HBJ Aug 2020

Keeping you informed and inspired.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 8

August 2020

DEFENSE

Dynetics Brings Hypersonic Weapon Technology to MidCity

COVER STORY

Weapon modernization is the Army’s No. 1 priority and, in these ever-changing and dangerous times, troops need to be combat ready.

By Lori J. Connors - Page 5

RETAIL

Stovehouse’s Gaslight Alley: Not Your Parents’ Retail Center…

But Maybe Your Grandparents’

From its humble early factory beginnings, the Stovehouse has transformed into a fun, casual destination to enjoy live music, along with a wide assortment of dining and beverage options. There’s also retail, fitness, and office space, boasting an array of amenities.

By Lori J. Connors - Page 12

ADDITIONAL STORIES • HudsonAlpha and Crestwood Medical Center Join to Help Treat ALS

By Lori J. Connors • Page 4

•

Huntsville’s ‘Modern Landfill’ Rises Like a Mountain

By Mike Easterling • Page 6

• Big Spring Café: A Legendary huntsville Fixture and ‘Home of the Greasy Burger’

By Mike Easterling • Page 10

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HUNTSVILLE

BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 3, Issue 8 August 2020 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

SIT DOWN WITH SUCCESS

Stan Stinson: A Strong Work Ethic and Refusal to Fail Stan Stinson and his partner Tina Ford own the Earth and Stone WoodFired Pizza’s in Madison and downtown Huntsville; the Bark & Barrel Barbecues in Madison and at the Stovehouse in Huntsville; and the Self-Serve Drinkery downtown. The Huntsville Business Journal sat down with Stan to find out how they have built five successful eateries and drinkeries, three of which they have opened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your background is in electronics service and management. How did you get into the restaurant business?

Stinson: I was retired but bored and I have always been a foodie and I love to cook. Tina and I were looking for something to do with food and we were traveling around the southeast visiting high end food festivals to get some ideas.

In Atlanta, I saw a guy with a trailer doing pizza. It was farm-to-table stuff and I thought, I would like to do something like that. I had never made pizza, and his pizza was good, but I thought, I can it do it better.

So, you went on the food truck circuit and learned to make pizza?

Stinson: I bought a 6-foot by 12foot trailer. Half of it was a wood-fired stove and the other half was a refrigeration unit with wood underneath. I spent months learning how to make pizza at 900 degrees. I lost hair, eyebrows, and bangs, but Tina and I drove it around for several months dialing in our dough recipe.

There is an art to making a pizza crust round and it took time to learn to do that. My first crusts were rhomboid.

It took months to finalize my recipes but one day a guy bought five pizzas - $60 in pizza and I thought wow! People really like this stuff and will pay for it too!

And the Bark & Barrel Barbecue?

Stinson: I spent some time in Texas with a friend who competed on the barbecue circuit. That’s where I learned how to cook a beef brisket. It is the hardest piece of meat to cook and you have to cook it properly, cut it properly and it’s easy to goof it up. We cook every-

thing on site, and it is made fresh daily.

We actually smoke our chocolate chip cookies. The fat in the cookie and the chocolate pulls up just enough smoke to give you a nuanced flavor. å It is a heck of a time to be in the restaurant business! What has that been like?

People’s eating habits have changed due to COVID-19. We don’t get lunch crowds because people still are not in their offices. People are going out to eat but they are eating closer to home. Having the outdoor space like at the Bark & Barrel in Stovehouse really helps because people feel safer. They don’t feel they have to be masked up all the time.

But downtown is tough. There just is not any traffic right now.

What would you say is the secret to your success?

Part of our success is that Tina and I both have a strong work ethic and we refuse to fail. If an employee calls out, nine times out of 10, Tina and/or I are going to put on an apron and help. We know the business from the bottom up.

By Kimberly Ballard / Photo by Steve Babin

The restaurants are all serving my recipes, so it does not intimidate me to cook.

And also, we have not taken a lot of money out of the business and we don’t pay ourselves a lot. Most of the profits go back into the company and that has allowed us to open without running debt.

August 2020

LEGAL

Force Majeure: An Unexpected Legal Side Effect of Coronavirus

By Kimberly Ballard

If you are a person who never reads the fine print of a contract, you have probably never heard of a force majeure clause.

However, that clause in every commercial contract for the past century may be worth reading for those suffering the economic hardships caused by coronavirus and the economic shutdown.

That relatively short paragraph in a commercial lease offers a glimpse into why all that fine print is important, and many business owners are discovering they can take shelter in its words.

Broadly written and mostly ignored until now, force majeure essentially says the contract you are signing is not enforceable in the event of a declaration of war or an act of nature.

In the past, what exactly constitutes an act of nature has been a bit unclear and some businesses are vowing to fight it in the courts, while many business owners are justly using the force majeure to say, “Wait a minute.

We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and I am being forced to close my business due to circumstances outside my control. I am activating my force majeure clause in response to my inability to pay the rent.”

As a result, commercial developers, property managers, and businesses who lease space to another business are getting their first look at post-coronavirus lease contracts.

What used to be a short, single

paragraph is coming back a page or more in length, clarifying in detail, what exactly constitutes an act of nature. In addition to global pandemic, which is meticulously explained, these contracts are also allowing for events of civil unrest and riots.

As one landlord put it, the force majeure is now a lot more iron clad and landlords are going to have to go along with it.

While most businesses are willing to work with tenants on situations where they cannot pay the rent, and essentially defer the collection process until solutions can be found, it is now more than ever a choice about what the two parties will and won’t negotiate to reach a solution.

The force majeure is being expanded to try and clarify all circumstances that uphold that argument.

One example is that of a knee surgeon who isn’t allowed to perform knee surgeries because they are shut down for six weeks. Clearly there is no money coming in to pay the rent.

Some of these longer force majeures are written to say, if you close the hospital to elective surgeries, I will need to forego payments for six months or until the hospital reopens and I am able to offer services.

Force majeure is just one of the unexpected consequences of the coronavirus that will be with us for a long time.

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

HEALTHCARE

HudsonAlpha and Crestwood Medical Center Join to Help Treat ALS

By Lori J. Connors

In a collaborative effort with Crestwood Medical Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology recently launched the Impacting ALS project.

In June, the ALS Association awarded HudsonAlpha a $20,000 grant, which will be used toward increasing the number of patients able to participate in the Crestwood ALS Care Clinic, as part of Impacting ALS. Directed by Drs. David White and Aruna Arora, the Crestwood ALS Care Clinic is the only National ALS Association Treatment Center of Excellence in Alabama. The clinic is also a Northeast ALS Consortium site with its mission to translate scientific advances into clinical research and new treatments for people with ALS. “Crestwood is proud to have strong relationships with the ALS Chapter and our patients who are battling ALS,” said Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to collaborate with HudsonAlpha on this project to better understand and treat this disease which will allow us to help improve the quality of life for ALS patients.”

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in

the brain and spinal cord, causing the loss of voluntary muscle control.

Commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it is estimated that as many as 20,000 Americans live with ALS; 15 new cases are diagnosed daily.

The life expectancy of a person with ALS is roughly two to five years from the time of diagnosis, although more than half of those with ALS live more than three years after diagnosis.

The goal of researchers is to untangle ALS and to gain a better understanding of the underlying causes. To that end, scientists are employing leading-edge technology, such as genomic sequencing to analyze genetic variants.

“Hopefully, in understanding some of the biology behind ALS, we’ll be able to understand different avenues of how this disease happens, what causes it, and eventually, be able to find targets that can be useful for therapeutics and different treatments,” said Dr. Richard M. Myers, HudsonAlpha President and Science Director. “We are grateful to work with Crestwood and ALS patients right here in Huntsville for this project.”

For more information: https://hudsonalpha.org/foundation/ als-project/

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Lori J. Connors

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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.

August 2020

5

DEFENSE

Dynetics Brings Hypersonic Weapon Technology to MidCity Weapon modernization is the Army’s No. 1 priority and, in these ever-changing and dangerous times, troops need to be combat ready.

In the face of ever-evolving threats, innovation is critical. And, by developing capabilities to enable next-generation weapons, such as the advancement of hypersonic technology, the United States is on track to do just that.

Huntsville-based Dynetics will be supporting hypersonics and directed energy programs through the development of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body weapon system at its MidCity Aerospace Integration

Facility, adjacent to the new MidCity development in Huntsville. Dynetics will produce glide body assemblies for the Army, Navy, and Missile Defense Agency.

The C-HGB is a weapon system that uses a booster rocket motor to accelerate to well-above hypersonic speeds, then jettisons the expended rocket booster. The C-HGB is thus named because it can go on Army land-launched and Navy submarinelaunched missiles.

Hypersonic technologies and capabilities weapons are at least five times faster than the speed of sound and Dynetics is building weapon systems at Mach 5 or higher. By 2023, these weapons will be delivering residual combat capability to soldiers to counter and gain a lead on Russian and Chinese technological weapon advances.

While visiting Huntsville recently, Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy and Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood toured the Dynetics MidCity facility.

Thurgood, head of the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office which is responsible for offensive hypersonic missiles and missile defense lasers, including developing the Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon.

“It’s a great opportunity to be

By Lori J. Connors / Photos by Steve Babin

here,” said McCarthy. “Lt. Gen. Thurgood is driving a series of capabilities. The Armed Forces is investing billions of dollars over the next five years for the capabilities that we need

to ensure the technology margin.

The work you do here will affect our future. You picked this profession because it matters. You know that this profession protects our way of life.”

HH Orthopedic & Spine Tower Huntsville, Alabama

Proud to be part of

HUNTSVILLE & NORTH ALABAMA since 1985

General Contractor 4900 University Square, Suite 2, Huntsville, AL 35816 www.robinsmorton.com

6

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

GOVERNMENT

Huntsville’s ‘Modern Landfill’ Rises Like a Mountain Ever noticed the rising landmass at the southwest end off Leeman Ferry Road that can be seen from John Hunt Park?

Once the site of a rock quarry, it’s officially known as a Modern Landfill and contains non-hazardous refuse.

They’re known colloquially as “trash mountains.’’ There’s even a renowned recreation park in Virginia Beach, Va., called Mount Trashmore that was built on top of two landfills in 1974.

But while the Huntsville Solid Waste Disposal Authority has used modern technology to operate the landfill since 1988, the idea of a “trash mountain’’ is an idea that traces back to ancient Rome. For 250 years, carefully piled jars created Monte Testaccio, which means “Mountain of Jars.’’

This was no dumpsite, and neither is Huntsville Modern Landfill.

“Our facilities are engineered facilities that are highly regulated by both the ADEM and the United States Environmental Protection Agency,’’ said John “Doc’’ Holladay, executive director of the SWDA. “The Authority has invested and will continue to invest tens of millions of dollars to design, build, operate, close and conduct post-closure care for a minimum of 30 years to ensure these facilities will be protective of human health and the environment in this community.

“The landfill is a vital public service provided by the Authority, in combination with the Waste to Energy facility, for the waste produced by the citizens, businesses, industries and institutions of the City of Huntsville, City of Madison and Madison County. The landfill is highly regulated by the ADEM through state-of-the-art technical standards to ensure that it is designed, built, operated, and closed in a manner to protect the citizens and the environment of this community.’’

No long-term plans have been decided on for the landfill, which is not close to full and has years of life remaining. A section of the site, however, is already being used by hobbyists.

“The exact end uses have not been decided at this time,’’ Holladay said.

“The life of this landfill is projected to be greater than 30 years so, as we get closer to that time, the Authority will determine what would be the most suitable long-term end use of this facility for the citizens of this community.

“Currently, a closed-out portion of the landfill is being utilized by the Rocket City Radio Controllers as an airfield for remote-controlled airplanes and helicopters.’’

The SWDA manages two landfills, neither of which accepts hazardous material: • Municipal solid waste landfills are designed to accept mainly residential (kitchen waste, bathroom trash cans, etc.), commercial (apartment complexes, universities, and restaurants, etc.) and non-hazardous institutional waste. These types of landfills require plastic liners, leachate collection systems and methane gas collection systems.

Methane gas collection systems are required once a landfill reaches a certain tonnage and generates a certain level of regulated landfill gas emissions.

• Construction and demolition (C&D) waste landfills have different engineering and environmental standards than the MSW landfills. Construction and Demolition landfills not only accept construction and demolition waste but also inert waste such as old furniture, mattresses, trees/tree branches and yard waste. The slope that is visible from John Hunt Park is the C&D portion of the landfill.’’

The landfill will continue to grow, but also the mounds created by the refuse do decompose.

“Both landfills are projected to last for another 30-plus years,’’ Holladay said. “As you are aware, the Authority has been actively engaged in adopting and implementing strategies that reduce the volume of waste

that is disposed of in landfills for quite some time. In fact, two of those initiatives are over 30 years old, and a third initiative will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

“The waste-to-energy plant not only recovers the energy embedded in waste to produce steam for Redstone Arsenal, but it also reduces the volume of waste by 90 percent which reduces the amount of waste that has to be dis-

By Mike Easterling / Photo by Steve Babin

posed of in the MSW Landfill. After combustion, the ash is transported to the MSW cell for disposal. However, prior to placing the ash in the landfill, the ferrous and non-ferrous metals are removed and recycled.’’

The Authority further seeks to reduce waste volumes being disposed of in the landfill by providing services that can be found at www. swdahsv.org.

August 2020

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DEVELOPMENT

HC Blake Helps Former Shopping Plaza Find New Purpose Through Repurposing Walking into the building at the intersection of Oakwood Avenue and North Memorial Parkway is like stepping into history.

The newly remodeled property is now home to H.C. Blake Co., Kim’s Diner and Betty Mae’s Restaurant, both which will be opening soon.

Jim Batson, owner of H.C. Blake, bought the property and he and his sister, Sara Beth Fair, transformed the rundown strip mall.

Focusing on the site’s heritage, Batson and Fair used repurposed materials and furnishings from businesses that had shuttered their doors.

“We’re so excited about our new building,” said Fair. “Jim and I designed most of the building. Everything is repurposed. When businesses were closing, we went and got the furniture and fixtures.

“Every bit of wood in the training room is repurposed from Playmor

Bowling alley. There’s even a disco ball.”

Plenty of attention has been paid to the outside area, as well. The exterior is bright, clean and inviting, with greenery housed in repurposed metal ceiling tile planters. It’s a far cry from what it had been for many years: A tired, run-down shopping plaza that had seen much better days.

H.C. Blake started in 1884 and has been a family-owned and operated business for five generations. In fact, Fair and Batson’s sons work for the company.

A plumbing business that started out started with “just two guys and a wagon” has grown to 150 employees and a fleet of trucks. Throughout its 136-year history the company stayed in business, weathering significant events such as World Wars I and II and The Great Depression.

The biggest gem is perphaps The Blake Center for Arts & History, which includes the Sara Beth Fair Fine Art Gallery and Studio, the Carole Forêt Fine Art Gallery and Studio and Huntsville Revisited.

Pictured L to R: William Hampton, Sara Beth Fair, Carol Foret

By Lori J. Connors / Photos by Steve Babin

After 30 years as an artist in Gulf Breeze, Fla., Forêt made her way north and started two galleries in Athens. After moving to Huntsville in 2013, Forêt later became a part of Clinton Row in 2018.

“I’m part of a fifth gallery now,” said Forêt. “I’m thrilled to be in Huntsville.”

“Huntsville Revisited focuses on capturing and collecting pictures of people, places and other things related to Huntsville,” said artist in residence William Hampton. “Everyday citizens, the things that make this city unique; celebrating the contributions of every man and woman.”

As a division of the H.C. Blake Co., The Art & History Center and Huntsville Revisited are dedicated to promoting and preserving fine art, along with the historical and cultural heritage of North Alabama.

Visit, www.blakecenter.com.

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER

Madison County Housing Market Bo

By Kimber Before the coronavirus pandemic, the only things obstructing regional residential growth was the construction industry labor shortage and a desperate shortage of housing inventory.

Still during the pandemic, there is nothing – at least nothing new - slowing the residential housing market in North Alabama. Not a virus, not consumers, not builders, not banks, not regulation, and not the economy.

On the contrary, homebuying and homebuilding are both booming.

“We have sold more homes in 2020 than were sold at the same time in 2019,” said Josh McFall, CEO of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors. “Even amid the stress of a pandemic and busy housing market, there was no slow down and, in fact, the only thing the association has seen take a downturn is housing inventory.

“I don’t even think we can classify the inventory problem as directly related to the pandemic. Beginning in January, we reported the lowest number of homes available for sale in the MLS since the MLS has been keeping track of those records in the mid1990s.

“Madison County has been the big driver of that because we have the most MLS listings due to the denser population. Inventory is low, but we consistently slide down the entire MLS because our average days on market has also slid down.”

He said the days on market for North Alabama is 42 days but, in Madison County, that number is 26 days and consistently falling.

“I remember five years ago we were reporting 80 or 90 days on the market and here in 2020 and during a pandemic, as of June that number is 26 days,” he said. “So, we had this

housing shortage before COVID.” Last month, around 840 homes were sold in Madison County. Of those 840, some 600 were resales and 230 were new construction. The 230 are either new construction, a prospect build that was sold, or a custom build that entered the MLS. “So, what we are saying is, more builders are feeling more confidence in the local economy, so they’re ramping up their building, while at the same time, they have a lot of pressure on them due to the labor shortage and rising supply costs,” McFall said.

“But if you look at all the MLS to date, there were 2,307 available homes on the entire market; 926 are in Madison County.”

One-third of houses under construction sell every month so the industry must build a lot of houses to keep up with demand, he said.

“Sales prices are continuing to tick up from month to month so you can see it is a supply and demand issue,” said McFall.

How are

people feeling about buying or building a home during a global pandemic?

Apparently, completely unfettered.

“Buying a home during COVID-19 was almost no different than our previous purchases,” said David Fields.

He and his wife Meredith bought a home right around the highpoint of the pandemic this spring. “Our Realtor was very supportive and took all the necessary precautions including the use of PPE and social distancing.

Overall, it was a great experience!”

“We’re getting lots of activity on the housing side of our business,” said Joey Ceci, president of the Breland Cos. Breland’s commercial division is developing the 525-acre Town Madison off I-565.

“At Pike Place at Clift Farm off Balch Road in Madison, we already have several townhouses built and sold,” Ceci said. “At Town Madison, they are getting calls from people who are downsizing and who want to get away from a large yard and out from underneath the maintenance of a large house.”

While Breland builds a variety of housing products, they also contract with other homebuilders such as Regent Homes of Nashville. Regent built homes at the Village of Providence and is building The Heights District at Town Madison.

Ceci said all Breland develop-

ments, whether they are cottages, single-family homes, or townhouses, are continuing to go up all over North Alabama, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Developments such as The Ledges of Oakdale in Athens, Meadowbrook in Cullman, and The Retreat in Meridianville are selling quickly, while Pebble Creek at River Landing in Madison is sold out.

“The impact on the economy with all these houses being built and sold are keeping home values up for existing homeowners,” Ceci said. “It’s good for our local economy too to be able to say we are not just swapping houses.

“We were pretty sure all these people would be moving here to take jobs with the FBI and Mazda Toyota, and now they are here. There are a lot of new people coming into the area.”

Stone Martin Builders, which has developed Celia’s Garden, Allen Acres and Copper Creek in Huntsville, has also continued to build throughout the pandemic, according to Sales Manager Ashley Durham, despite hurdles caused by supply shortages and subcontractor delays.

“The labor shortage is the building industry’s greatest challenge currently and it has a direct impact on low inventory,” said Durham.

One of the ways they are addressing the problem is to build strong relationships with subcontractors to help them grow their companies alongside their own.

“As a growing company, Stone Martin Builders finds value in helping our business partners grow and become great so we can in turn, overcome all types of industry challenges together,” Durham said. “That in addition to seeking opportunities with local technical programs to enhance the workforce, we are all helping each other.”

One of those technical programs is the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy started by the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association to address the problem. The academy has already graduated its second class - during the pandemic.

The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy trains people to be a homebuilder. Upon graduation, they can work as a contractor in training or in one of the ancillary trades. It was an 18-month endeavor but since

August 2020

9

STORY

ooms Despite Pre-COVID Shortages

rly Ballard January, the academy has graduated 47 students.

According to Barry Oxley, Executive Officer of the HMCBA, the gap in skilled construction and construction-related labor goes back 30 years to the No Child Left Behind Act when school systems retooled education.

“There was, for a long time, the idea that you have to go to college to be successful and as schools began to do away with trade school classes, a stigma developed around trades that said you were not meant for college,” said Oxley. “But the construction industry is made up of a lot of small businesses.

If you are a skilled plumber, electrician, window or flooring installer or masonry expert, you do quite well.”

The academy’s focus is on the 30 percent of school kids who are not able or do not want to go to college.

The program is an eight-week session with a cap of 18 to 20 students.

The fourth session started in early July with 19 students and every class through September is booked to capacity.

“We have been talking about the labor shortage for a long time, so we decided to do something about it,” said Oxley. “They apply through our website and we invite them to an open house. We have been doing those virtually since the shutdowns started.

“We send them an invitation to sign up for a class. It does not cost them anything to attend and we back up the classes with ongoing job fairs where we bring in employers who hire our students. These students are going from minimum wage jobs to making $14 to $16 an hour.”

“We will always strive to build homes efficiently and with great quality … and we will continually seek to find growth opportunities for our organi-

zation in the North Alabama market to help offset the housing shortage,” said Stone Martin’s Durham. “We are still accomplishing this goal and our customers remain positive.

“We keep them informed of any affects the pandemic will have on the construction process, and there has been very little disruptions in our builds, so customers continue to be eager and excited about their new home.”

Durham believes it is the commitment her company made to colleagues, customers, and the building team to support one another throughout the crisis. The minute COVID-19 began to challenge the building industry, Stone Martin Builders acted.

“We identified fellow business owners that may be negatively impacted by the pandemic, and we found ways to become their patrons,” she said. “Many of these business owners were Stone Martin buyers, and we believe it is our duty to give back when we have the ability to do so.”

Some of the steps they took included renting tents from an event resource company whose events had been cancelled.

“To offset their losses, we used these tents for outdoor closings and information-gathering stations to offset the cancellation of open houses in North Alabama,” she said. “Our goal was to find ways to use the product of a struggling customer to help offset the struggles we were having.”

Durham said some of the processes with customers also changed.

“Upon our first meeting with a customer, we seek to understand the ‘Why?’ they are building a new home,” she explains. “COVID changed that process slightly in that we now need to understand how a homeowner is going to function in their new home.

“COVID is requiring the home be multifunctional and that looks different for every homeowner.”

For instance, they see an increase in the need for home offices, quiet rooms for schooling or reading, func-

tional kitchens with people cooking at home more, and good natural light for being home in day time hours.

“We are creating home plans that meet those needs,” said Durham.

“We continue to see high demand for housing in Madison County, and especially in Madison,” said Madison Mayor Paul Finley. “The city instituted a Growth Impact Committee in 2017 that documented inventory and anticipated growth. Using this data, the Madison School Board, supported by the City Council, defined 12 mills as the proper number for managing this growth via the property tax referendum.”

The mill rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar of the assessed value of a property.

“This passed in September 2019 and we are now building the needed schools to manage the growth,” he said.

To support this managed growth, the Madison City Council formulated and instituted a Growth Policy in mid-2019. Town Madison’s residential growth was factored into the Growth Impact Committee’s study and they continue to build out both the residential and retail portions.

A new townhouse development on Kyser Boulevard is an example of how managed growth can work for all parties.

“The developer focused on providing 366 townhouse units on industrial property,” Finley said. “Our growth policy dictated that the only way we would change this zoning was if significant city objectives were achieved.

“Working with the developer and schools, we defined two significant objectives: connecting Westchester Road to Kyser Boulevard allowing school buses a more direct and safer route to Sullivan Street; and extending the Bradford Creek Greenway from Palmer to historic downtown. These two objectives are estimated to cost $4,000,000 and will now be built and paid for by the developer.

“The developer also agreed to spread the building out to eight years with a 50-unit maximum per year and will not include second stories or a swimming pool, keeping their focus on non-school age purchasers.”

McFall said Huntsville construction is rebounding from housing remnants of the 2008 Great Recession.

“If you think back 10 years to the recession, Huntsville was not hit as hard as some places, but some of the bigger builders either scaled down or consolidated,” said McFall. “You may notice tracts of land still sitting empty in the back of neighborhoods that were built out for new homes in 2009 and 2010.

“Now they are exploding because builders have bought them. You can drive all over town and see construction in neighborhoods where one builder built the homes in one section of the development, but another builder is completing it.

“The bottom line is people need a place to live, whether they are moving up or moving down. Marry that with the best interest rates seen in the mortgage industry in a long time, it explains the good housing numbers.

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

DINING / FOOD

Big Spring Café: A Legendary Huntsville Fixture and ‘Home of the Greasy Burger’ When Big Spring Cafe moved a little way west of its longtime home on Governors Drive, a small hole-inthe-wall of sorts sandwiched between a meat market and a bait shop, three years ago this past March the restaurant surged from a capacity of 20 to 70.

The staff also increased from a peak of maybe four to around 20.

But not much else changed as owner Pam Milam and her son Gavin Milam, the restaurant’s vice president, brought the same simple menu and attitude to the new location.

They also brought a lot of loyal customers and gained many new ones.

“Repeat offenders as we always say,’’ Gavin said, wearing a mandated mask. “But that’s your advertisement right there. Generation to generation.

Grandfathers bring in their grandsons, their grandkids.

“We had a guy the other day who said his grandfather raised him to put him on stools and now he brings his son in.’’

Big Spring Cafe puts on no airs.

The original location was opened in 1922 on Jefferson Street near Big Spring Canal offering only hamburgers. The cafe bounced around other downtown locations before its first

By Mike Easterling / Photos by Steve Babin

Governors Drive location in 1970.

Over the years, the menu was updated but never left its roots.

Cheeseburgers, chili and slaw dogs came along and the cafe eventually expanded to serve breakfast, southern staples such as Brunswick stew and assorted sandwiches.

Any doubts about Big Spring Cafe’s intentions are erased when viewing the sign in front of its building that pronounces the place is, “Home of the Greasy Burger.’’

It’s a culinary blueprint that has worked since 1922 and for the Milams since it entered the family in 1946. And, naturally, there’s some family lore, and intrigue, that accompanies the cafe’s nearly 100-year-old history.

Milam family legend has it that Hazel Beene, a niece of one of Pam’s relatives, moved to Huntsville immediately after graduating from

August 2020

11

DINING / FOOD

Tammy Pratt • DeMarco McClain • Angela Ford • Tim Singleton Angelina Pettway • Will Alexander • Cynthia Webster • Barry Bryan

Big Spring Café owner Pam Milam and her son Gavin Milam, the restaurant’s vice president

Madison County High, then known to most everyone as Gurley after the city where it resides.

The young Miss Beene rented a room from Troy Baucom and his wife and also started working at the Baucom family restaurant Big Spring Cafe.

“The story goes, Mr. Baucom, when he got ready to sell it, he was mad at her and wouldn’t sell it to her,’’ Pam said. “So, a Mr. Thornberry bought it, though there is no record of him owning it. He had it for one year and sold it to (Beene).’’

Beene sold the restaurant to her sister and brother-in-law Doris and Howard Cowley in 1972. They turned it over to their daughter Pam in 1992.

A steady stream of regulars, and now newcomers, have fueled the cafe’s success.

“We’ve got one longtime customer that’s 108 in a nursing home now,’’ Pam said. “She hasn’t been in in a

long time but her daughter Faye still eats with us and she’s 84. She was in the other day.’’

Added Gavin, “We’ve got several 90-year-olds who eat here.’’

Like most restaurants, the Milams are trying to survive the economic disaster of COVID-19 pandemic.

They closed for six weeks at the outset of the stay-at-home-order, and since reopening have strictly adhered to public health guidelines.

Gavin said it’s been difficult to persuade all customers to adhere to wearing masks and practice social distancing. Following guidelines hasn’t been easy Pam, agreed but added, “We do enforce the rules.’’

Business has been down, but the Milams are optimistic they can make it to the 100th anniversary of the cafe.

“It’s strangling us,’’ Gavin said of the pandemic, “but we’re doing good.’’

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

RETAIL

Stovehouse’s Gaslight Alley: Not Your Parents’ Retail Center…

But Maybe Your Grandparents’ The Stovehouse continues to reinvent itself.

From its humble early factory beginnings, the Stovehouse has transformed into a fun, casual destination to enjoy live music, along with a wide assortment of dining and beverage options. There’s also retail, fitness, and office space, boasting an array of amenities.

“It’s been built in stages over the years,” said Steven Jackson, Stovehouse’s marketing manager. “We’ve been using the ‘bones’ of the building.”

Now that Phase one construction is established and growing, Phase two is where the Stovehouse will really take it up a notch.

Introducing Gaslight Alley, a new breed of retailing with a touch of “Old World” charm.

Once fully occupied, Gaslight Alley will feature 10 retail shops along its cobblestone walkway.

“The industrial steel and brick will be flanked by real gas lanterns, giving it a shimmering, flickering “New Orleans” feel,” said Jackson.

There will be an additional touch of history in the outside décor. Jackson has repurposed old Martin cast iron stoves as planters.

At the end of Gaslight Alley are the “Belle,” a 5,000 square-foot event space, and the “Royal” a 10,000 square-foot concert venue, both slated for completion in 2021. In keeping with the Stovehouse theme, the Belle and the Royal are model names of Martin stoves.

Charlie Foster’s coffee house and F45 Training will be the two first Gaslight Alley tenants, both scheduled to open in mid-to-late August.

Austin Jenkins and his wife Hollie, owners of Charlie Foster’s, are working hard to get the 1,850-squarefoot coffee shop up and running. The interior, along with the 500-squarefoot outdoor patio, will make for impressive space.

Back in the years before there were child labor laws, there were children working long hours at the local mills. Charlie Foster’s name is a nod to Huntsville’s history and gets its name from a captioned photo of boy who worked at the Merrimack Mill.

Jenkins’ parents, Debra and Alan, purchased and renovated the old Merrimack Mill, transforming it into the Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center in 2007. Their mission is to provide visual and performing arts education to children and adults with special needs.

Taking his parents lead in com-

munity enrichment, Jenkins plans to hire adults with special needs at Charlie Foster’s, basing the business

By Lori J. Connors / Photos by Steve Babin

model on Bitty and Beau’s, a fourlocation coffee shop along the Eastern Seaboard that celebrates neurodiversity in the workplace.

Next to Charlie Foster’s is F45 Training, an international fitness brand that provides cardio, resistance, and hybrid classes that focus on highintensity circuit training.

“F45 Started in Australia in 2012,” said Kobi Bell, franchise owner. “It became so popular there, it was like Starbucks is here in America.”

Four years ago, F45 came to the U.S. and there are now 700 studios across the nation.

Having a celebrity on board has only further boosted F45’s popularity.

“Mark Wahlberg became an investor late last year,” said Bell. “He lives and breathes the F45 lifestyle.”

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13

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

US-Mexico-Canada Trade Pact Reflects Economic Changes of New Millennium After 25 years of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States, Mexico, and Canada have combined their efforts to bring trade practices into the new millennium. If NAFTA was a game changer, the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) stands to further fine-tune and articulate these terms.

The USMCA, which took effect July 1, was set up to enhance mutually beneficial trade and economic growth throughout North America by leveling the playing field.

Although NAFTA was originally designed to boost trade, eliminate barriers, and reduce tariffs on imports and exports, it has often been cited as the cause for many U.S. job losses and factory closures.

“Most people would agree that it was time for an update, so much has changed since 1994,” said Andrew Doornaert, managing director of the firm KPMG, in a recent webinar.

“So, it’s clear that FTAs (Free Trade Agreements) needed to be updated to reflect the new way that people conduct business in using the Internet.”

The webinar, hosted by Carolyn Turner, International Trade Specialist at the Alabama International Trade Center; Rada Gaynullina, KPMG Director of Transformation and Technology; and Doornaert, was to help importers and exporters prepare for the changes that will USMCA bring.

Technology has ramped up exponentially over the past quartercentury. These advances have created additional challenges for companies, resulting in a need to fine-tune and strengthen protection on intellectual and digital assets.

USMCA’s key components address updates in intellectual property, digital technology, de minimis, currency, labor and the environment.

Below is an overview: Intellectual Property The agreement provides for stronger protection, with judicial actions and penalties that carry some weight.

These protections were developed to thwart misappropriation and disclo-

sure of trade secrets.

Digital Trade USMCA will provide a firm foundation for the expansion of trade and investment in the innovative products and services where the United States already has a competitive advantage.

De Minimis When determining origin, the de minimus amount has been increased from 7 percent to 10 percent. This means that goods may qualify if the non-originating parts do not exceed 10 percent of the total value, provided that all other terms of the agreement are satisfied.

This increase is significant to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and new traders in the United States, giving these businesses an opportunity to effectively participate in the trade game. Through lower costs and improved efficiencies, U.S. express delivery carriers can also benefit, many of which already carry lowvalue shipments for SMEs and new traders.

Financial Services In 2016, the United States exported about $115 billion in financial services. The agreement serves to facilitate a level of equity for U.S. financial institutions, investors and investments in financial institutions, and cross-border trade.

Currency USMCA serves to thwart unfair currency practices by reinforcing exchange rate stability, along with increasing transparency and accountability.

Labor The Agreement addresses labor laws and the right to collective bargaining. It also includes new provisions to prohibit the importation of goods produced by forced labor, violence against workers exercising their labor rights and ensures the rights of migrant workers.

Labor Value Content Rule To support North American jobs, the agreement contains new trade rules of origin, designed to drive higher wages for workers. It is now required that 40 to 45 percent of au-

tomobile content be made by workers earning at least $16/ per hour.

Environment The agreement serves to strengthen law enforcement networks to stem trafficking in wildlife, timber, and fish and addresses significant environmental issues.

According to Doornaert, there are other issues in the trade environment, things that companies need to keep in mind.

“There’s been significant changes in geopolitics and global trade,” said Doornaert. “We’ve seen a move towards protectionism, not just in the U.S., but other regions of the world, too. There’s greater trade enforcement that goes along with that.

By Lori J. Connors

“There’s also been heightened state of using trade, not just as an incentive, but also as a weapon in some ways. And it’s been a challenge for a lot of companies to keep up on these new tariffs and how to do business.”

Visit www.trade.gov/usmca

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

BRIEFCASE

Forbes Names Redstone One of Alabama’s Best Credit Unions Forbes has named Redstone Federal Credit Union one of Alabama’s best credit unions. The rating came after the business magazine surveyed Redstone members on their experiences.

Only five credit unions were listed as the state’s best out of 105 credit unions headquartered in Alabama.

Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to produce the annual ranking of the Best Credit Unions in Each State. Financial institutions were scored on overall recommendations and satisfaction, as well as other categories including trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services, and financial advice.

“Naturally, we enjoy it when Redstone is recognized for its member satisfaction,’’ said Joe Newberry, Redstone president and CEO. “Our employees diligently work and train to provide a positive member experience with each and every interaction.’’

Redstone was also recently named

by DepositAccounts.com as one of the healthiest credit unions in America.

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

nLogic, LinQuest Form Joint Venture ‘LogicQuest’ National security and space contractors LinQuest Corporation and nLogic announced a collaboration to facilitate growth for both organizations and their respective government and industry clientele under the Small Business Administration’s “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program.”

This partnership will embody the SBA’s mission to maintain and strengthen small businesses, like nLogic, by partnering with mature organizations to acquire best-in-class business practices and guidance.

“LinQuest’s excellent reputation, wide range of capabilities, and alignment with our own vision make this partnership an obvious decision,” said nLogic CEO and President Tim Thornton. “We look forward to maturing our business processes and market strategies to expand our customer base through our joint venture called LogicQuest.”.

LinQuest will serve as a mentor to nLogic by offering technical and mana-

gerial counsel and supporting business development initiatives.

“With our shared mission to accelerate and expand business, this strategic partnership plays an integral role in LinQuest’s continued growth, especially in the Huntsville marketplace,” said Tim Dills, president, and CEO of LinQuest.

“We are optimistic about the future and believe this partnership will help nLogic mature its capabilities, and simultaneously expand both of our services at the nexus of the aerospace and defense industries in Huntsville and beyond.”

Morris Hired as Retail Specialist with NAI Chase Commercial Vanessa Morris has joined NAI Chase Commercial as retail specialist.

NAI Chase Commercial is a member of NAI Global, a network of commercial real estate firms.

Morris will be responsible for tenant/ buyer representation and seller/landlord representation as well as specializing in retail and restaurants representation and development properties in the Huntsville, Birmingham, Florida and Georgia markets.

“We are thrilled to have Vanessa join our Birmingham office,” said Charlies Grelier Jr., president of NAI Chase Commercial. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our retail team that will benefit our clients and the properties we manage for years to come.”

Morris has been in the commercial real estate Industry since 2003.

MartinFederal Consulting Wins ATF Contract Huntsville-based MartinFederal Consulting, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, has been awarded a five-year contract by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosive.

Under the contract, MartinFederal will provide technical, laboratory, and administrative support and resources necessary for the specialized scientific analysis of ATF’s Forensic Science Laboratories and its Fire Research Laboratory.

Support services will be provided in Maryland, Georgia and California.

“This award is a strategic win for MartinFederal as we work to expand our Department of Justice presence both in the National Capital Region and in Huntsville,” said MartinFederal founder

and CEO Corey Martin. “We are also very excited to provide opportunities for growth, great benefits, and professional development to the many employees joining MartinFederal and our partners.”

Carpenter Named Account Manager at Flourish Katie Carpenter has been hired as account manager at Flourish, a full-service, Huntsville-based strategic marketing and public relations firm. Carpenter brings hands-on experience managing cross-functional teams and digital marketing strategies to the growing team.

“The growth our firm has experienced, even in COVID-19, has proven that our community recognizes the importance of a strong, strategic marketing partner that strives for innovative and out-of-the-box thinking,” said Megan Nivens-Tannett, Flourish CEO. “Katie is an exceptional leader and has worked alongside multiple brands to help identify ways for unique storytelling, competitive differentiation and prolonged market awareness.”

Prior to joining Flourish, Carpenter was the brand and digital marketing strategist for Kaplan Early Learning

Company, an international provider of products that enhance children’s learning.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Recognized Nationally for Innovation ATHENS — The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant has earned national recognition from the Nuclear Energy Institute for part of a multi-year project that enables the plant to produce more carbon-free energy from its three units.

Called an “extended power uprate,” the project contributes to the increasing amount of clean energy TVA produces across seven states. TVA’s power supply is now nearly 60 percent carbon-free.

The higher power output means that Browns Ferry’s three units can generate a combined total of up to 465 megawatts of added electricity, enough to power an additional 280,000 new homes. This brings the plant’s total capacity to more than 3,800 megawatts, enough to power more than 2 million average homes with carbon-free energy.

“This tremendous honor recognizes the hard work, commitment and technological excellence exhibited by everyone

August 2020

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BRIEFCASE

who contributed to making the extended uprate project a success at Browns Ferry,” said Steve Bono, Browns Ferry site vice president. “This includes the dedicated TVA employees and contract partners who installed the upgrades and modifications that prepared our units to safely and reliably generate even more carbonfree energy. That reliability is reflected as we mark more than 600 days of continuous operation for Unit 1.”

Petco Foundation donates $40,000 to Huntsville Animal Services Recognized by Petco for its work with homeless pets, Huntsville Animal Services received a $40,000 donation from the company’s foundation.

As a partner with the Petco Foundation, Huntsville Animal Services will be able to provide inhouse spay and neuter for shelter pets in order to get them to their newly adopted homes more quickly.

“Please visit our local Petco …,” Huntsville Animal Services Director Dr. Karen Sheppard said. “Be sure and thank Petco staff for helping to make

lifesaving investments like this possible.”

Christian Brothers Automotive Coming Soon to Hampton Cove Christian Brothers Automotive is putting more consumers in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions on auto services and repair with a new facility in the Hampton Cove area.

The new shop, 6324 U.S. 431 South, plans to open in October and will be owned by Jeff and Mary Cole.

“At the foundation of our services is the understanding of how to build confidence with our consumers and earn their trust in us as aftermarket automotive professionals,” said Donnie Carr, president of Christian Brothers Automotive.

“With this new opening, we’re focused on providing a better experience for more guests in Hampton Cove.”

Named No. 1 in customer satisfaction among Aftermarket General Maintenance Providers by J.D. Power and dedicated to its brand mission “To glorify God, by loving your neighbor as yourself,” Christian Brothers Automotive has expanded to more than 220 locations in 30 states.

RECOGNIZED Klasing Brings Decades of Experience to Huntsville’s Unity Psychiatric Care Unity Psychiatric Care, a division of American Health Partners of Franklin, Tennessee, has named Dr. Donald Klasing medical director.

Klasing is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 20-years of experience. He will oversee the hospital’s highly trained clinical teams treating adults and seniors managing mental health challenges or experiencing behavioral complications associated with dementia.

In addition to leading the hospital’s clinical team, Klasing will offer outpatient psychiatric services to adults 18 and older at a dedicated medical suite with a separate entrance located within the hospital. He will also be available for telehealth services and on-site nursing home visits for patients unable to travel or who need care during the pandemic. All CDC, state and local COVID-19 protocols will be followed during any on-site visit.

“We are fortunate to be able to bring Dr. Klasing to Huntsville,” said Teresa Houser, Administrator of Unity Psychiatric Care in Huntsville. “His experience diagnosing and treating seniors and other adults will increase access to high-quality mental healthcare in this community.”

In his role as medical director, Klasing will be providing direct care for hospital patients, as well as leadership for a multi-disciplinary team including psychiatric nurse practitioners. He maintains office hours at the hospital for outpatient care.

Klasing has a degree in engineering and served in the U.S. Navy. In his spare time, Dr. Klasing enjoys scuba diving and volunteers with the Boy Scouts.

For referral inquiries, call 256-964-6700 (inpatient) or 256-964-6722 (outpatient.)

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