DADEVILLE'S BUSINESS BOOM

Dadeville’s business community is growing so fast, it’s hard to keep up with it, but Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce is excited about the progress, said the chamber’s president, Peggy Bullard.

“Last year, there were 25 new businesses in our area. We did 17 ribbon cuttings last year,” Bullard said.

From boutiques on the courthouse square to restaurants, the arts and business consultants, Dadeville’s potential has been discovered. Natives and newcomers alike have invested in the local economy.

One of the first arrivals was Raining Dogs Gallery on the square. Opened in 2018, the Southern gallery features local and regional artists across a wide spectrum of media. Owner Will York said he established the gallery at the behest of Everything’s Art, a volunteer driven nonprofit that promotes the arts in the community.

“Rejunevating often starts with a strong arts organization,” said York, whose background includes work with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. “We have many artists in the area, and they are very good, very diverse.”

York frequently changes the works on exhibit in his professional space. He features painters, sculptors, jewelers and good quality potters. In addition, he has started to conduct studio classes at the gallery, with a pottery class planned for June.

Zazu’s Verandah also was early to the scene on the square, opening about four years ago. The event venue draws visitors downtown with weekly music and other

The Downtown Experience

Left: Ellaby Boutique adds Hallmark charm to the Dadeville downtown square; Right: Jewelry, handbags, clothing and shoes, as well as gift and hostess items, are popular at the quaint boutique on the square.

goings on. They hosted the popular Tales of Dadeville history series and are quick to promote Dadeville as a great place to live, work and play.

Two years ago, Reeltown native Billie Shae Gray opened the Ellaby boutique to offer basic attire, jewelry, shoes and gift items to locals and to the lake traffic from Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery. Geared toward women, the shop is a hidden gem with a Hallmark feel.

“I felt like Dadeville needed this. People come in and are so glad to have this store here,” Gray said. “The décor of this building is wonderful. The old doors and different rooms. It’s about the experience. I’m not just here to sell clothes. I’m here for the fellowship, for the relationships. It’s personally rewarding for me to create a good environment where people love to come and shop.”

Like Gray, Micki Knox opened her downtown Dadeville store to fill a gap in the market. Tallapoosa Nutrition serves natural teas, shakes and beverages that offer an energy boost without sugar or caffeine. Her products bypass the one-hour sugar drop that often occurs with many energy drinks.

“There was nothing like that here, and we wanted to bring in healthier options,” Knox said. “Online, people in the area were looking for things like this.”

She found support at the chamber of commerce and from Mitzy and Rick Hidding, who operate Zazu’s Verandah.

“They just love the community, and they’ll do anything to make it grow. They were very supportive,” Gray said.

Also from Reeltown, Knox finds additional support in the relationships with other business owners in the area.

“All the businesses stay together. We help each other. I had some crocheted koozies in my shop, and when my source quit producing them, I went down to The Yarn

Shop Around the Corner and asked if they wanted to make them for me,” Knox said. “Now, I get those from her.”

As business around the square increases, so does this camaraderie among the shop owners.

“We’ve built connections among the shop owners. We’re very supportive of each other,” York said. “I like to go down to The Yarn Shop Around the Corner and see what she’s up to. She’s always got something wonderful going on.”

“I love being on the square,” Gray said. “We get a lot of visitors from the courthouse, and the business owners are like a family.”

Another newcomer in the area is NolaBama Snack Shack. Retired executive chef at Bourbon House and Palace Café in New Orleans, Darin Nesbit moved to StillWaters six years ago. Two years ago, he opened the Dadeville eatery just down the street from the courthouse square.

Holly Keel opened Knect Fitness on state Route 49 near StillWaters last year to fill a need on the east side of the lake. Jim’s Pharmacy moved into the storefront next to the fitness center. Joanne Finley heads up Business Owners and Future Entrepreneurs Professional Networking, Inc. in Camp Hill to connect businesses and work with families. The nonprofit endeavor also works with a youth intern program to teach skills to youth who can then help to sustain the family.

By the Yard, a landscaping materials supplier in Camp Hill, opened in March.

“Nobody else in the area had colored mulch,” explained Sondra Moser, who works in the business that is owned by Jeff Davis and Moser’s husband, Tim. “We also sell rock, pavers, flagstone and more. There’s just a demand for it. There’s more construction in the area and a lot of remodeling and new homeowners. Everyone likes to spruce up their yard.”

The list goes on, from Float Alabama to One Oak pottery, the Dadeville Performing Arts Center and The Cottage Creations, which opened earlier this month.

Bullard believes the chamber’s activities and a recent impetus to support growth has had an impact. “We offer to do a ribbon cutting to any new business in town. Whether they are members of the chamber or not, they get a ribbon cutting and a blessing with a prayer if they want it,” Bullard said. “We do it to give them some exposure and encourage them. We offer referrals and match needs with services.” In addition, the chamber hosts a number of popular networking opportunities, including quarterly luncheons, a barbecue social and a first-responders luncheon. “We bring people together to spend quality time, bridging the gap between businesses,” Bullard added. The chamber also sponsors an annual cornhole tournament, the Christmas parade and the Fall Festival, which has grown exponentially in recent years. “Three years ago, we had 2,000 people at our Fall Festival. The next year, we had 4,000 people,” said Jim Cahoon, the Dadeville Lake Martin Area Chamber of Commerce vice-president and the chamber’s representative on the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance. “Last year, we had 6,000, and our goal this year is 8,000.” Cahoon credits the chamber’s executive assistant and president for the growth. “The chamber is pushing hard for businesses to join us, and we’re pushing on social media. Molly Parker is a genius with social media. She brings them in, and it’s our job to do something with them when they get here,” he said. “And Peggy Bullard is a big wheel. In three of four years, she has increased the Foundations for Success Facing Page Top: Raining Dogs Gallery exhibits a diverse collection of local artists' works; Facing Page Bottom: The square attracts new businesses to its vintage shops. This Page Top: chamber membership from 78 to more than 200. We have people here who care so much about the town, they make people want to Marlee Knox takes a break at her mother's come and stay.” downtown nutritional beverage business; This Page Bottom: Zazu's Verandah has been a driver for the business boom.

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