antonio Sankey, Antonio D. Sankey & Assoc., LLC John Lyda, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Teresa Shufflebarger, Brookwood Baptist Medical Center Robert Pettigrew, Cigna-HealthSpring Joel Smith, Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram / Chevrolet Paul Dangel, Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel Henry King, King Acura David A Custred, McLeod Software Corporation Charlie Conklin, Sentry Heating, Air & Plumbing Bill Inabitt, Synovus Bank - formerly First Commercial Bank of Hoover
The Board of Trustees Eric Land, ABC 33/40 Television Brooke Wood, Alabama Credit Union - Hoover Dr. Timothy Lee, Alabama Heart & Vascular, P.C. Alison Howell Steineker, Alabama Power Company Jabo Waggoner, Alabama State Senator Zeke Eldridge, Alabama Vein & Restoration Medspa-Chace Circle Raven Bell, AlaTrust Credit Union Libby Davis, American Family Care - Grove Jody Mattson, America’s First Federal Credit Union Derrick E. Ragland, APCO Employees Credit Union John Santamour, Aprio, LLP Linda Cencula, Avadian Credit Union - Riverchase Robert Fowler, Balch & Bingham LLP Heather McInnish, BancorpSouth - Hoover David Riddle, Bedzzz Express Deborah Stephens, Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. Ashfaq Taufique, Birmingham Islamic Society Buzz Boyd, BMW of Birmingham Leanne Messer, Brookdale University Park Paul Huckeba, CB&S Bank Lori Moler, Children’s of Alabama Kris Freeman, Comfort Care Home Health and Hospice Crystal Dixon, Costco Wholesale Jamie Popee, Diversicare of Riverchase Mark Jenkins, Enterprise Holdings Nicole Self, Express Oil Change/Tire Engineers April Calloway, Fresenius Medical Care Josh Hullett, Galleria Woods Retirement Community
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Leisha Harris, Grandview Medical Center Len Luther, Gresham, Smith and Partners Neil Thakor, Holiday Inn Hoover Monique Holiness, Home Depot - Inverness Elena Horn, Home Depot - Riverchase Kashif Siddiqi, Jubilee Joe’s Restaurant Gina Cannady, Legacy Community Federal Credit Union - Corporate Ridge Ira Levine, Levine & Associates Commercial Real Estate Buzz Boyd, Lexus of Birmingham Konnie Festino, Long-Lewis Ford Lincoln Tracy Horton, Loyd Select Staffing Jamie Black, McDonald’s Christina Bunn, Medical West Hospital Benjamin Yim, OMNIWON Digital Todd Beegle, On Tap Sports Cafe - Galleria Dr. Mary Gilmer, Ortho Alabama Spine and Sports Chip Vance, OS1 Sports & Injury Clinic Brian Bertella, Peoples Bank of Alabama International Park Chuck Kramer, Progress Bank and Trust Tyler Lipe, Regions Bank Lyndsy Yim, Retail Specialists Rick Smith, Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa Mike White, Riverchase Galleria Brandon Kemp, Santek Waste Services/Mount Olive Landfill Peter Gong, The Seafood King – Bessemer Leo Wang, The Seafood King - Homewood Jason Jiang, The Seafood King – Hoover Dwight Sandlin, Signature Homes Karen Ingram, Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Dana Meginniss, St. Vincent’s Health System Terry Rippstein, Terracon Consultants Aeriell Lapsley, The Trails at Cahaba River Mark Grenier, Topgolf Gus McKenzie, Troy University Ida Adnyana, UNAGI Bento & Sushi Phillip Corley, Wallace Jordan Ratliff and Brandt, LLC Darin Boykin, WalMart - Hoover #1229 Richard Edwards, WalMart SuperCenter Highway 280 Cody Burns, WBRC Fox 6 Television Kristen Vaughn, Wind Creek Hospitality Cale McWatters, WorkSmart Staffing
HOOVER, AL 35244
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Hoover Chamber Officers and Board of Directors
Chamber Officers Paul Dangel 2021 Chair of the Board
Paul Dangel The HyattRegency Wynfrey Hotel 2021 Chair of the Board
Alison Howell Steineker, Alabama Power Company 1st Vice-Chair
David Custred McLeod Software 2nd Vice-Chair
Lynn Ray Business Telephones, Inc. Vice-Chair Administration
Diana Shaw Knight Sovereign CPA Group LLC Vice-Chair Finance
Alison Howell Steineker 1st Vice-Chair
David Custred 2nd Vice-Chair
Lynn Ray Vice-Chair Administration
Diana Shaw Knight Vice-Chair Finance Terry D. Turner Jr. Gentle, Turner & Sexton Attorneys Immediate Past Chair
Greg Knighton City of Hoover Liaison
April DeLuca Magic City Law Legal Advisor
Jeff McDowell McDowell Security Services, LLC
Greg Knighton City of Hoover Liaison
April DeLuca Legal Advisor
Board of Directors Matthew Allen, JBMC Media Inc.
Sandy Syx, Doozer Software
James Robinson, Spire Energy
Emilio Cerice, Regions Bank
Tyler Williams, BlueCross BlueShield
Ben Yim, LA Wax Club
Vivian Mora State Farm Ins The Vivian Mora Agenncy
Rohen Porbanderwala Lake Crest Chevron
205 - 988 - 5672
Matthew Allen Jeff McDowell Ben Yim Sandy Syx James Robinson Emilio Cerice Tyler Williams Vivian Mora Rohen Porbanderwala
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OUT & ABOUT
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HOOVER VS. SPAIN PARK BASKETBALL GAME
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Spain Park High School Varsity Basketball Team defeated Hoover High 69-41 at Hoover on Feb. 5. 1. Marie Davis and Marketa McMillan 2. Kennedy Talia Means and Shalyn Allen 3. Stacee Fairley and Karim Mik lol lll
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Vintage Market Days brought an upscale vintage-inspired market to the Hoover Met Feb. 18-20. 1. Leslie Bloom, Alex Vanoy, James Mwinga and Amber Biffle 2. Tracey Medelsohn and Sonya Tatum 3. Denise White and Hannah White with Lily Kayte and Jack and Bella Doll 4. Shawnee Rains and Kelly Priest 5. Katy diBona with Grey, and Heather Lawley 6. Christy Berecz with Vintage Reimagined 7. Donavan Warren with Dees Nuts 8. Heather Tinker, Jennifer Montgomery, and Lindsay and Caliylah Herd 9. Jenna, Staci and Jada Parker 10. The Cottingham Family 11. Amber Edwards, Shelby Mason and Kaitlyn Anderson 12. Jennifer Hays and Brittany Palmer
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MARKETPLACE
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•Porches •Stairs •Demolition Call Alex today for details: 1-205-955-3439 Military & Senior Discounts
$2000 SIGN ON BONUS NEW PAY SCALE TO QUALIFYING DRIVERS EVERGREEN TRANSPORT, is accepting applications for local drivers in LAND FOR SALE the Calera and 180 acres, located Leeds, AL, area. Automation on Walnut Creek. Must have Class A Personnel Will not divide Services Hiring CDL, good driving property. Call for Marble Valley IMMEDIATELY record, 1 yr Manor. Affordable more information: verifiable tractor For: Automotive Assembly, General 1 and 2 Bedroom 205-369-5641 trailer experience. Labor, Production, Apartments Good pay and CLOCK REPAIR Clerical, Machine for Elderly & benefits. Apply SVS. * Setup Operator, Quality, Disabled. Many in person at 8278 * Repair * Carpentry, Welder, on-site services! Hwy 25 South, Maintenance. Foundry. Positions 2115 Motes Rd, Calera, AL, or call I can fix your Sylacauga. 256In: Calera, for info 205-668-3316. 245-6500 •TDD#s: Mother’s clock. Clanton, Pelham, Alabaster/Pelham. 800-548-2547(V) Bessemer, Call Stephen •800-548-2546 Become a Dental McCalla. Walk(205)663-2822 (T/A). Office Assistant in in applications ONLY 8 WEEKS! accepted. Clanton Hours: Mon-Fri, GENERAL 8am-4pm. Equal Please visit (205)280-0002. LAWN CARE Opportunity our website Pelham (205)444-9774. Provider/Employer •Grass Cutting capstonedental assisting.com or •Limb Trimming call (205)561-8118 Bama Concrete •Storm Cleanup HIRING and get your Now Hiring: •Debris Removal EXPERIENCED career started! Diesel Mechanic •Serving Shelby, FULL CASE 4 Years Minimum Chilton, Coosa ORDER Experience. & many more SELECTORS CDL Preferred. areas. •Decks $19.03 per hour 70 April/May 2021
Popeyes Seeking friendly, motivated, dependable Crew Members. OPEN INTERVIEWS DAILY 2:00pm5:00pm 3300 Pelham Parkway. Immediate Openings! Start work this week! Apply online: work4popeyes kitchen.com Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectrical.com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327. Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $14/hour. Must be able to pass background screen. Please apply at www.bc.com
MARKETPLACE
WELDER NEEDED MIG & TIG •Light gauge stainless, aluminized, galvanized Manufacturing and Assembly Helpers Needed •Paid Holidays •Typical Shifts 6:00am-2:30pm Call RICK: 205761-3975 MacLean Power Systems NOW HIRING 3098 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124 We are actively hiring for production operations Apply at: www. macleanfogg. com/careers Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas. Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic. Serious inquiries only. Call 334409-0035 or apply on-line at www.Oxfordhealth care.com
South Haven Health & Rehab NOW HIRING!!! •LPN’s & RN’s -$5,000 Signon Bonus for Full-Time shift •CNA’s Apply in person: 3141 Old Columbiana Rd Birmingham,AL35266 Acceptance Loan Company, Inc. Personal loans! Let us pay off your title loans! 224 Cahaba Valley Rd, Pelham 205-663-5821 Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn new profession. Workvehicle/equipment provided. Must drive straightshift, have clean driving record/ be 21/pass background/ drug test. Training provided. Insurance/401K offered. M-F 7:004:30 + 1 Saturday/ month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@charter. net HELP WANTED PLUMBERS & GAS FITTERS Great pay. Must have
drivers license. Journeyman is a plus. Please call Tommy: 205-296-0294 or office: 205-624-2418
the company for each employee after 90 days of employment •Off every Saturday •$100 Check for your birthday •FMLA after 1yr or 1250/hrs If Eastern Tree Service • 24-Hour Interested Call 205-987-4840 Storm Service • www.ETSTree.org or send work history/contact • Experienced information: Professionals • generalmail@ Quick Response budsbestcookies. • Free Estimates com • Call Us Today: fayegoudy@ 205-856-2078 budsbestcookies. com Bud’s Best Cookies We Pay Cash Accepting For Used RV’s!!! applications for McCluskey Auto & the following RV Sales, LLC positions: 205-833-4575 •Packers •Mixers •Machine SPRING Operators LAWNCARE •Sanitation SPECIAL Positions Let us clean up •Maintenance those leaves for Positions Bud’s you! Best Cookies has FULL SERVICE been in business since 1991.We are LAWN CARE includes planting, locally owned & trimming, flower operated family business.We offer beds, cleaning fence rows, and our employees work other don’t a great work want to do! environment and Ensure your benefits.Benefits lawn is beautiful, for full-time regardless of the employment: season AND have •5 vacation days the BEST lawn in after 1yr •10 the vacation days neighborhood! after 3yrs •15 Free Estimates! vacation days Discounts after 10yrs •7 available for paid holidays Military & Seniors •Health & Life Insurance paid by Affordable
Lawncare 1 (205) 461-3671 Alabama Air Power Inc Now Hiring Industrial Air Compressor Technician Will cross train person with mechanical skills, Electrical and/or HVAC knowledge Blue Cross Health and Dental Paid Vacation Paid Holidays Apply In Person 1293 Hwy 87, Alabaster DSLD Land Management is actively seeking: •Tree Surgeon •Gas Plumber •Carpenter •Landscape Technician •CDL Driver •Office Administrators •Registered Landscape Architect 205-437-1012 dsldland.com Earth Angels InHomeCare LLC. BBB Accredited, licensed, bonded, following CDC guidelines to keep out clients safe. 205-881-4034 or 205-484-1301. earthangelsh care@gmail.com 1365 A Hueytown Rd. Hueytown, AL HooversMagazine.com 71
MY HOOVER
FRANK BROCATO Mayor of Hoover
Best BBQ
Archie’s BBQ My wife, Frances, and I have made Saturdays at Archie’s BBQ on Highway 31 (formerly Golden Rule) a regular run. Until you have Lisa wait on you, you really haven’t enjoyed the full experience. When you walk in, you almost get the same greeting as the TV show Cheers where everybody knows your name.
Play Ball
Keep Moving
Bluff Park Running Route I’ve been running most of my life and I’m always looking for new places to try out. My favorite route is starting out at Tip Top Grille in Bluff Park and running along Park Avenue. It’s a beautiful historic neighborhood with so much character. When I finish up, I can enjoy breakfast overlooking the valley or head across the street to Wild Roast for a great cup of coffee.
Cheeseburger All the Way
Green Valley Drugs Lunch When I joined the Hoover Fire Department back in 1973, we made several trips across the alley to get one of their great milkshakes or lemonade. When you go, you have to get the cheeseburger and fries. Bobby has been working that grill for as long as I remember, and she still turns out one of the best cheeseburgers in town.
Ice Cream Man
La Sabrosita Ice Cream Hoover has so many ice cream parlors, and I love visiting them all. When I want a little international flair though, I head to La Sabrosita Ice Cream in River Oak Village. It’s been a regular stop for me for years even when they were in a smaller shop. The Hot Fudge Sundae is outstanding!
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SEC Baseball Tournament Week I love the week of the SEC Baseball Tournament. My favorite time is visiting the RV village then with a couple of hundred RVs full of SEC baseball fans. It’s just plain fun to see. If you hit it just right, you might be able to visit one of the LSU RVs and get some very good and very authentic Cajun cuisine.
The Ridge Marina APRIL 23-25
DEMO 2021 BOAT MODELS Visit RussellMarine.net
THE RIDGE MARINA 256-397-1300 l 450 RIDGE MARINA ROAD l ALEXANDER CITY, AL 35010
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