HBJ July 2020

Keeping you informed and inspired.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 7

July 2020

DEVELOPMENT

COVER STORY

Downtown Construction Continues Despite Pandemic

Despite “shelter-at-home’’ orders followed by “safer-at-home’’ guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction downtown appears to have proceeded as expected.

By Mike Easterling - Page 5

DINING / FOOD

From Curbside and Takeout, Back to Dining in Again: How’s That Working Out?

One thing is certain, that in the times of COVID-19, there are no instruction manuals, no playbooks. As a testament to resiliency, restaurateurs have by far, been the trailblazers.

By Lori J. Connors - Page 12

ADDITIONAL STORIES • HudsonAlpha Adapts its Programming to a Virtual Platform in Times of COVID

By Lori J. Connors • Page 2

•

The Station at Town Madison Combines Good Ol’ American Baseball with Fine Luxury Living

By Kimberly Ballard • Page 6

• Area Tourism Looking to Rebound in Wake of Pandemic

By Mike Easterling • Page 10

• Cookie Dough Magic: This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Cookie Dough

By Lori J. Connors • Page 11

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HUNTSVILLE

BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 3, Issue 7 July 2020 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

EDUCATION

HudsonAlpha Adapts its Programming to a Virtual Platform in Times of COVID Last month, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology kicked off its series of virtual programs for life science educators, middle school and college students, and busy young professionals.

Any given summer prior to 2020, the campus would be buzzing with a host of eager participants. Educators learning new and innovative ways to bring genomics concepts to their classrooms.

Students of all ages participating in summer camps and internships. College students needing solid career planning strategies. Professionals wanting to learn more about science and connect with other like-minded types.

That was all before COVID-19 presented a hurdle to in-class programming.

To meet those challenges head on, while effectively meeting the needs of educators and students alike, the HudsonAlpha Educational Outreach team redeveloped its programming content and delivery by providing virtual programs.

“Once we made the difficult decision

to cancel all in-person summer activities, our Educational Outreach team quickly went to work developing an exciting schedule of virtual programs and experiences,” said Dr. Neil Lamb, vice president of Educational Outreach at HudsonAlpha. “Activities are available, and registration is underway, for a diverse offering of enriching, engaging and fun programs.”

Educators will have the unique opportunity to continue professional learning. HudsonAlpha Beacon is the program for helping educators find life science content from a distance. These virtual opportunities are at https://hudsonalpha.org/beacon/.

For middle school students, HudsonAlpha is offering “Science Shorts: Summer Adventures,” which are free online activities and experiments for kids to try out at home. Each week, a new topic will be posted. Topics ranging from curdling milk to exploring outside as a backyard biologist.

Visit https:// flipgrid.com/scienceshortssa for access.

HudsonAlpha will also host a new, free online professional development seminar series for college students. The BioTrain Professional Development Seminar Series will cover topics including professional etiquette, career advice, resume writing, interview skills, ethics, and more. The first session featured Dr. Rick Myers, HudsonAlpha’s president and science director, discussing his career path to genomics research.

In addition, HudsonAlpha Spark, a program for busy professionals, has moved to the Zoom meeting format.

Links and event information are at: https://hudsonalpha.org/spark/.

HudsonAlpha is continuously work-

By Lori J. Connors

ing to train the future STEM workforce, and that begins in the classroom.

Whether the classroom is a traditional “brick and mortar” or hosted virtually, HudsonAlpha effectively meets the challenges by providing ways educators and students alike to explore and interact with genetics, biotechnology, and the wider world of science.

For information, visit hudsonalpha.org/hudsonalpha-to-hostvirtual-summer-programs/. w

July 2020

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

PERSONAL FINANCE

Work to Achieve Your Financial Independence Over the past few months, just about everyone has felt the loss of some type of freedom, whether it’s being able to travel, engage in social gatherings or participate in other activities we previously took for granted.

Still, as we prepare to observe Independence Day, it’s comforting to realize all the freedoms we still have in this country. And taking the right steps can also help you achieve your financial independence.

Here are some moves to consider: • Build an emergency fund. It’s a good idea to create an emergency fund consisting of three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money held in a liquid, low-risk account. With this fund in place, you can avoid dipping into your long-term investments to pay for short-term, unexpected costs.

• Keep your debts under control.

It’s not easy to do, but if you can consistently minimize your debt load, you can have more money to invest for the future and move closer toward achieving your financial liberty. One way to keep your debts down is to establish a budget and stick to it, so you can avoid unnecessary spending.

• Contribute as much as possible to your retirement plans. The more money you can save for retirement, the greater your feelings of financial independence. So it’s essential that you contribute as much as you can to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan. At a minimum, put in enough to earn your employer’s match, if one is offered, and every time your salary goes up, boost your annual contributions. Even if you participate in a 401(k), you’re probably also still eligible to contribute to an IRA, which can help you build even more funds for retirement. And because you can fund an IRA with virtually any type of in-

vestment, you can broaden your portfolio mix.

• Explore long-term care coverage.

One day, your financial independence could be threatened by your need for some type of long-term care. It now costs, on average, over $100,000 for a private room in a nursing home and more than $50,000 for the services of a home health aide, according to Genworth, an insurance company. Most of these costs won’t be covered by Medicare, either, so, if you want to reduce the risk of seriously depleting all your financial resources – or burdening your adult children with these heavy expenses – you may want to consider some type of long-term care insurance. You could choose a traditional longterm care policy – which can cover a nursing home stay, home health care, or other services – or a hybrid policy, which provides long-term care coverage plus a death benefit.

• Manage withdrawals carefully. Once you retire, your financial freedom will depend a great deal on how skillful you are in managing the money in your retirement accounts. Specifically, you need to be careful about how much you withdraw from these accounts each year. If you set a withdrawal rate that’s too high in your early years of retirement, you might eventually risk outliving your resources. So, set a withdrawal rate that reflects your age, assets, retirement lifestyle and other factors. You may want to consult with a financial professional to establish an appropriate rate.

As you can see, working toward your financial independence is a lifelong activity – but it’s worth the effort. w (Provided by Brad Wallace, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments)

Subsidiary of EVENT Publishing

Publisher/President ................................................................ Todd Stephenson Editor .......................................................................................... Bud McLaughlin Writers.........................................................................................Kimberly Ballard

Lori J. Connors

Mike Easterling Contributing Writers........................................................................Brad Wallace Graphic Design ............................................................................. Justina Simon Website................................................................................................ Jim Gharib Photographers...................................................................................Steve Babin

Kimberly Ballard

Eric Schultz

Justina Simon Director of Sales ................................................................. Carolyn Stephenson Account Executives.................................................................... Amanda Peach

Michelle Epling Distribution......................................................................................Glenda Mace Huntsville Business Journal is published monthly by EVENT Publishing,

PO Box 14219, Huntsville, AL 35815.

For advertising information call 256.533.8078, e-mail todd@eventhuntsville.com, or visit us on the web at www.huntsvillebusinessjournal.com For editorial information contact editor@huntsvillebusinessjournal.com ALL CONTENTS ©2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION OR USE IN WHOLE OR IN PART OF THE CONTENTS WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED. HUNTSVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF EVENT PUBLISHING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNSOLICITED PHOTOGRAPHS OR ARTICLES ARE SUBMITTED AT THE RISK OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER OR AUTHOR. EVENT PUBLISHING ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR THE RETURN OF ANY UNSOLICITED MATERIALS AND MAY USE THEM AT ITS DISCRETION.

July 2020

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DEVELOPMENT

Downtown Construction Continues Despite Pandemic Despite “shelter-at-home’’ orders followed by “safer-at-home’’ guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction downtown appears to have proceeded as expected.

Downtown Huntsville Inc. CEO Chad Emerson said he’s unaware of any plans being altered as far as building in the middle of the city is concerned.

“I’m not aware of any projects that have been canceled because of the pandemic,’’ Emerson said.

He also said he’s not sure whether or not the pandemic has slowed any construction.

“That I don’t know because, well, there are some projects that aren’t moving as fast as others but that happens all the time,” Emerson said.

“So I don’t know and I haven’t heard

directly from any of the developers whether the pandemic is the reason or it could be something like financing or construction materials.’’

DHI has played a major role in revitalizing the downtown district.

Construction projects underway are the new Huntsville Hospital Orthopedic and Spine Tower, Eclipse lofts at CityCentre, the Redstone Federal Credit Union building, the Curio Hotel, and the parking deck at Green Street and Holmes Avenue.

“Those are the ones that have gone vertical,’’ Emerson said. “There are other smaller projects -- the new restaurants on the North Side Square and other things like that. So there are those on a larger scale.

“There’s a new dessert location going into The Avenue and there’s a new lounge going into 127 Holmes.

So you have a mix of smaller or larger projects.’’

The Avenue is adding Cookie Dough Magic, an edible cookie dough parlor, which is a Birmingham-based business. It will be

By Mike Easterling / Photo by Eric Schultz

located next to Melt restaurant on Holmes Avenue. Plans are for the parlor to open this year, but an exact date has not been announced.

The 127 Holmes site houses Moe’s Original Bar B Que. w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

DEVELOPMENT

The Station at Town Madison Combines Good Ol’ American Baseball with Fine Luxury Living First, there was unending rain that made construction a red, muddy mess.

Then the coronavirus pandemic slowed business to a crawl.

Despite the setbacks, housing was deemed an essential business and today, the residential population at Town Madison has grown to more than 50 tenants as The Station at Town Madison becomes the first amenity-rich luxury apartment complex to open in the Huntsville/Madison area in months.

Located on the eastern edge of the sprawling Town Madison development, off Zierdt Road and just blocks from the new Toyota Field, The Station truly sits in medias res – that is, right in the midst of things!

Surrounded by Trash Panda baseball, a variety of retail, a slew of soon-to-be-announced new eateries and pubs, and plenty of family-fun

entertainment, amusements and activities galore, The Station at Town Madison is designed with fine living in mind.

Kicking off what will be a booming and multifaceted residential phase of the Town Madison development, The Station consists of 274 one-, twoand three-bedroom rentals situated in three, four-story buildings with elevators, and two carriage house buildings with attached garages.

Currently only two of the three low-rise buildings are open for movein, but The Station is pre-leasing the third building and carriage houses.

Rent ranges from $1,195 to $2,000 a month with ground-floor and fourthfloor units leasing at a premium. As an added premium, the fourth-floor west side of Building One will have great views of Trash Pandas games!

The complex has door-to-door va-

let trash pick-up, electric car-charging stations, a 24/7 fitness center and wellness studio, and a cybercafé. It will soon have a resort-style saltwater pool and a poolside lounging cabana with a fire pit and grilling area.

The apartments feature nine-foot ceilings, quartz kitchen and bathroom countertops, brand-name stainless steel appliances, a gourmet kitchen with an island, ceramic subway tile backsplashes, modern cabinetry, and deep farm-style sinks with gooseneck faucets.

The Station at Town Madison will be holding an official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony when the pool area and final buildings are complete. In the meantime, they are leasing and pre-leasing units in what will soon be a magnificent new gateway into the Rocket City. w

By Kimberly Ballard / Photos by The Station at Town Madison

July 2020

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER

KTECH Helps Stem Rise of Juvenile Crimin

By Kimberly Ballard / In 2003, while investigating a news story about a man on Death Row, then-television news anchor Lee Marshall discovered the man was a product of Alabama’s foster care system.

Marshall, who was herself adopted as an infant, hit on an alarming statistic from Pew Research: Between 75 and 80 percent of kids in the juvenile justice system come out of foster care.

Having grown up in a loving family and having the benefit of a good education and a successful career, she was appalled at that statistic.

More than 16 years later, recent statistics from Foster Care 2.0, and confirmed in stats quoted in an article written for Teen Vogue in May 2018, that number is now solid at 80 percent.

Furthermore, by age 17, more than half of the youths in foster care have experienced an arrest, conviction, or overnight stay in a correctional facility. More alarming numbers: • 90 percent of youths with more than five foster placements will enter the justice system at some point in their lives; • 40 to 50 percent of formerly fostered youth become homeless within 18 months after leaving foster care; and • 25 percent will be in prison within two years of aging out of the system.

“I saw this happening, like a flood rushing the prison gates and pouring through it,” said Marshall.

“I searched for somebody, somewhere, doing something to stop it, but came up empty.”

Shortly thereafter, Lee Marshall retired from television news after 20 years to start her Kids To Love foundation. Kids To Love seeks to wrap their arms around foster kids no matter what age or under what circumstances they enter the foster care system. They provide supportive programs, all with a hidden curriculum: to give them food if

Lee Marshall, founder of Kids To Love and KTECH

they don’t have it; to provide transportation if they need it; and help them find housing if they are on the streets. But no one was offering solutions to just “Stop it.”

“As a former journalist, I know what I don’t know, so I did some research,” Marshall said. “I needed an exit strategy for these kids, especially those aging out of the system.

“I created our KTECH workforce training initiative to stop it by getting them into jobs. Our overall catalyst is to invest in, educate, and sustain these kids. KTECH is a gateway, an opportunity for kids aging out of the system, to take another path.”

In 2014, a Kids To Love board member connected Marshall with Fred Rascoe, dean of Career and Technical Programs at Motlow State

Community College. He runs the career readiness department which includes Bridgestone classes in mechatronics, a multidisciplinary form of electrical and mechanical engineering systems that trains people for the newest jobs in advanced manufacturing. Mechatronics rethinks traditional blue-collar manufacturing into a clean, skilled environment.

“Several community leaders and members of the Board of Directors went with me to see how their program worked,” said Marshall. “They were stating 100 percent job placement for graduates from the classes and, by all accounts, it looked good.”

Rascoe became her mentor and when she told him how she wanted KTECH to look, he showed her what they needed and how to set up the equipment to be successful.

“I had a vision of what I needed to make it work but I knew the mountain I would be climbing. All I needed now was a building and half a million dollars in equipment,” Marshall said.

Kids To Love was operating out of several locations with a warehouse in one place, her administrative offices in an old Intergraph building, and to make the classes work, she was praying for a way to bring everything under one roof.

Just a few months later, in November 2014, she met Louis and Patty Breland of Breland Properties.

Patty was adopted and she shared Marshall’s vision for KTECH. The Brelands donated a 13,000 square-foot investment property on Castle Drive in Madison to Kids To Love.

July 2020

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STORY

nals; Opens Gateway to Jobs for Foster Kids Photos by Steve Babin “It was formerly a Jump Zone painted in primary colors and smelled like dirty socks, but I have never been so excited about a building in my life,” said Marshall.

“Nearly all the materials for renovations were donated and in April, Dorothy Davidson of Davidson Technologies bought all the required equipment.”

KTECH has two fulltime instructors and classes are daily with mechatronics in the mornings; robotics in the afternoon; and soldering and solid edge, a 3D CAD technology that provides solid modeling, assembly modelling and 2D orthographic view functionality for mechanical designers, taught several hours per week. Students leave KTECH with all four industry certifications.

Students attend an accelerated program of four college-level classes in 16 weeks. Classes are 40 percent lecture and 60 percent hands-on instruction.

KTECH has an articulation agreement, that is, their college level classes qualify as transferable college credits if a student wants to transfer to Calhoun Community College, Wallace State, or Motlow. Calhoun and Wallace State give 12 of the 16 hours credit, but Motlow gives the full 16 because the program is patterned after it.

“We want kids to have an easy transition into a job after we certify them, so we set up the labs just like they will be at a job, in fact, the robotic lab is exactly like the new labs at the new Mazda Toyota plant,” Marshall said. “Students can go straight to work making $30,000 a year.”

In 2018, KTECH expanded the mechatronics lab to include the largest robotics training classroom in the state of Alabama. There are four robots and a virtual computer robot just like the ones they will see at the Mazda Toyota plant.

KTECH runs completely debt free and accepts no state or federal funding because grant money has

strings attached.

“I can’t help kids the way I want to help them if I accepted government funds,” she said.

While KTECH’s priority is on kids aging out of the foster care system, it is not limited to that.

Marshall said it is a training vehicle for anyone in the community who can use the skills.

“We have put veterans in there who are transitioning back into the workforce and they bring a tremendous synergy to the kids,” said Marshall. “My kids have a tendency to quit when it gets hard or to quit when they don’t want to do something.

“If I put a vet in here with one of my kids, that vet comes from a brotherhood. They will say, ‘I’ve got your back. We’re in this together and quitting or failure are not options.’”

The program also offers classes to the underserved or under-resourced people.

“We have great relationships with nonprofit organizations like the Downtown Rescue Mission and Christian Women’s Job Corps,” Marshall said. “We have trained six of the Downtown Rescue Mission’s program graduates.”

Students must have a high school diploma or GED to interview and Marshall said it is a tough love proposition.

“We have a strict interview process and only take about half of those that interview; however, we

have a 100 percent completion rate,” said Marshall. “We give them an opportunity.

What they do with it is up to them.

“For us, it is not about having butts in a seat – it is about completion. We kick them in the butt while they are here, but we are by their side at graduation.”

Kids To Love has awarded more than 700 college scholarships in its first 16 years, and KTECH has awarded more than 100 certifications in the first three years of its existence.

KTECH is an alternative for foster children who are not cut out for college or don’t have the support to go to college, but they still need a skill set to be independent.

For 16 years, Kids To Love has implemented numerous programs in support of foster children of all ages throughout Alabama, in 60 counties in Tennessee, and with a growing presence in Mississippi and Georgia. Programs for young children like More Than a Backpack and Christmas For the Kids provide food, school supplies, and new clothing to wear. Life Lab teaches older kids, essential skills like how to create a budget, balance a budget, write a resume and dress appropriately for a job.

“I asked a judge in Montgomery, ‘What is the number one thing you see in my kids when they come before

you?” said Marshall.

“He said, ‘Armed robbery with drugs a close number two. It may surprise you, drugs isn’t number one, but they get a gun because they need a gun to get into the drug business,’” Marshall said he told her.

According to Bennet Wright, Chair and Executive Director of the Alabama Sentencing Commission, it costs $44 a day to house an inmate in Alabama. Armed robbery is a gateway crime with an automatic 20-year sentence if convicted in Alabama. A 20-year sentence costs the taxpayer over $321,000.

Right now, there are more than 1,500 kids over the age of 14, about to age out of the system. The cost of that many kids aging out of foster care and going into the juvenile justice system will cost taxpayers about $365 million if nothing is done to stop it.

KTECH is one step to help stop this trend. w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

TRAVEL / LEISURE

Area Tourism Looking to Rebound in Wake of Pandemic Tourism has taken a hit in the Tennessee Valley as COVID-19 has interrupted daily activities across the nation and globally.

The good news is some of the local impact will not be long-lasting.

For example, the United States Tennis Association’s girls clay court championships, held here for the first time in 2019, was canceled this year but will return to the Huntsville Tennis Center in 2021-24.

That’s an economic loss of around $175,000.

“The good news is they were so happy with the way it went last year, the USTA awarded it to Huntsville through 2024,’’ said Mark McCarter, sales manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We’ve been through months of cancellations,” he said. “The focus now is on how do we get the business back.

We got lucky in that a lot of things that were canceled this year were annual events. You hate to lose it for sure, and it’s had an impact, but it’s people who

have a history here and they’re coming back next year.’’

In March, the Association of the United States Army canceled its 2020 Global Force Symposium and Exposition. It is one of the largest conferences Huntsville hosts annually. The conference brings more than 6,000 attendees and represents an estimated $3.6 million in economic impact.

“We understand AUSA’s desire to prioritize the health and safety of their delegates, and look forward to welcoming them in 2021,” said CVB CEO Judy Ryals. “Going forward, the CVB will continue to work with our hospitality partners and public health officials to ensure that the health and safety of our visitors remains a top priority.

“Supporting our local hospitality industry is also of utmost importance – as travel is impacted, we encourage our residents to explore their own backyard and be patrons to our Huntsville/Madison County restaurants, attractions, hotels, and others.”

Jamie Koshofer, vice president of

conventions for the CVB, has worked closely with AUSA over the past year.

“AUSA has long been a close partner of the CVB, and we will continue to provide support for them in all ways that we can,’’ Koshofer said. “2021 is right around the corner, and we look forward to bringing that business back to the Rocket City.”

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said, “The City of Huntsville has developed a great partnership with AUSA over the past several years. While we share in the disappointment of the community, we respect their decision to make the health of AUSA members, participants, and our citizens a top priority. We will continue to work with them and look forward to seeing AUSA in Huntsville in the coming years.”

Kristen Pepper, marketing director for the CVB, said the AUSA was one of three large conferences that were planned for the spring that had to cancel.

“Obviously, the tourism and hospitality industry has been hit pretty hard,

By Mike Easterling

especially compared to other industries,’’ she said. “I know just from talking to our hotel partners we’re starting to be on the upswing now.’’

Pepper said local hotels were operating at about 10 percent occupancy during spring at a time where 80-90 percent is the norm. Now, she said, hotels are reporting closer to 50 percent occupancy.

She also said conventions moving forward are “wait-and-see.’’

“Everyone’s kind of playing it by ear,’’ she said. “We have some conferences that as of now you know they’re moving forward for fall and winter 2020.

Some have canceled. It’s very dependent on the meeting planners and kind of the general makeup of their attendees.

“A lot of the conventions that have an older demographic we’re seeing them be a little bit more cautious, but conferences that maybe have a little bit of a smaller headcount or maybe a different age makeup they might feel comfortable continuing for later this year.’’ w

July 2020

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DINING / FOOD

Cookie Dough Magic: This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Cookie Dough Coming soon, downtown Huntsville will get its very own cookie dough parlor.

Located next-door to Melt at The Avenue, Cookie Dough Magic is slated to open early or the middle of this month.

“We’re very similar to an ice cream shop,” said Huntsville franchise owner Jon Heugel. “You can order our cookie dough in a cup, waffle cone, milkshake, or a push pop - which is a cookie dough pop with ice cream in the center.”

The Avondale-based business was just a dream back in 2018, when founders Chris and Melissa Bell went vacationing in New York City. After sampling flavors from the Big Apple’s most popular edible cookie dough bars, they were inspired and began developing plans to create their own cookie dough enterprise.

After months of experimentation, the Bells developed a sure-fire recipe to tickle the taste buds. Since that time, Cookie Dough Magic grew to be a hit in Avondale. So much so, the Bells decided to expand operations.

Heugel and his wife Sheldon were already big fans, frequently making the trek from Athens to Avondale to get a Cookie Dough Magic fix. They had been thinking about opening a business of their own, and after getting to know the Bells, the couple realized the potential for a cookie dough parlor in Huntsville.

So, they took the plunge and made plans to open the very first franchise location.

“Many of us have memories of stealing cookie dough from the mixer before our grandmother could bake it,” said Heugel.

But this is not the dough grandma used to bake cookies with or the storebought variety, either.

Using fresh ingredients such as heattreated flour, pasteurized egg whites and real butter, Cookie Dough Magic dough has a lighter, fluffier consistency which sets it apart from the typical raw cookie dough batter.

Cookie Dough Magic has 12 flavors, with a special flavor that’s featured

By Lori J. Connors / Photo provided by Cookie Dough Magic

each month. A few of the selections include “Euro Dough,” which is packed with Biscoff cookies, “Salty Sweet” which boasts an assortment of dark chocolate chips, Ghirardelli caramel and sea salt, and “Fancy’s Peanut Butter,” made with Reese’s Pieces.

Even with an awesome product, atmosphere still matters when it comes to enticing customers. The vibe at Cookie Dough Magic is clean and simple by day; by night, the lights dim and the music is lively and hip.

It’s an ideal place for grownups to hang out after date nights and cocktails.

“Our shop even changes its lighting and atmosphere at night to make it a fun hangout for after-dinner crowds,” said Heugel. “We think Cookie Dough Magic will fill a void in the neighbor-

hood and offer guests a fun spot where they can hang out and enjoy a decadent new treat.”

The shop hours will be noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. Sundays. Visit www.mycookiedoughmagic.com. w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

DINING / FOOD

From Curbside and Takeout, Back to Dining in Again: How’s That Working Out? Restaurants have finally begun reopening for dining in, something which is exciting and scary at the same time.

How have they prepared for it?

What challenges did they face at the onset, what are they contending with now? Oh, by the way, how’s business doing in the time of 50 percent capacity?

One thing is certain, that in the times of COVID-19, there are no instruction manuals, no playbooks. As a testament to resiliency, restaurateurs have by far, been the trailblazers.

Food is a necessity and, three months in, curbside and takeout were welcome additions to home-cooked meals, but the community has been bursting at the seams in anticipation for the opportunity to dine in.

Kylee Bliss, Front of House Manager: La Esquina Cocina Since opening at half capacity, business at La Esquina Cocina has been picking up. Every Friday and Saturday, the city blocks off Holmes Avenue to allow La Esquina Cocina, Moe’s BBQ and Melt to join forces to offer live music and outdoor dining at a safe distance, all in the form of one big block party.

“To prepare for socially distanced dining, we spread out our tables and doubled down on sanitizing products,” said Bliss. “We have half capacity indoors and outdoors, so the Friday and Saturday road closure really helps boost business.”

Due to a smaller kitchen staff, ;La Esquina Cocina has limited their menu, but they still offer their most popular items.

“We also started a social hour menu with featured cocktails, wine and beer as well as small bites to get people excited to start going out downtown again,” said Bliss. “Carry-out dinners are still a major part of our business, as well and we still accommodate curbside pick-up when requested.”

“We’ve been hosting pop-up brunches with patio seating only, to try out new items, We hope to open on Sunday mornings for a full-service brunch, once we are allowed a larger capacity.” In the meantime, Bliss recommends checking social media, early and often to find out about the next pop-up brunch.

Ashley Brown, owner: Tom Brown’s “We opened June 1,” said Brown.

“We were ready to open in March and had already interviewed our management team. Then, the state got shut down for COVID.” The husband and wife ownership team had been doing extensive DIY interior renovation since October; COVID allowed the Browns to take a breath to reassess the situation.

“We hired our management team probably a week before she (Gov. Kay Ivey) announced the reopening,” said

Brown. “We just wanted to get people in, get them trained.”

In setting up the restaurant’s original concept, the couple took a different approach.

“Huntsville-Madison is filled with people from all over, it’s such a diverse city,” said Brown. “We wanted to be more of a gathering-type restaurant, so we set up family-style tables, making it an easier way to meet people.”

That all changed when COVID hit. The new Dine-In policies required seating reconfiguration.

“Our capacity was 200 on the inside,” said Brown. “So, what we did is we took all the tables out to 50 percent, with tables six feet apart.”

Brown asked for feedback from the customers, asking what they were looking for, what they envisioned as a quality dining experience.

“What we got from our guests was “normalcy,” they just wanted to have their lives back,” said Brown.

Business has been brisk since reopening; folks have been eager to enjoy a sit-down meal away from home in a fine-dining atmosphere; quite possibly more than ever before.

When it comes to mask vs. no mask, Brown says that it’s entirely based on what the customer requests. Customers requesting the servers wear masks indicate that preference when making reservations.

“We flag your table and when anyone approaches your table, they are wearing masks,” said Brown.

“Every tray has clean gloves. We are doing everything we possibly can to keep normalcy.”

By Lori J. Connors / Photos by Steve Babin

Stephanie Mell, owner: Church Street Family – Church Street Wine Shoppe, Purveyor, Mazzara’s, and Pourhouse Things have been busy with the Mells and their four family businesses.

“We are definitely getting a lot of reservations,” said owner Stephanie Mell. “I don’t know if small businesses realize just how amazing this community is to us, but it’s awesome.”

“We opened up Purveyor on (June 10),” said Mell. “We were doing patio and curbside service until then. People are definitely excited to be back to dining inside.”

Before they could open for dinein, Purveyor’s unique interior required some adjustment considerations.

“We took our time about it,” said Mell. “We thought long and hard about the fact that we are narrow and how can we continue to give the service we were used to giving.”

Customers are being seated at every other table. The three tables that line the wall were removed because they were along the path to the restroom.

“We wanted to make sure that people could walk by without being too close to the tables,” said Mell.

Even the restrooms have been converted. Men’s for employees; Women’s

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for customers. Both restrooms are sanitized after every use.

The servers wear masks and gloves, as well as the kitchen staff. Tables are sanitized after every customer. Tables are not being preset; they are set in front of the customer.

At the Stovehouse, Mazzara’s has been doing a successful curbside business. There’s a stand right outside the door, limiting incoming foot traffic.

Pourhouse opened in May. “We are not allowing people to eat or drink within Pourhouse, yet,” said Mell.

“Church Street is now open for inside dining, as well,” said Mell. “At Church Street, we socially distanced with wine cases. We had four tables, now we have two. We used our cases of wine, lined up so that when people are looking at the wall to purchase, they’re not hovering or near the tables.”

Mell upholds her staff to a high standard.

“Everyone’s in masks, everything is being sanitized consistently,” said Mell.

“We take temperatures and have a temperature log at all the Church Street

Family businesses.”

Thus far, there hasn’t been any push back to the protocols.

“People have been really open to it,” said Mell. “They’re just happy to be getting back to some sort of normalcy.”

Nick Quinn, Managing Partner: Phat Sammy’s “Our grand opening was March 18 and the COVID-19 restrictions began on March 19,” said Nick Quinn, one of the four managing partners at Phat Sammy’s. “We immediately shifted gears.”

Quinn credits the team’s agility from the experience gained in setting up a variety of “kitchen takeover” popup events over the past few years. The crew at Phat Sammy’s has adapted to kitchens of all sizes from the miniscule kitchen at Moody Mondays to an entire Sushi restaurant at Yoshi.

While easily adapting to every location on the fly, adjusting to takeout presented a different challenge for the team.

“The art of takeout is an entirely different monster to handle in a kitch-

en,” said Quinn. “You have to think of the product and how it will hold up 20 minutes down the road versus just being plated and consumed immediately.”

The team came up with a solution.

“All in all, we have tried to make it the most positive experience we could,” said Quinn. “We limited the menu to feature the most take-out friendly items and introduced our ‘Cutty Bangs,’ which are take-home cocktail kits. The ABC issued a temporary retail license, so we were able to sell sealed liquor to go.”

The new dining-in option was welcome but still had to be mindfully implemented.

“We’ve had to limit our dine-in capacity,” said Quinn. “We wanted to give it a couple weeks to see how the city was going to react after restaurants could have dine-in options again. The majority have wanted that sense of normalcy again.

“Of course, we sanitize everything and servers wear face masks when interacting with customers. Instead of handing out menus we direct to our

website to see the most up-to-date options as well as keeping things sanitary.

“We’ll continue to adapt for whatever obstacle lies ahead, hopefully the next step is adding capacity, but we will always take our customers and our team member’s safety as a priority before profits.” w

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Harris Home For Children Announces Partnership With Frank Williams Dealerships The Harris Home for Children has announced that Frank Williams Dealerships is a new sponsor of the Harris Home for Children. Through this partnership Frank Williams Dealerships will be supplying the new Harris Home for Children, 99065 North Memorial Parkway, with a donation to furnish four rooms.

The Harris Home for Children is more than just a foster home; it is a private, nonprofit agency providing full-time foster care services and crisis support for neglected adolescent children in our community. Harris Home for Children is the only emergency crisis service in the state, so when children unexpectedly find themselves without a safe space to sleep, or wondering where their next meal will come from, Harris Home for Children is the only place to turn.

“We were blessed with the opportunity to purchase this new home so that we can provide housing for even more children,” said Harris Home Executive Director Reggie Mckenzie. “This partnership with Frank Williams means that we can move the boys into their new home soon.”

The new home will allow Harris Home to increase the number of youths they are able to serve by freeing up space at the current facility. The new home features expansive grounds, a garden, outdoor recreation area, and more.

“The Harris Home for Children is an organization that I believe fills a gap,” said Frank Williams. “Us as an organization, we align with their values of helping our community and helping young men ages 13-18 so that we can give them the positive reinforcement that their community is behind them.”.

Visit www.harrishomeforchildren. org/or call (256) 837-0332. w

Alabama A&M Receives $2.2M Grant for Electric Buses WASHINGTON – Alabama A&M has received a $2.2 million grant to purchase zero-emission electric buses, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced.

The school was one of 41 entities – and the only one in Alabama - to receive funding in a $130 million Low- or NoEmission Grant program. The program funds the deployment of transit buses and infrastructure for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities.

In this competition, FTA focused on the introduction of new technology not commonly found within U.S. transit systems such as advancements to propulsion systems. Forty-one projects in 40 states and the District of Columbia will each receive funding through the program.

The $2,229,189 award for the electric buses will replace the school’s diesel buses that have reached the end of their useful life. w

Davidson Homes Owner Moves into Single-Family Rental Industry Davidson Holding Company, which owns the rapidly growing, Huntsvillebased home builder Davidson Homes, today announced it has launched EverGreen Living, a division that will build single-family rental communities in the Southeast.

EverGreen Living, which has already purchased land in Huntsville for singlefamily rental development, plans to build 4,000 homes – between 800 and 1,000 annually – during the next five years in multiple markets in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

“EverGreen Living marks an exciting new phase in the expansion of our company,” said Adam Davidson, founder, president and CEO of Davidson Holding Company. “We are eager to serve the growing number of people who want to live in new, expertly built rental homes in neighborhoods where the quality of life is exceptional.

“The build-for-rental industry will see significant growth in the future as young families and Baby Boomers look for housing alternatives that offer the best of class A apartments and the amenities of living in single-family homes in resort-style communities.”

EverGreen Living will build in markets where Davidson Homes already has a presence, including the greater Huntsville area, Middle Tennessee, the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina and the Atlanta metropolitan area. Each community will have 150-250 homes and feature amenities that include a private yard, hard-surface and tile floors, stainless steel appliances and access to a clubhouse, swimming pool and walking trails.

Rental prices will range between

$1,200 and $2,000 per month. Home sizes will be around 800-1,000 square feet for a one-bedroom home; 1,0001,200 square feet for a two-bedroom home, and 1,300-1,400 square feet for a three-bedroom home. w Cepeda Systems to Partner with Dynetics on Lunar Landing System

Averitt Honors Decatur-Area Associate for 30 Years Of Service DECATUR – Averitt Express recently honored associate Sherry Ahrendt of Huntsville for 30 years of service.

She is one of the more than 1,200 active Averitt associates who are members of the company’s “Over 20 Team,” an exclusive group of associates who have served 20 or more years with Averitt.

Averitt’s Decatur-area facility is at 6300 Greenbrier Road in Madison.

Averitt Express is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management with international reach to more than 100 countries.

Visit averittexpress.com. w

Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis announced a subcontract award for NASA’s Artemis program, which will develop and build a Human Landing System to take the first woman and next man to the lunar surface by 2024.

CSSA will support Dynetics, one of three prime contractors selected for the program.

Known as the sister program to Apollo, Artemis will create a sustainable architecture for the return to the moon that will also enable expanded exploration and future space travel to Mars.

In the initial phase of development, CSSA’s role on the Dynetics team will include providing engineering services and process improvement services in software and systems engineering, integration, and test.

“CSSA is thrilled to be supporting

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Dynetics as a subcontractor for NASA’s Artemis program,” said CSSA President and CEO Sandra Cepeda. “It’s an honor to contribute to such a pivotal initiative for the future of space exploration.

“God has blessed Cepeda Systems once again, and we look forward to working with this dynamic team.”

Established in 2001, Huntsvillebased CSSA supports customers in the Department of Defense, NASA, and the commercial sector through software engineering, systems engineering, and process improvement services. w

Redstone Receives A+ Rating From Online Financial Site Redstone Federal Credit Union has been recognized by DepositAccounts. com as one of the healthiest credit unions in America.

DepositAccounts.com, a subsidiary of Lending Tree, awarded Redstone an A+ grade - only 11 percent of all financial

institutions receive an A+ rating.

Joe Newberry, Redstone’s President and CEO, said the credit union appreciates the recognition.

“It’s important that our 500,000 members know that their financial institution not only provides the best value and service, but that it is on safe fiscal footing, responsive to its members, and committed to excellence,” he said.

DepositAccounts.com evaluates the financial health of more than 10,000 banks and credit unions in the United States once per quarter. To determine credit union ranking and recognition, DepositAccounts.com grades each institution on various factors, including capitalization, deposit growth, and loanto-reserve ratio.

“We believe it is important to give consumers a way to evaluate the financial health of their institutions,’’ said Ken Tumin, founder of DepositAccounts. com. “Our list empowers consumers to make informed decisions when selecting a financial institution.’’

Redstone hit two milestones during 2020, it reached 500,000 members and surpassed $5.5 billion in assets, making it one of the 20 largest federal credit unions in the country. w

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