Mountain Brook Magazine, Fall 2021

WAYS TO REDISCOVER GATLINBURG • CRAFT’S ON CHURCH STREET • TIPS FROM A HOME ORGANIZER

COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS BUSINESS LEADERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

RISING STARS

MUSIC & ACTING TALENT TO WATCH

one-man

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2 Fall 2021

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FEATURES

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ONE-MAN RODEO Preston Sloan talks dogs, snakes, turtles and his role as Mountain Brook’s animal control officer.

66 HIT THE ROAD

REDISCOVER GATLINBURG This Sevier County town nestles up against the Great Smoky Mountains in a way that invites guests to leave the screens behind so they can relax, unwind and reconnect to the outdoors. Here’s our guide to what to see, where to stay and where to eat there.

74 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

It’s the people who make Mountain Brook the community that it is! Here we recognize some of those making an impact on others around them through their businesses.

4 Fall 2021

PHOTO GATLINBURG CVB

COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS 2021

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PHOTO BY KATHRYN BELL

arts & culture

15 Generation Next: Three Rising Music and Acting Stars to Watch 26 Read This Book: Stories of Resilience

schools & sports

27 Moving Forward: Mountain Brook Schools' Construction Projects

food

& drink

37 Dining Evolution: Inside Craft’s on Church Street

home

& style

in every issue 6 Contributors 7 From the Editor 8 @mountainbrookmag 10 The Question 11 The Guide 82 Chamber Connections 84 Out & About 87 Marketplace 88 My Mountain Brook

47 Organized Style: A Home Organizer’s Tips for Fashion & Function

MountainBrookMagazine.com 5

MOUNTAIN BROOK

contributors

MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

Alec Etheredge Nathan Howell Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Scott Mims Emily Sparacino

CONTRIBUTORS

Kathryn Bell Emily Butler James Culver Morgan Hunt Rick Lewis Christiana Roussel Rebecca Wise

DESIGN

Jamie Dawkins Connor Martin-Lively Brittani Myers Kimberly Myers Briana Sansom

MARKETING

Darniqua Bowen Evann Campbell Jessica Caudill Kari George Rachel Henderson Rhett McCreight Viridiana Romero Kerrie Thompson

ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Zoe Hall Daniel Holmes Kinley Johnson Stacey Meadows Tim Prince Brittany Schofield Savana Tarwater

Gabby Bass-Butler, Intern

Gabby is currently studying journalism and mass communications at Samford University. Gabby has always had a passion for writing and telling stories, and she can often be found scrolling on Pinterest or sharing her love of books on her Bookstagram, @theliteraryvogue.

Kathryn Bell, Photographer

Kathryn is a freelance photographer with a recent degree in art from the University of Montevallo. Her photography has led her to photograph presidential candidates and create fine arts work inspired by the classics.

She fancies herself a plant lady and enjoys the challenge of keeping rare and difficult plants alive and enjoys exploring Birmingham!

Emily Butler, Writer

A 2020 Mountain Brook High School graduate, Emily Butler is now a sophomore landscape architecture student at Mississippi State University.

In addition to being a full-time student, she writes Life & Entertainment and Opinion articles in the school newspaper, The Reflector. She loves to write and take every opportunity that comes her way.

Morgan Hunt, Photographer

Morgan recently finished her BS in art from the University of Montevallo.

With her business, Morgan Hunt Media, she works as a freelance commercial and wedding photographer in the Birmingham area while getting her MA in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design.

She believes that photographs have a very unique storytelling ability, and her work lives in a space between journalism and fine art.

Mountain Brook Magazine is published quarterly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Mountain Brook Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Mountain Brook Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Mountain Brook Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Mountain Brook, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit MountainBookMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $14.95 plus tax for one year by visiting MountainBrookMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@mountainbrookmagazine.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.

6 Fall 2021

from the editor

I

ON THE COVER

I had gotten sucked into the vortex of phone scrolling late one night in the dead of a COVID winter when I stumbled upon a bright spot on the internet. Like many I’d binge watched the extra-dramatic period show Bridgerton on Netflix just after Christmas, and suddenly the story wasn’t over. I could relive it in musical form, and better yet half of the duo behind these songs was from Mountain Brook. So I shared about Abigail Barlow and her partner Emily Bear and the craze over their musical-in-themaking on this magazine’s social media and made a note to interview her for the magazine soon. But before getting to that I rounded up some more up-and-coming talent on other screens who also call Mountain Brook home for the feature that finally came into being. You’ll want to read our Q&As with each of them as the first story up in this issue!

As you keep flipping through pages, you’ll find renderings of what Mountain Brook schools will soon look like paired with the design vision for them we got from the architects of each of the constructions projects now underway. After that we’ve got an ode to fried chicken in the form a story on Craft’s on Church Street, complete with a shout out to the vital role of their frozen drinks in quarantine, followed by some fun organizing tips from Clara Schoen and a cover story on the tales of Mountain Brook’s animal control officer I’m extra excited to share.

We’ve got new things to introduce to you in this issue too. Mountain Brook Magazine is now coming out in print quarterly, or once every season: fall, winter, spring and summer. If you are a subscriber, you will still get the number of issues left in your subscription, and if you aren’t a subscriber, you can change that at mountainbrookmagazine.com any time. And as always you can find us sharing more timely updates on local happenings @mountainbrookmag on social media, and you can sign up for our monthly emails at mountainbrookmagazine.com.

Also in this issue we are starting a new travel feature, Hit the Road, where writer Christiana Roussel spotlights destinations within driving distance or a direct flight from Mountain Brook/BHM. You’ll find it in each issue going forward. Be sure to also check out our new annual advertorial section of Community Influencers that features local business leaders and others making a difference in our area.

Thanks for reading, and here’s to hoping fall weather arrives before this issue is too old!

One-Man Rodeo

In his role as Mountain Brook’s animal control officer, Preston Sloan shepherds lost cats and dogs and helps manage wildlife.

Photo by Morgan Hunt Design by Connor Martin-Lively

madoline.markham@mountainbrookmagazine.com

MountainBrookMagazine.com 7

#MountainBrookMag

Tag us in your Mountain Brook photos on Instagram, and we’ll pick our favorites to regram and publish on this page in each issue.

@missmayer_thelab Making the rounds! #crestline #wannabe #labradorretriever #labpuppy #cityhall #shoplocal

@focusbham Some people are obsessed with Halloween. Others love Christmas.

The Fourth of July is hands down my favorite holiday. BBQ…fireworks…

John Philip Sousa…the works. So be prepared, this account will be very patriotic over the next few days.

8 Fall 2021

[Newbor n + Child + Family Por traiture] info@apeppermintphoto.com + 205.807.6431 w w w . a p e p p e r m i n t p h o t o . c o m MountainBrookMagazine.com 9

“ ” THE QUESTION

What do you think should top a list of must-try restaurant dishes in Mountain Brook?

Old school Jim’s Special pizza Davenport’s...

-Beverly Brice LeBoeuf

Brick and Tin’s brisket sandwich and mushroom soup. Their mushroom soup is the best anywhere.

-Janet Sanders

-Chris Poirier

West Indies Salad from Dyron’s! The BEST! -Emily Martin Smith

Gilchrist’s BLT with pimento cheese. And one of their milkshakes.

Farro Bowl or the Oko at Porch!!

French Donut at Continental; Peasant Garlic Soup at Chez Lulu; Cream Cheese & Olive Sandwich at Ousler; Burger at Porch; Coconut Mojito at Craft’s -Laura Brooks Bright

-Lisa Ashmore Couch

-Lori Young White

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Not a sit-down restaurant, but a Breakup Cookie from Church Street Coffee

-Beeson Warren

Olexa’s cake!

THE GUIDE

MYSTICS OF MOUNTAIN BROOK PARADE OCT. 31 4 P.M. Crestline Village It’s tradition! Come out to the streets of Crestline for festive floats and candy throwing galore before starting your night of trick or treating.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 11

THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN AUG. 6-7 Secret Stages Music Discovery Festival Avondale AUG. 10-15 Birmingham Barons vs.

Chattanooga Lookouts Regions Field AUG. 11 Birmingham Legion vs Sporting Kansas City II BBVA Compass Field AUG. 21-29 Sidewalk Film Festival Downtown Birmingham Historic Theatre District

NOV. 7

Pink Up the Pace 5K, Fun Run & Virtual Challenge CRESTLINE FIELD Support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama’s breast cancer research by running in person for a 5K or 1-mile Dolly Dash fun run on Nov. 7 or

SEPT. 11

Fall Plant Sale

BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

Find everything you need for your yard heading into colder weather with herbs, sustainable trees, fall annuals, shrubs, natives, perennials and more for sale.

Plus, all the trees are natives selected especially for Birmingham’s climate and condition. Find more event details at bbgardens.org.

12 Fall 2021

participating in a virtual distance challenge Oct. 1-Nov. 6! All of the funds raised remain in Alabama, supporting local research, which in turn makes a national impact. Register at bcrfa.org.

AUG. 22 Birmingham Legion vs FC Tulsa BBVA Compass Field AUG. 24-29 Birmingham Barons vs.

Montgomery Biscuits Regions Field AUG. 28 R(un) for One 5K Presented by Lifeline Children’s Services Veteran’s Park – Hoover SEPT. 11 Fall Plant Sale Birmingham Botanical Gardens SEPT. 23-25 St. George Middle Eastern Food Festival St. George Greek-Catholic Milkite Church SEPT. 25 Fiesta Linn Park OCT. 2 Bluff Park Art Show Bluff Park Community Center OCT. 2 Irondale Whistle Stop Festival Historic Downtown Irondale

THE GUIDE OCT. 8-10 Barber Vintage Motorcycle Festival Barber Motorsports Festival OCT. 9 Jimmie Hale Mission Rescue Run 5K, 10K & Fun Run Downtown Homewood OCT. 14-16 Greek Food Festival Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral OCT. 15-17 Waitress Presented by Broadway In Birmingham BJCC Concert Hall OCT. 20-31 Shop Save Share Benefitting Junior League of Birmingham Community Projects

OCT. 3-6

Antiques at the Gardens BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS Antique dealers from across the country set up their wares at the gardens for quite the fair of antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art,

silver, garden accessories and jewelry.

Architects, interior designers and landscape designers will also display curate themed areas with goods selected from the best of Birmingham and other sources. Learn more at bbgardens.org/antiques.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 13

THE GUIDE CHAMBER

SHOP LOCAL A NEW WAY Need a gift for someone who has everything and you just aren’t sure what to buy? Let them pick out their own at Mountain Brook businesses with a Village Gold gift card through the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. You can buy them online at mtnbrookchamber.org.

SEPT. 11

Sweet Repeats Consignment Sale FRIDAY 9 A.M.-6 P.M. SATURDAY 9-11 A.M. MOUNTAIN BROOK COMMUNITY CHURCH Stock your kids’ fall and winter wardrobe while supporting MBCC’s short-term mission trips to places like San Diego, Peru, Hungary, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Consignors receive 75 percent of the selling price, and 25 percent goes to MBCC Missions. You can also find many items half off on Saturday. Learn more at mbcc.us/sweetrepeats/.

14 Fall 2021

&CULTURE

ARTS

GENERATION NEXT

Watch out for these rising music and acting stars on the big screen, the TV screen and your phone screen.

BY EMILY BUTLER PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED MountainBrookMagazine.com 15

Abigail Barlow, left, with her musical-writing partner Emily Bear

Abigail Barlow Musician & Musical Writer Not long after the period drama Bridgerton released on Netflix last winter, it became a musical—not on Broadway but by going viral on TikTok. In true social media form, the duo behind it, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, involved their audience every step to create tunes that were singable, hummable, trendy and somehow familiar with elements of pop, classical and jazz. Next up Barlow & Bear have a Bridgerton concept album coming out by the end of this summer—a project that Mountain Brook native Abigail says has given them the foot in the door they’d always dreamed of.

What inspired you to initially make Bridgerton the Musical videos?

I have been posting my original pop music to TikTok since I was a teenager, so this was nothing new! I had begun writing a separate musical with my partner Emily Bear, which was the first time I’d ever attempted writing for musical theatre. When quarantine got tough, both of us were very uninspired and frustrated with our solo projects.

We were ready for a change. The minute I finished watching Bridgerton, my head was BUZZING with 16 Fall 2021

inspiration. I flew to my piano and wrote the first song in 15 minutes. When I decided to post it to TikTok as a simple songwriting challenge for myself, I had absolutely no idea that one post would change my life, but I’m so grateful it did.

What do you think made the Bridgerton videos take off?

Honestly, I have no clue. With COVID completely shifting the reality we once knew, I think everyone turned to the internet for some sort of escape. When

we started exploring this story that already had a following, people LOVED that they were getting more content out of a show they adored! And that’s how we felt writing it too. This project started as fun, and I think that genuine love for the music we were making made our audience love it too.

How have your fans fueled your work, if at all?

Our fans have been so involved from the very beginning. When we started this project, Emily and I decided to livestream every writing session on

Instagram. Not many people know what goes into creating a musical, and so many of our fans would be with us, day in, day out, trying to help us craft and explore this storyline that we all love in a new way that could work on the stage.

How has social media, especially TikTok, been influential on the course of your career?

TikTok and its community have allowed me a path I never in my wildest dreams believed I could take. It opened my mind to a completely new way to MountainBrookMagazine.com 17

What are some of your early memories tied to music and the arts growing up in Birmingham/ Mountain Brook?

I’m so grateful that my parents supported my passion and gave me the opportunity to pursue it.

When we moved to Birmingham, I danced What media attention stands out the most that competitively with Birmingham Dance Theatre for you have gotten? many years, and I found my love of musical theatre Having the entire Broadway community embrace through Red Mountain Theatre Company. RMTC’s Emily and me the way they have has been the conservatory program was my LIFE from seventh craziest experience. Seeing Broadway stars I’ve met grade to senior year. It gave me some of my most as a fan at stage doors singing songs that I wrote? important mentors, taught me how to be a working Crazy. I will fangirl about it forever. professional in the entertainment business, and blessed me with a community of kids just like me What do you dream of doing artistically? that felt like family. Honestly, if it weren’t for their I want to do it all! I think creating in any and program, I don’t think I would’ve ever found myself every facet I want to has become the dream. I love to in the line of work I’m in today. act, so I’m constantly auditioning and taping for TV and film. I love writing pop songs, so I’m releasing Who are your biggest fans? music independently. I love composing and creating I think my sisters are my biggest fans. I’m so worlds, so I want to join the likes of Pasek and Paul blessed to have three built-in best friends that and Lin Manuel in bringing musicals back to TV don’t support me because they have to, but because and film. I think the problem is that I’m so they believe in me. My sisters are my rock, and passionate about every form of art, so my dreams they have been right beside me through every change depending on the day. chapter of this journey. My family is the entire tell stories. I’ve only ever written for myself, so when I get to step into a character’s shoes and write someone else’s story it frees me. I guess you never know what you can do until you jump off the ledge and try!

18 Fall 2021

Bridgerton has led to so many exciting opportunities as a songwriting duo, and although we can’t give details now, be on the lookout for us! Bridgerton will not be the last you see of Barlow and Bear.

-Abigail Barlow reason I have been able to pursue my dreams as a career. Having a strong foundation is key in an industry like entertainment. I know they will always be honest with me, even if they know I won’t like it sometimes. Being surrounded by that kind of support and love is the thing I’m most grateful for in life.

Can you tell us something people might not know about you?

I can sing and talk with my mouth closed! It’s the freakiest party trick, and I love to scare my friends with it.

What’s next for you?

Bridgerton has led to so many exciting What music/musicals do you like to listen to? opportunities as a songwriting duo, and although I love any and all musical theatre, so it’s very hard we can’t give details now, be on the lookout for us! to pick my favorites. I love Next to Normal, Bridgerton will not be the last you see of Barlow Hadestown, Heathers, In the Heights, Legally and Bear.

Blonde, Dogfight, Bring It On… I told you I can’t choose favorites!

Follow Abigail at @abigailbarloww on Instagram and @abigailbarlowww on TikTok.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 19

Kate Edmonds Actress If you or your kids graduated from Mountain Brook High School any time around 2018, you might have seen a familiar face on Lifetime this summer. Kate Edmonds played a teenager who was kidnapped in A Party Gone Wrong, and as Quinn in Secrets on Sorority Row she got entangled in mysterious events tied to secrets around the tragic death of her mom’s college sorority sister. And that’s not all. Her newest film, Third Saturday in October, is scheduled to release in early 2022, and in 2017 she shot her first network television role on Homicide Hunter and her first feature length film, Root Letter. We caught up with her when she was home in Mountain Brook teaching acting classes to kids to talk more about her roles.

What in your acting career are you most proud of?

My gut says A Party Gone Wrong, which is one of my Lifetime movies that just came out. It is about my character and her best friend who go to a party, and they end up in an Uber that takes her to this warehouse and she is trying to sell her organs to this trafficker. It’s crazy and seems so surreal, but it’s actually based on real events. My character was not a good character, a little involved with the trafficker. Even though I’m playing a bad character, I’m part of telling the story. This stuff really happens, and women of color are more likely to go missing. 68,000 women of color go missing every year, and more than half are never even reported.

20 Fall 2021

The roles where I actually get to tell a real story and spread awareness are really special to me.

What’s your favorite part of being on set?

I literally love every part of being on set.

Everything I’ve shot has been out of town, so I’ve been staying in hotels with all the cast and crew. It feels like a high school field trip. You get to be with all your best friends, just having the best time. I get to play the parts and tell the stories, and it is so surreal that I get to do it for my job. It is really hard work since our days are about 12 hours long, and then we get 12 hours off. I love going through hair and makeup, the terrible craft food services they

feed, the wardrobe, and getting to act with everybody. Everybody has such a specific job— wardrobe, camera, etc.

whose parents maybe aren’t as supportive or they just act like it’s a hobby. But my parents have always believed in me and supported me.

Does everybody on the cast form a friendship during the filming?

It sounds so cheesy, but it’s your film family.

You’re all working against time and against the amount of money you’re being given. You really all have to work together even when sometimes you hate your family and don’t want to be around them.

What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?

I actually recently watched a show called The Wilds, and I’m so hooked on it right now. I would love to be in a show like that. Also, I love the show Freaks and Geeks. It is iconic and has a great cast.

From childhood, I have also loved Freaky Friday with Lindsay Lohan. I could probably recite every word.

What are some of your early memories tied to the arts growing up in Birmingham/Mountain Brook?

I grew up doing Red Mountain Theatre Company.

My sister grew up doing musical theatre, so my earliest memories are her auditioning for musicals.

My mom encouraged me to do the same. The first show I was in was The Wizard of Oz at Red Mountain. I played the littlest munchkin and I had no lines. It changed me forever. I also did Virginia Samford Theatre. I was in theatre my sophomore and junior year of high school.

Who are your biggest fans?

Definitely Meg Duesner, my acting coach who has read for me for almost all my callbacks. Also of course, my parents. I have friends in this business

Speaking of Lindsay Lohan, what actors/ actresses do you find inspiring?

I love Amy Poehler—she is hilarious and I’ve read her book. She is a strong woman in comedy. She produces and she acts, she has a family and she does it all. She talks about how looks aren’t everything. I really like that about her. Also Anya Taylor Joy—she is so versatile. She’s kind of a chameleon and is a different person in everything she acts in.

Are those traits that you would like to carry over in your work?

Yes, the idea of being a chameleon and only relying on myself and my skills to do my job. Also MountainBrookMagazine.com 21

grow, it becomes, “How can I make these words real for me? Who is this character in my life, and who am I talking to in my life?” The work actually If you could work with anyone in the film means something to me. I make the character my own and become the character. industry, who would they be?

My goal right now is to work with more female filmmakers. I feel like in the industry I work with a What’s something people might not know lot of male producers, directors, etc., and they are about you?

I’m really into fashion outside of acting, I’m into great. But I know there are great women filmmakers out there, and I would love to be a part of their weird colorful clothes, and I love to style my friends. I recently got into personal shopping and work. challenged myself to style 10 to 15 of my friends.

How have you grown as an actress since you Even in high school I was making my own jewelry, and I always had weird shoes, purses and earrings. first started?

When you are first acting, you are like, “I’m I’ve always been pushing the boundaries for going to say these words,” and as you learn and fashion. the ability to tell stories and experience lives that are very different from my own.

22 Fall 2021

Emily Ferguson Actress Emily Ferguson might have been studying fashion design at Belmont University the past four years, but that didn’t stop this 2017 MBHS graduate from exploring other creative endeavors too. She played Jennifer Mann in the 2019 film After Class alongside Justin Long of Die Hard and The Set-Up Fame, and she’s filmed other projects in Alabama that are coming out soon. Here’s what she had to say about those experiences, her aspirations and her roots.

What was your experience like on set?

It was so surreal, every aspect of it I was blown away by. I was trying really hard to keep my cool and seem like I had done this before. Also just getting to be in New York was so much fun. My favorite part was getting to see how the other actors work. All of my scenes were with Justin Long, and he is so talented and every take he would do it differently and

improv a little. It was so amazing to be able to watch him do that. I was sitting there taking mental notes watching his craft.

Can you tell me about a memory that stands out the most from filming?

I had a big monologue scene that was covering a pretty heavy topic, and I remember a little before the MountainBrookMagazine.com 23

scene, the director pulled me aside. He explained what he envisioned for the character, because the character was actually based on a real person that he knew in his life, and so he was telling me about that and how the character was inspired. But he also gave me a lot of leeway as an artist to put my own spin on it and bring myself into the character. I remember that being so helpful in creating the character for me and giving her depth. I was so impressed that he took the time to do that and how he cared so much about the project.

Did you have a specific moment where you knew you wanted to act?

There were two movies that made me want to be an actor. The first movie was Thunderbirds, with Vanessea Hudgens. I was 6 or 7, and I remember watching her and thinking, “That’s what I want to do.” At the time, I didn’t really have a concept of what an actor was but I knew that is what I wanted to do.

The second movie was J.J Abrams’ Super Eight.

With that movie I was able to understand what an actor was. I wanted to be a part of a story like that.

What do you think prepared you the most for those moments?

I have been taking acting classes since I think when I was 15 at Acting Out Academy with Meg Duesner, and I learned everything from her. All of that came so in handy in my audition and on set of how to analyze a script to gain character clues and create more of a well-rounded person so that it is not just a two-dimensional character but a human being.

If you could work with any actor/actress, director or writers, who would they be?

There are so many! Definitely Emma Stone and Elle Fanning, but I might be really star-struck. I also really want to work with Taika Waititi. I’ve been a fan of his since Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and he’s such a clever storyteller and so incredibly funny. I would love to be a part of anything he makes.

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Who has been most encouraging throughout your acting journey?

Definitely my parents. I could not be more grateful to them.

What inspires you creatively?

With acting, with each role I try to draw inspiration from different people or situations that connect to or reflect the character of the storyline. Fashion wise, my grandmother is probably my biggest inspiration. Her closet was full of different colors, textures, prints and sequins. When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do was go over to her house and try on all her clothes and jewelry.

How have you grown as an actress since you first started?

The biggest place I’ve grown is in my confidence, my ability to let go of my nerves and my worries of what others are going to think of me and my performance.

What’s something people might not know about you?

When I first meet people, I’m kind of shy, and as an actor you would think I would be really outgoing and out there. I think that is one of the reasons why I gravitate towards acting because I get to express myself and step into someone else’s shoes. I’m telling a story, so I don’t have to worry what they think about me.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 25

ARTS & CULTURE

READ THIS BOOK

Stories of Resilience Recommendations from

Christina McGovern Mountain Brook High School English Teacher

Who in her right mind would begin a global pandemic by reading about a pandemic? When my book club chose Station 11 at that time, little did I know how much this book would have me pondering the big questions about life. In fact, the books I continued to read for the rest of the year have taught me about surviving odds. Ultimately, my pandemic journey led me to books with resilient characters, and I am the better for having known them.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

How do you continue living when the very world has crumbled and human beings have almost entirely disappeared? Kirsten, a young traveling nomad, has just enough memory to remember life before the Georgia Flu devastated the world. Her memory of the past leads her to continue to fight for her life and eke out an existence with a small band of fellow nomads. As they travel, they perform Shakespearean plays, and other survivors are hungry for their performances. Kirsten’s journey is also an interior one where she pieces together all the broken fragments of pre-pandemic life.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes How do you find the will to stand up to all the familial and societal pressures and expectations? Alice Wright, a newly married English transplant, discovers how to find her own path, ironically in an isolated town in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Alice surprises everyone when she joins a group of women who ride on horseback to deliver books to families who are thirsty for information in a dark world, and her journey to break from her world of obligation leads her to find new friendships, new love, and most importantly, strength in herself.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

How do you find the will to survive when the darkest forces of humanity are ever present? The narrator of the book—Death—ironically poses this question as he watches humanity with a mingling of fascination and sadness. His focus is drawn to Liesel, a German girl, and Max, a Jewish man, as they cling to survival amidst the Holocaust in World War II Germany. Liesel and Max form a bond of friendship because of the unselfish actions of Liesel’s foster father, Hans. Their journey is a beautiful story of humanity.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

How do you cope with disappointments in life and find meaning without a sense of purpose? Nora Seed, like many of us, wonders, “What if I had made different choices in life?” One night she enters the Midnight Library and meets a librarian who presents her with the opportunity to answer those “what if” questions. Haig takes readers on a mystical and philosophical journey with Nora as she explores various versions of her life and selfhood. Her journey reminds us that we can find meaning in our singular, beautiful, messy lives.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

How do you remain resilient through cultural changes? Okonkwo, of the Igbo tribe in pre-colonial Nigeria, grows up to be a strong warrior and clan leader. But when white men come to Africa and bring their religion, the tribes of Africa are swept up in the cultural change in varying ways. By contrasting Okonkwo with other men and women of the tribe, Achebe forces us to examine our cultural practices and traditions. His portrait of survival leads us to question the values we cling to and the beliefs that give our lives meaning.

26 Fall 2021

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

MOVING FORWARD

Here’s a preview of what Mountain Brook schools will look like after construction projects wrap up.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM RENDERINGS BY TURNERBATSON, B-GROUP ARCHITECTURE & GOODWYN MILLS CAWOOD MountainBrookMagazine.com 27

Walk into any Mountain Brook school three years from now, and things will look different than when the 2020-2021 school year ended. Mountain Brook Schools broke ground on construction and renovation on each of the six schools in May. Here we outline what’s happening where, how long projects are estimated to take, and perhaps our favorite part, what it will look like in the end.

Mountain Brook Junior High School Mountain Brook Junior High’s last renovation was back in 1999, but now major structural improvements are underway. “I’m excited about the way (the plan) matches our feel and our culture,” MBJH Principal Donald Clayton says. “I think when people walk in they will be able to feel who we are.” We got the scoop on the architectural plans from TurnerBatson Architect Dave Reese, whose son Luke will attend the school after its renovations are completed by the end of 2022. “We hope it blends together to feel like a building that has been here for years but feels updated and modern and welcoming,” Reese says.

28 Fall 2021

Issue: Building Flow

Since Mountain Brook Junior High was first built in 1956, its additions have segmented the building and made it a challenge to move students through the hallways.

Solution: The 1950s building has been torn down and will be replaced with a three-story building with 18 new classrooms so students can flow from the new building to the existing building without stairs. The new classrooms will also allow in much more natural light to make the interiors feel more welcoming.

Issue: Building Culture

The culture and history of the school wasn’t well reflected in the building itself.

Solution: A new stone turret at the restructured front entrance will proudly say, “This is the junior high,” and architectural details from the neighborhood across the street will make the building feel more like part of its community visually. A more secure entrance will be in place as well along with a front porch that allows students a safe entrance into the building from the parking lot. The auditorium, cafeteria and locker rooms will be renovated as well.

Issue: No Commons Area

The building lacked the heart of campus.

Solution: A two-story commons area will make the building feel like home when you get there. A new “main street” will house counselors, the school nurse MountainBrookMagazine.com 29

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MBJH has had to cancel school or implement e-days or late starts because of flooding, and it’s seen flooding three times since architects TurnerBatson have come on board for the project.

Solution: The school building will be raised up 7 inches, or one step, so water has to go an extra 7 inches to make it into the building. The idea is to control the water flow BEFORE it comes onto the property.

Issue: Tornadoes

This is Alabama. We have tornado threats, and since the MBJH building was first built code has started requiring storm shelters.

Solution: A storm shelter will be built on the first floor. “One of the most important things as a dad in the community is the first floor will be designed to take a 250 mph wind for any storm that comes through, so you know your child is safe no matter the weather that hits the state,” Reese says.

WHO IS DOING WHAT ARCHITECTURE

Initial Facilities Assessment: B-Group Architecture Elementary Schools: Goodwyn Mills Cawood MBJH: TurnerBatson

MBHS: B-Group Architecture GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Cherokee Bend, Mountain Brook and Crestline Elementary: Taylor & Miree Construction Brookwood Forest Elementary: Stone Building Company

MBJH: Amason & Associates

MBHS: Stone Building Company 30 Fall 2021

Mountain Brook High School Phase I: The previous 200 and 300 classroom wings that were built in the 1960s have been torn down, and 42 new classrooms will be added in that space in a new two-story academic wing. This is estimated to be completed by fall of 2022.

Phase II: The 100 wing, which was also built in the 1960s, will be vacated fall of 2022, and a new band room and counselors’ suite will be added. The current band room will become a jazz ensemble and dance studio. This work should be completed by the spring of 2023.

The Vision

Philip Black was the lead designer at B-Group Architecture on MBHS’s black box theatre and art wing additions that began in 2008, so he was already familiar with the mission of the school coming into this project. “The vast majority of students who graduate go on to college and because of that the school considers itself a gateway to the university setting,” he says. “Their academic programs are organized like a college would be with department heads.” So that was the basis for the philosophy behind the design: a university-like setting with a lot of collaborative space and an entrepreneur lab similar to what you might see in a business school.

The Features

Two-Story Commons Area This clerestory space with stadium seating will be a focal point for students to hang out during their free periods.

New Classrooms The rooms built in the 1960s were 15 percent smaller than the standards for classrooms today, and the new ones will be built with the capability for current and future state-of-the-art technology infrastructure.

Storm Shelter This space shares the same footprint as an area of classrooms and is protected by a hardened structure with thickened walls and storm doors and emergency doors. The space will be able to accommodate all students and faculty.

Natural Light The design for the new areas will carry over from what was introduced in 2008 with large windows which allow natural light deep into interior spaces.

Informal Gathering Spaces Two cantilevered box shapes you can see in the rendering at either end of corridors provide areas for students to congregate between classes with seating and views over ball fields.

Energy Conservation The new building will be larger in area than its predecessor due to an expansion extending square footage over an existing rear drive, affording views to the east overlooking the sports complex. However, energy consumption will be less with its new lighting, mechanical systems and other design features.

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MBHS Track

The track at Mountain Brook High School was closed to public use this summer as it was resurfaced.

Its original Mondo material was stripped, and the base layer was ground down in order for a new Mondo competition layer to be glued on top. After the new

Mondo was in place, it was cured and striped before opening back up for public use by the start of the school year in August. The new track will also have resurfaced “D” zones, jumping lanes, and throwing pits. The project contractor is GeoSurfaces, and B-Group Architecture did the architectural designs.

DYK? did you know?

We maintain more than 4,800 manholes in Shelby County.

If stacked on top of each other, they would reach the height of Mt. Everest, plus 31 football fields.

32 Fall 2021

The Elementary Schools Mountain Brook Elementary was built in 1929, Crestline Elementary in 1946, Brookwood Forest in 1964 and Cherokee Bend in 1969—making Cherokee Bend the youngest building at over 50. Now construction projects will bring aging facilities up-to-date over the next three summers.

By the end of those three summers, every restroom in all the schools should be renovated, along with roofing work and mechanical work on all schools. Each will also have a renovated administration suite that will function better, and along with that a more secure entry vestibule will ensure the administration will have clear views of who is coming and going from the school.

“We are trying to work with the distinct character of each school and make a more contemporary expression of things they already have,” Goodwyn Mills Cawood senior architect Richard Simonton says.

Cherokee Bend Elementary

Cherokee Bend students will have a newly renovated cafeteria when they start back to school this fall, complete with new HVAC, ceilings, lighting, acoustical wall treatments and flooring. New tables funded by the school’s PTO will provide more modern colorful seating with different shaped tables: some rectangular, some circular and some high tops for teachers. Next summer the school’s kitchen will be renovated, and this summer the school’s fields are getting upgrades as part of a joint venture with the city as well.

CONSTRUCTION IN ACTION For up-to-date photos and more construction updates, visit the Mountain Brook Schools’ Moving Mountain Brook Forward website at mtnbrook.k12.al.us/Page/21623 MountainBrookMagazine.com 33

Mountain Brook Elementary

This summer old carpet came up in the school’s administrative office to unveil the building’s original hardwoods underneath, and now those have been refinished along with other renovations to all the offices in the area. They are also adding four outside metal roof canopies that will connect buildings to protect kids from rain as they travel to and from different areas of the school, and an exterior staircase behind the administration area in a courtyard is being replaced.

Crestline Elementary

Crestline’s auditorium has been gutted and by the fall will have a new ceiling, lights, acoustical treatment and flooring.

Multicolored acoustical wall panels in abstract shapes will line the walls, and a wheelchair lift to the left of the stage will make the stage wheelchair-accessible from the auditorium floor. The ceiling will have wood features that stretch down the left and right of the stage to the floor.

Next up is a partnership with the city of Mountain Brook to build a new gymnasium in the school’s back parking lot that will be used by CES during school hours and available for recreational use afterwards. This project requires city approval and is scheduled to bid this fall, with a projected completion date of summer 2022.

34 Fall 2021

THE ROAD TO CONSTRUCTION A Timeline of How These School Projects Came To Be u2018: Mountain Brook Schools hired an architecture firm to audit its six schools for capital improvements, all of which are at least 50 years old. The system then formed a 28-member community task force to assess the district’s spending and recommend actions in light of the audit.

Ask a child what he dreams of doing in the future. His answer brings everything into focus for us.

uFebruary 2019: Mountain Brook City Council approved the district’s request to hold a tax referendum to increase in the city’s ad valorem tax rate to help the school system accomplish its goals.

WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE DREAMS.

uSeptember 2019: Residents voted for a 10-mill tax

increase that was projected to generate an additional $6 million in annual revenue for the school system. uDecember 2019: Mountain Brook Board of Education hired Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors as the

construction manager to help them create a budget, determine the scope of work to be completed at each school, and establish timelines for completion. It also assisted the school system in selecting the three architecture firms contributing their expertise. uFebruary 2020: The school board voted to hire B-Group Architecture, Inc. to design renovations

at Mountain Brook High School; TurnerBatson to design renovations at Mountain Brook Junior High; and Goodwyn Mills Cawood to design renovations at Mountain Brook’s four elementary schools. uOctober 2020: MBS started receiving the funds

from the tax increase and sets out to begin capital improvements over a span of the next 16 to 20 months and cost about $74 million. uMay 2021: Construction began at all six schools. uAugust 2021: A first round of projects is scheduled to be completed at three elementary schools. More

extensive projects at the three remaining schools are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022.

1 6 0 0 7 T H AV E N U E S O U T H BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 (205) 638-9100 | ChildrensAL.org

MountainBrookMagazine.com 35

Brookwood Forest Elementary

While the other three elementary schools’ projects will happen over three summers, Brookwood Forest’s will be the most extensive and stretch over the next school year into the fall of 2022. The original building was built in 1964 with a midcentury design with strong ties to the landscape around it, so that’s the feel the Goodwyn Mills Cawood architect team wanted to maintain for the school’s new entrance and cafeteria. Once complete, there will be a large drop-off canopy with the school name above it as a clear focal point as you drive up on the campus, and a new administration suite will be inside. A new cafeteria will also have a large glass wall with views of fields and new landscaping that will be added, making for an airy, light-filled space.

This project is estimated to be completed by the end of 2022.

36 Fall 2021

&DRINK

FOOD

DINING EVOLUTION

How a steel industry family found themselves in the chicken business at Craft’s on Church Street.

BY CHRISTIANA ROUSSEL PHOTOS BY KATHRYN BELL MountainBrookMagazine.com 37

L

Longtime Mountain Brook residents have seen more than a few changes to the Crestline retail scene over the years. Some of those changes have been met with outrage or raised hackles (we all remember the brouhaha over the CVS pharmacy and Piggly Wiggly relocations). Other changes have inspired and delighted residents, attracting more walking traffic to Church Street, and increasing tax revenue in Mountain Brook. After all, the one true

38 Fall 2021

constant in this city is that we relish tradition while always seeking to innovate and improve. You might not think a restaurant could fall into that category but Craft’s on Church Street really does just that.

Once home to a fantastic drug store and soda fountain, 49 Church Street has also been the site of a CVS pharmacy and Miss Dot’s restaurant. But it is in its latest incarnation that may be the best one yet.

Craft’s on Church Street took the concept of Miss

MountainBrookMagazine.com 39

Dot’s—the source of some damn fine chicken and fries—and raised it several notches. Much of that change can be credited to the timing of new investors, Craft O’Neal and his son, Craft Jr. Most people know that Miss Dot’s was started by John Cassimus, of Zoe’s Kitchen fame, along with two other investors, Tyre Stuckey and Tim Ferguson.

When John was ready to give up the restaurant business, he sold his share of the endeavor to the O’Neals, which marked the beginning of a new chapter.

To hear Craft tell the story, this steel-industry 40 Fall 2021

scion has had the itch to be in the hospitality business for about as long as he can remember. “My first in-depth exposure to the restaurant business was through my former in-laws, Zoe and Marcus Cassimus. Zoe’s (Kitchen) was founded in 1995, and I was able to observe firsthand the challenges and opportunities of the business,” he says. Even in college, the lure of hosting live music nights and serving great food to a crowd appealed to him. “My grandfather, the founder of O’Neal Steel, recognized my interest in the bar and restaurant business. As I was completing college, he told me that he would be

Craft O'Neal Jr. and his dad Craft O'Neal run Craft's on Church Street.

my silent partner if I wanted to give it a try. Fortunately, I decided not to go in that direction (just yet) and joined O’Neal Steel.” After 35 years in the steel business, he is finally scratching that itch.

Joining the Miss Dot’s team, Craft and his son had an idea for the direction they wanted the business to pursue. “Craft Jr. and I became partners in Miss Dot’s with the goal of helping Tyre and Tim grow the brand into an even more important part of the Mountain Brook community. Having grown up here, we know the high expectations people have here. We have been doing everything possible to elevate the customer experience to a level everyone appreciates.”

That started with the concept of converting Miss Dot’s into Craft’s on Church in the summer of 2019. General Contractor WatsonBruhn was brought on board to facilitate the physical part of the upgrade. They were involved with original build out of Miss Dot’s so they were familiar with what had already been updated and how they might make the changes effectively and efficiently. As Delia Folk of WatsonBruhn notes, “Our goal in construction was to minimize the down time and make sure the MountainBrookMagazine.com 41

42 Fall 2021

restaurant opened as quickly as possible to minimize impact on their business.” Minor tweaks to the layout, without changing the footprint, ensured this transformation took place. “The biggest difference in changing Miss Dot’s to Craft’s was taking out the bar, adding seating and creating an order line that maximizes efficiency of customer flow,” she notes. The pandemic saw some additional adjustments, like fine-tuning the to-go process and establishing a pick-up area for those orders.

The menu got a second look with the change as well, with more variety in the offerings, items that appeal to a broader range of neighborhood diners.

Chicken can be ordered fried, grilled or baked and there really is something for everyone – even those looking for healthier options. About those slightly addictive fries, Craft says “The fried are unique and very popular. Local food vendor, Wood Fruitticher, helped us develop those. We are also now serving breakfast – in addition to lunch and dinner – and are growing our catering business. We are thrilled to have Winn Crockard overseeing that part of Craft’s.” There is a designated cooler, located by the drink machines, which houses a variety of sauces Lightning, Honey Mustard and Ranch. They were that amp up the flavor of anything they touch. Craft popular when we joined the restaurant, and we adds, “Indeed, the sauces are all good and make our encourage our customers to try them all.” food even better. They include Dats, White Yes, the chicken and fries, salads and sides are big

MountainBrookMagazine.com 43

44 Fall 2021

sellers at Craft’s on Church Street, but there are lots of regulars who will tell you that the frozen drinks are their true go-to menu items. Craft adds wryly, “We do have a lot of frozen drink fans. In fact, when Craft Jr. and I first got involved, everyone was telling us how much they loved Miss Dot’s frozen drinks.” This feedback inspired the team to tweak the menu and expand their food offerings which really resonated with customers. They amped up their bar game too: “Late last year, we added a new team member, Jorden Estis, who brings bartending experience to the team.

She helped take our drink offerings to a new level, most recently collaborating with Hatton Smith II on a Campesino Rum Coconut Mojito.” It is interesting to note that Craft’s frozen drink sales benefitted from the pandemic: “We did experience a surge in frozen drink sales last March into the summer as people were adapting to work-from-home.”

The steel industry and the restaurant business might seem like very different endeavors, but there are definitely skillsets that are useful in each. “Adding Craft’s and the development of my new entertainment venue, The Fennec (see sidebar), to my full-time responsibilities at O’Neal Steel has been a bit overwhelming, but rewarding,” Craft says. In both the metals business and hospitality industry, surprisingly, many characteristics overlap: the businesses both

THE FENNEC: COMING SOON Slated to open later this year in Birmingham’s Parkside District, The Fennec will be something truly special in the post-pandemic entertainment and hospitality milieu of the Magic City. Named for a small pale-brown fox native to Africa, one with a penchant for nighttime frivolity, this new venue promises to live up to its namesake. With the ability to function on a number of levels – special event space, bar, live music venue, restaurant – The Fennec might just embody what Craft O’Neal dreamed of all those years ago when he was still in college and his grandfather promised to be his silent partner. The name was chosen to be “something distinctive that also lets us tell a story with the whole concept, which we think of as having ‘the soul of a honky-tonk,’” he adds.

“We think The Fennec will become a destination experience for locals and visitors alike.” None other than James Beard Award-winning chef and Mountain Brook resident Chris Hastings worked with the team to develop the food and beverage menus.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 45

“start with the values of honesty and integrity and treating people with respect and dignity. Providing high levels of quality and customer service are also paramount to success in any business and we strive to provide that in everything we do.”

Leaders also know the value of strong teams, delegating responsibilities to those with greater acumen in one area or another. “I recently recruited the manager of Hard Rock, Atlantic City, Jameson Cesar, to move to Birmingham as director of operations over Craft’s and The Fennec. Jameson embodies those values and passion for providing superior customer service and is the right person to help lead and grow these businesses.”

It is good to know that Mountain Brook is still a place where tradition reigns but we value innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit – all of which can be ordered with a side of really great fries, at Craft’s on Church Street.

46 Fall 2021

&STYLE

HOME

ORGANIZED STYLE

A home organizer shares how to make a space both functional and fashionable in her client’s home.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY REBECCA WISE MountainBrookMagazine.com 47

C

Clara Schoen grew up in a household of four kids, and her mom ran a tight ship. If one item came into the house, one went out. So from an early age, Clara learned that you don’t always need more space— you often need less stuff, and that it is healthy to not be emotionally attached to things.

What Clara didn’t know as a child was that she’d later apply those guiding principles to the organization business, The Home Organized, she started three years ago. Along the way she’s also learned a lot of psychology and the right leading questions to ask in working with clients around Birmingham to declutter and organize their homes.

What she does for a client with small children is different from an empty nester, and no two jobs are the same. Regardless of the household, in each step of her work she seeks to marry function and fashion since you are more likely to maintain something that looks good.

For her, though, organization starts not with a system but with a person. Before even starting a job, she wants to know if a potential client is open to change. “If they are not ready for us to get rid of things, it won’t turn out well,” she notes. Once a client is on board, she asks all kinds of questions about how everyone in the household uses a space to better understand them.

When it’s time to start the job, Clara’s team takes everything out of a particular space they are working on and categorizes it. Next they get the client to walk through the items to decide what stays and what

48 Fall 2021

goes. Then it’s time for a mental break from what can be an emotional process, and after the break the client takes a second pass. When the items go back into a closet or pantry or play room, they have a system, and each item has a “home” to return to that is labelled. “Houses get messy, but that way you can get back into system easily,” she says.

Often in this process, Clara finds herself giving clients permission to rid of items that are creating clutter. “It’s your house. Your stuff shouldn’t dictate it. You should dictate it,” she often says. For example, Clara has a chair that was her grandfather’s she remembers him sitting in in her home today, and she kept tea stirrers from her grandmother that she uses for her coffee every day. “But I didn’t keep all of her costume jewelry and silverware,” she notes. “I didn’t want to clutter up my house, but the things I saved were a good remembrance.”

At the end of the day, Clara knows physical clutter can become mental clutter. “My calling is to minister to people and love on them,” she says. “I want you to enjoy your space and not worry about it.”

To see these principles in action, Clara showed us around her client Laura Clark’s Mountain Brook home and told us about the techniques she applied based on how Laura and her two daughters use their spaces.

Learn more about The Home Organized at thehomeorganized.com or follow @thehomeorganized_ on Instagram or @thehomeorganized on Facebook.

Master Closet

Laura’s casual clothes are in a section of her closet she sees when she first walks into the closet since she wears them the most often. Clara likes to first section off clothes by how often they are used and then color block within a section, making sure that you can see everything.

To color block, she generally uses the orders of the colors of a rainbow— ROY G BIV.

Laura’s dressier purses and shoes are displayed on closet shelves to allow her to feel like she’s shopping in her own closet.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 49

Laura’s casual bags hang on S-hooks on a clothes rack, so she can easily grab them and go

Clara likes to use these plastic dividers for everything from clutches in a closet to kids’ paperwork in a kitchen.

50 Fall 2021

Laura loves belts, so acrylic drawer dividers make it so she can see which one is which and grab the one she is looking for quickly.

Clara recommends these dividers in other spaces like bathrooms too to give parameters for a particular item you store.

The

Fall Edit

October 21st | 5:30-7:30 Don't miss live music, bubbles, brews, pop-ups, and more from our restaurants and shops.

L ANEPARKE .COM MountainBrookMagazine.com 51

Pantry Here are some elements of organization Clara used for Laura’s pantry.

Priority Order. Items Laura uses more frequently live on lower shelves so they are easy to access. Her daughter likes to bake but not every day, so baking goods are stored on the top shelves.

Turntables. Turntables (aka lazy Susans) maximize the space so you don’t have to look behind items.

52 Fall 2021

Decanting. Flours, sugars and other baking goods are decanted (or removed from their container), as well as Laura’s grab-andgo meals, and placed in acrylic containers. Clara recommends this technique for items that aren’t used as often. It allows you to easily see how much of a product you have.

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 53

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Drawer Dividers. These maximize space, and you can pull out a bin and carry it to a countertop to use as well.

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Bins. Storing items in bins allows you to grab one out at a time and retrieve what you need easily without moving too many things around.

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MARGARET ANN PYBURN mpyburn@cobbsallen.com MARGARET BROOKE mbrooke@cobbsallen.com BILLY WALKER bwalker@cobbsallen.com Birmingham, AL | Columbus, OH | Gadsden, AL Houston, TX | Kansas City, KS | Mobile, AL New Orleans, LA | Tulsa, OK www.cobbsallen.com © 2021 Cobbs Allen | All Rights Reserved 54 Fall 2021

Labels. Labeling containers clearly defines what goes in them, especially for kids or visitors to the household. Plus, a gold script sure looks pretty! The stickers can always be changed out if contents change too.

Coffee Station Laura’s daughters drink tea daily, so they setup this drink station close to the dishwasher.

Plastic containers on the middle shelf maximize the deepness of the space to keep things from getting lost.

These are sectioned off with adjustable dividers, and they can be stacked as well.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 55

Entertaining Storage Hallway cabinets hold entertaining items Laura doesn’t use on a regular basis. These stacking containers make good use of vertical containers, and like the pantry, they are labeled by item type so anyone can return them to their “home” in the space.

56 Fall 2021

MountainBrookMagazine.com 57

58 Fall 2021

One-Man

Rodeo Preston Sloan talks dogs, snakes, turtles and about his role as Mountain Brook’s animal control officer.

By Rick Lewis | Photos by Morgan Hunt & Contributed It’s a quiet Friday evening as Preston Sloan traverses around his property in Corner, Alabama, his voice interrupted here and there by the sounds of his “fancy breed” chickens. He has other pets too, a smaller, Southern ark, if you will: two ducks, two dogs, a cat and a potbellied pig named Hamela Anderswine.

So, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Sloan works with animals in his day job. As Mountain Brook’s single animal control officer, he’s responsible not only for the shepherding of lost dogs and cats but also for managing the moments when the city’s abundance of wildlife comes closer than expected.

Sloan grew up in Corner—“at the corner of where Jefferson and Blount County meet, hence the name” —and has been around animals all his life. “I grew up on a farm and my parents did rodeos back in the day,” he explains. His family raised speckled Appaloosa show horses, and he naturally gravitated to the idea of farm life. So, a few years back, when he heard through a family friend that there was an opening at Mountain Brook’s animal control office, he immediately applied.

At 19 years old, he was the youngest city employee at the time, filling in for an older officer on maternity leave. At first, he didn’t think he’d be here long, but that soon changed. “I fell in love with the job and MountainBrookMagazine.com 59

Preston Sloan serves as Mountain Brook's sole animal control officer.

host to snakes and turtles; and the canopies of trees provide hawks and owls a view of the varied landscape. Preserved, natural spaces supply ample opportunity to simply witness the carefully quiet beauty of a wild rabbit or the incessant barking of a neighbor’s dog.

So, in a place such as this, what is the community role of an animal control officer, and what does he do on a daily basis? According to Sloan, the oldtimey image of the neighborhood dog-catcher with his long control-pole is less than accurate: “There isn’t a ‘typical’ day for me. I never know what I’m going to get into, and that’s part of why I love it.”

His day-to-day rhythm usually begins with going The semi-tamed wilds of Mountain Brook define what make it a unique home for many people: through voicemails he’s received, especially over backyards are dense with oaks and pines that house the weekend when he’s off duty and patrol officers deer, raccoons and coyotes; streams and rivers are have to take over. The calls range from the more the city,” he says. “It’s nice to be in a place where dogs are like family.”

Now 27, Sloan is employed full-time as the only officer in the police department without a service weapon (he does have a badge) and has served in his current position for the last three years. You can discern the love he has for his work even through a phone. He has a disarmingly pleasant disposition and propensity towards laughter for someone who, not infrequently, comes face to face with creatures that could complicate an average person’s day, to put it mildly.

60 Fall 2021

MountainBrookMagazine.com 61

CONTACT ANIMAL CONTROL To contact Preston Sloan and the Mountain Brook Animal Control Unit regarding domestic animals, snakes and feral cats, call the unit or visit their Facebook page listed below. The unit’s website notes that it does not provide wildlife control services unless it is a direct threat to human life requiring immediate action.

205-802-3844

facebook.com/MountainBrookAnimalControl

banal—lost and found dogs or the occasional opossum stuck in a garbage can—to the downright wacky.

“Last year, there was a 100-pound tortoise that got loose,” says Sloan. “Sometimes they’ll root under fences like pigs, and I had to find a way to get this guy in my truck and to the Birmingham Zoo so we could get him situated. We were eventually able to get in contact with his owners and get him returned safe and sound.”

For the most part, issues with domestic animals remain the overwhelming majority. But now that so many people turn to Facebook with their critter questions, Sloan is tagged in social media posts “almost hourly,” to either provide his expertise in snake identification or help find lost pets.

As opposed to a sleepier fall, summer is the busiest time of year for Sloan as the springtime animal babies have started to age and snakes are out in force. “July and August is when I spend more time catching snakes,” he explains. “Some days I get 10 to 15 calls. Typically, they’re just rat snakes that people mistake for copperheads. Rat snakes are the most common ones in Mountain Brook, and I always tell people to keep them around. In my opinion, the more helpful snakes there are, the less food there is for venomous ones.” As a testament to how safely he carries himself, Sloan has never been bitten by a venomous snake in his line of work (only a rat-snake bite: “nothing painful, just like a cat scratch”).

A side note and safety tip on internet-based snake identification: there exists an apparently insatiable desire to prove one’s manifest skill in deeming whether or not a snake is venomous.

Truly, everyone seems to be an expert in snake patterns and head-shapes over blurry photos, but please, leave it to a professional to remove an unknown or unwanted snake unless you’re well-versed in the art of doing so yourself. Take it from Sloan: “I’d absolutely rather have someone call me if they aren’t familiar with snake removal. Let it be and let it go.”

But it’s not just errant reptiles and dogs that command Sloan’s attention. The woods of Mountain Brook function as the home 62 Fall 2021

for many diverse species of wildlife. And he has some recommendations on how to best react to moments when wild animals come close.

“In urban areas like Mountain Brook, it’s very common to see coyotes or foxes in the middle of the day—they adapt to being around humans,” says Sloan. However, due to laws preventing the relocation of wildlife (“you don’t know if you’re bringing a sick animal into a healthy population”), animal control can only deal with sick or hurt wildlife. For example, the most common incidences of wildlife calls for Sloan are animals that have been hit by cars.

“I only work with them if they’re sick or injured, and that’s when I might use the pole to make sure I stay a safe distance away. But other than that, rabies cases are rare.” According to Sloan, he’s only dealt with one rabies-positive coyote in the six-plus years he’s been on the job. Cases like that call for a human euthanization and running tests to confirm whether or not the animal was in fact rabid.

What he’d mainly be on the lookout for are cases of wild animals not showing signs of concern at being near people. “There is never a sure fire rule

Last year Sloan helped return a 100-pound tortoise to its owners.

MAKE TIME FOR YOU

100 BROADWAY ST. THEPLACETOESCAPE .COM

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for rabies, and a lot of cases of canine distemper look like rabies—confusion and foaming—but in reality pose you no threat.

But if you see an otherwise healthy-looking animal that’s not scared of you, that’s something to absolutely be worried about. It goes against what you might have been taught about rabies.”

After spending the better part of a decade in the business of animal control, there are few cases that give Sloan pause. The case of the caiman still has him a bit stumped though.

A caiman, similar in features to a small alligator, had apparently bitten down on the fishing line of a couple of local kids fishing out of the creek that runs near the Mountain Brook Elementary School’s playground. Sloan says he didn’t believe it until he got there. “It broke their line and went up on the bank.

Sure enough, when I got there and walked over, there was a caiman—maybe two and a half feet long.”

Sloan didn’t get to take too hard a look at it before the caiman ran back into the water and swam downstream. “I never saw it again,” he says. “I tried driving down the river to catch up to it, but it was gone by the time I got there. Most likely it was somebody’s pet that they couldn’t take care of. It might still be out there,” he adds with a chuckle.

Sloan doesn’t miss a moment to mention how much he enjoys his work. “To me, it’s an honor,” he shares. “Judging by the comments I get, people appreciate me being here. Most people are very thankful for any kind of help we can give.”

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Sloan has multiple breeds of "fancy chickens" on the farm where he lives.

If you’ve ever had a lost dog returned or had a snake moved to a less imposing location, you can thank Sloan for his ceaseless work in trying to make sure that both residents and animal-lovers feel safe and cared for. Sloan’s wife, Katiee, explains that he’s “the best for this job...It’s a thing he enjoys as

though it’s not work. He says that even if he won the lottery, he’d still go in.”

So, should you ever need your pet found or your wildlife run-in handled with an eager spirit or a good-natured laugh, Sloan is just one call (or Facebook tag) away.

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Rediscover Gatlinburg

By Christiana Roussel | Photos Courtesy of Gatlinburg CVB & by Christiana Roussel

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Fall is the perfect time of year for a family road trip.

Kids have settled back into school schedules so Mom feels a little less harried than in December or May-cember (as the frenetic end of the school year has been labeled). The summer heat has abated. so piling into the car for a stretch feels like a good idea. All that is left is to choose your destination.

We suggest heading to the East Tennessee hamlet of Gatlinburg to rediscover what makes this part of the country so special.

Neighboring towns in the Sevier County area might be better known for their – how shall we say this? – enthusiasm in advertising local attractions with neon signs or giant video screens with flashing messages of hot deals. Gatlinburg’s pride is a tad more subtle, and in recent years, has become even more intentionally so. After all, it nestles up against the Great Smoky Mountains in a way that invites guests to leave the screens behind so they can relax, unwind and reconnect to the outdoors.

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HIT THE ROAD

HOW TO GET THERE The drive from Birmingham to East Tennessee is straight-forward and simple.

Avoiding traffic in Chattanooga might be your only real obstacle, so plan accordingly. Exiting I-40 at exit 407 is where the highenergy marketing takes off and can be seriously distracting, so stay focused.

Once you pass through Pigeon Forge, the parkway begins to get greener, and you can really feel the pull of the mountains.

Knoxville 40

4 hrs., 57 min.

298 Miles Athens

Tennesseee Cleveland Chattanooga

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Alabama

Georgia Fort Payne 59

Gadsden

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Trussville

Birmingham

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Gatlinburg

WHERE TO STAY Treehouse Grove

It is interesting to note that 2020 saw more visitors to this area than ever before. But when you learn that two-thirds of the U.S.-population east of the Mississippi River is within a one-day drive of Gatlinburg, you can begin to see why. In the midst of the pandemic, lots of families and groups of friends in self-selected pods, still elected to travel together, albeit in ways that were non-traditional for them. Glamping has been very popular in recent years and continues to be really big in this area.

Safari Tents + More

Locals and high school sweethearts Linzy and Ian Nicely opened their Camp LeConte Luxury Outdoor Campgrounds (campleconte.com) in 2013, and business has been roaring since day one. Guests can reserve RV parking pads at the campgrounds or choose to stay in one of the fully decked out refurbished campers (“The Ruby Slipper” or “Glamping at Tiffany’s” are both popular choices.) Other options include safari tents and cabins on site. A pool, playground and free wi-fi ensure you are never really roughing it and the free local trolley means you are not far from area attractions.

Camp LeConte

For Putt-Putt + Breakfast The Appy Lodge (theappylodge.com) is a motor lodge in the traditional sense but has been completely updated to be what the modern traveler desires. A pool, fireside conversation pits, a miniature putt-putt style course, ample parking and daily breakfast make hitting the easy button super simple.

Minutes from Great Smoky Mountain trailheads, it is perfectly situated to explore all that the area has to offer.

Treehouses on Steroids

Regular HGTV viewers know what a big deal a Pete Nelson-designed treehouse is. Pete

and his Washington state-based design team worked with owners Carole and Joe Ayres to create an arboreal oasis at the Treehouse Grove (treehouse-grove.com) adjacent to Norton Creek. These eight custom homes from the “Treehouse Master” himself are exactly what you might have dreamed of as a kid, setting up lean-tos and forts for hours of creative play. But these are like treehouses on steroids for the amenities and thoughtful design they offer. Each two-bedroom, onebath home comes outfitted with a kitchen, sitting area, soft linens, covered decks and air-conditioning. These treehouses are anything but rustic.

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HIT THE ROAD

WHAT TO DO Visitors come to Gatlinburg for a number of reasons, but exploring the Great Smoky Mountains tops the list. As one of the country’s most-visited national parks, the GSM offers miles of hiking trails— including part of the Appalachian Trail, waterfalls, wildflower walks, and the ever-popular black bear sighting. It is of note that there are species of plants and animal life still being discovered within the park. The Ice Age never made it this far south, which means that wildlife has been thriving here for millennia. Literally.

Anakeesta's

Purposeful Art

Mountain

The Gatlinburg arts and crafts community has a rich history, and it is not uncommon to come upon makers who are still creating purposeful art, just as their ancestors did. Stop by the Cliff Dwellers Gallery (cliffdwellersgallery. com) to meet some of those makers, and you may find David Ogle creating brooms just as his family has been doing for close to a century. Fellow artisan Pat Thomas creates marbled papers and scarves. Louise Bales repurposes gourds while Becky Weaver makes baskets.

Coaster

Craft Class

Visitors looking to immerse themselves more fully in the arts and craft life should carve out more time for a visit to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (arrowmont.org), where adults can make like kids and enroll in workshops that tap into their creative side.

Throughout the summer and fall, more than 130 classes are offered at this school that has been in operation for over 100 years.

Not feeling personally creative? Stop by the gallery to view modern work by many artists-in-residence and prepare to be moved by the caliber represented.

Treetop Exploration

It is no secret that kids of all ages love Gatlinburg for the variety of activities, chief among them Anakeesta (anakeesta.com). This mountaintop destination deserves to claim an entire afternoon and evening of any visit

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts

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to Gatlinburg. Pack your sense of adventure and curiosity to ride the Ridge Rambler to the very top of the mountaintop park. From there, explore via dueling ziplines, treetop skybridges and mountain coasters. Climb to the top of the observation tower for a truly breathtaking view of the mountains and town below. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any black

bears that may be ambling below the tree line, far away from guests. Plan to have dinner atop the mountain at either the Smokehouse or Cliff Top restaurant. Menus feature everything from custom burgers and wings to shrimp-and-grits and bourbon-glazed salmon.

Plan to take the chondola (chair/gondola) down the mountain—at sunset if possible—to really savor the experience. The lights below don’t dare glare but merely twinkle in a very hospitable way, welcoming you back to town.

Mountain Adventures

And if one mountaintop visit is not enough, there are two more you should explore: home to the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park (gatlinburgskylift.com) is accessible via chair lift and well-worth the ride, anytime of year. Guests wanting to channel their inner ski bum definitely need to check out Ober Gatlinburg (obergatlinburg.com), which offers skiing and snowboarding in the cooler months and ice skating, mountain coasters and an aerial tramway for much of the rest of the year. If you did not know you had taken a car to get here, you might think you had arrived in a Swiss ski village, for all the charm that abounds.

WHERE TO EAT Perhaps it is the mountain air or just all the outdoor activity, but whatever the reason, come hungry to Gatlinburg. The dress is typically “mountain casual,” and most every spot has something for even the pickiest eaters in your group.

If you dine atop Anakeesta, allow extra time in between courses for all the oohs and ahs—the vistas are breathtaking.

Davy Crockett's Breakfast Camp

Craft Class Visitors looking to immerse themselves more fully in the arts and craft life should carve out more time for a visit to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (arrowmont.org), where adults can

Pancakes + More Pancakes

It bears mentioning that Gatlinburg loves pancakes.

Lots of pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes. They love pancakes here so much that there are more than a half dozen restaurants that specialize in the breakfast fare.

There are thick pancakes and thin griddle cakes. There are silver-dollar-sized versions and pancakes larger than your head. Stop by Pancake Pantry or Davy Crockett’s Breakfast Camp or Flapjack’s to find your own personal favorite.

make like kids and enroll in workshops that tap into their creative side. Throughout the summer and fall, more than 130 classes are offered at this school that has been in operation for over 100 years. Not feeling personally creative? Stop by the gallery to view modern work by many artists-in-residence and prepare to be moved by the caliber represented.

For Live Music

There are several dinner options in town, but Ole Red (olered.com/gatlinburg/) is a great choice for a variety of folks. This Blake Shelton-inspired venue not only serves good food and great drinks, but you are more than likely to catch some live music here as well. And you never know when Blake might make a video call in to the restaurant and broadcast via livestream on the big screen.

Wow-Worthy Cuisine

If you are looking for a quieter, more sophisticated spot for dinner, look no further (and call ahead for a reservation) than The Greenbrier (greenbrierrestaurant.com).

With a world-class chef and trained sommelier in house, diners can expect to be wowed by dishes like seared duck breast, diver scallops, stuffed flounder and New York strip. The craft cocktail program at The Greenbrier is strong. You cannot go wrong with a single selection, but if you like a little fanfare with your bourbon, order the Dylan, which is served in a pecan smoke-washed snifter. Trust us on this one.

The Greenbriar Restaurant

Meet Your Travel Guide Proud to call Birmingham home, Christiana Roussel loves discovering every corner of the Magic City. But the road beckons often. She’s been known to make a wrong turn into the right choice, dig in with the locals and try to talk her way out of a speeding ticket or two. Curiosity drives her and finding connection is her passion.

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HIT THE ROAD

No camera could do this justice.

Are you the type that loves adventure? A vista hunter?

With a dreamcatcher kinda eye? See what we see.

Love what we love.

Be one of us.

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Special Advertising Section

Mountain Brook Magazine

COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS

2021 It’s the people who make Mountain Brook the community that it is! Here we recognize some of those making an impact on others around them through their businesses.

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ALKMY 17 Dexter Avenue • Mountain Brook, AL 35213 205-332-1302 • alkmy.myshopify.com Imagination meets design is the style philosophy of ALKMY, a lifestyle shop located on Dexter Avenue in Crestline Village. The award-winning boutique features out-of-the-ordinary home furnishings, original art from around the world, gifts and decorative accessories for the home. ALKMY brings together the imaginative power of three women including mother-daughter duo Ashley Spotswood and Mary Hayward Eudailey and architect/interior designer Kacy Crane. These style aficionadas are also passionate about the hunt when it comes to helping you define a look that is uniquely yours. The combined years of experience and unique eye across generations make ALKMY the perfect stop for that special gift or to fulfill your interior design needs.

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GUNN DERMATOLOGY 32 Church Street • Birmingham, AL 35213 205-415-7536 • gunndermatology.com Dr. Holly Gunn offers dermatology care for all ages and specializes in medical, surgical, cosmetic and laser dermatology. Her boutique-style family dermatology office performs medical, pediatric, surgical and cosmetic dermatology in a small office in Crestline Village. They truly are the local skincare office that will take the time to get to know you.

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TONYA JONES 2410 Fairway Drive • Birmingham, AL 35213 205-870-4247 • tonyajonessalon.com Founded in 2009 by Tonya Jones-Combs, Tonya Jones SalonSpa is an Aveda Lifestyle Salon with locations in English Village – Mountain Brook, Saks Fifth Avenue and Jones Valley in Huntsville, and it seeks to empower guests to rediscover true beauty and confidence through transformation and renewal. They have experienced recent growth by focusing on educational development of every member of the team and amenities that set them apart from all other salons. Inside you’ll find everything from complimentary stress relieving rituals to a resident gourmet chef providing delicious samplings. They’ve recently added a full-service Blowout Bar to the English Village – Mountain Brook location too. Jones-Combs’ motto is “Live the life you love,” which she encourages by example.

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PAIGE ALBRIGHT ORIENTALS 2814 Petticoat Lane, #2320 • Mountain Brook, AL 35223 205-877-3232 • paigealbrightorientals.com Paige Albright Orientals has specialized in antique and one-of-a-kind carpets and textiles since 2007.

Owner Paige Albright has worked in the design and carpet industry for over 21 years, and she hand selects each piece by travelling to New York, Los Angeles, Turkey, Morocco and Europe. Paige is a member of ASID, ORRA (oriental rug retailers’ association) and The NY Hajji Baba Society, and she is a CRA (certified rug appraiser). She also serves on the University of Alabama School of Human Environmental Sciences Board and is a member of Independent Presbyterian Church. Her dog, Buddy, PAO’s most valued employee, was just featured in a campaign for Dixie Girl Dog Rescue.

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GUIN SERVICE, LLC 10 55th St. S. • Birmingham, AL 35212 205-595-4846 • www.guinservice.com Guin Service, LLC is a family-owned heating, air conditioning, plumbing and generator business that has served the Mountain Brook and surrounding areas since 1958. Joseph Braswell, the current owner, is the grandson of the original owner Bill Guin, and he lives in Mountain Brook. Guin is involved in the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and many local charities. Guin feels blessed to have so many loyal customers in the Mountain Brook area and is proud to be able to give back to the community that has allowed them to be successful over the last 60-plus years.

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Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce C O N N E C T I O N S

New Member Spotlight Magic City Harvest Stone Building The Holistic Caregiver ISHI? LUXE Christen Crosby - Ray & Poynor Properties

Chamber Luncheon Featuring Allyson Mouron Wednesday, September 22 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Allyson will share about her family’s surprising fertility journey that led to “twiblings”.

Register at www.mtnbrookchamber.org.

Kinetic Recycling Daughter’s Baking Medbery and Millard at Morgan Stanley

Membership Drive Coming Soon Join the Chamber! For more information, email chamber@ mtnbrookchamber.org or call 205-871-3779.

101 HOYT LANE 82 Fall 2021

MTN. BROOK, ALABAMA 35213

F i n d U s O n l i ne

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

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Access our member directory

Community Happenings Congratulations to 2021 Jemison Visionary Award Winner, Terry Oden, and our 2021 William Tynes Award Winner, Penny Paige.

Crestline Tent Sales Saturday, August 14th *Check with individual merchants for specific operations.

Thanks to our 2021 Annual Luncheon Sponsors!

2021 Mountain Brook Chamber Board at Annual Luncheon

205 - 871 - 3779

La Paz receives a Key to the City for 30 years in business.

WWW.MTNBROOKCHAMBER.ORG MountainBrookMagazine.com 83

OUT & ABOUT

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BATTLE OF THE BANDS

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PHOTOS BY CANVAS BAG MEDIA

Musicians ages 10 and up practiced with their bands over the course of 12 weeks with professional coaches from Mason Music before performing in the Rock Band League Battle of the Bands at Iron City on April 25.

1. Jude Gambino (keys), Robert Dennis (singer), Collier Clemmons (drums), Connor Smith (bass) and Oliver Lyons (guitar)

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2. Mo Gard 3. William Baugh and Katie Butrus 4. Wade Spooner 5. Hunt Sanders 6. David Johnson (guitar), Lily Lott (keys), Ryan Scholl (singer), Joel Young (bass) and Eastin Spotswood (drums) 7. Mose Stephens 8. Emm Spensley (keys), Kaydence Hay (singer), Xavier Perry (drums), Marielle Vientos (bass) and Mya Waara (guitar) 9. Spring 2021 Rock Band League 10. Collier Clemmons

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OUT & ABOUT

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OUT & ABOUT

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SUNSET MOVIE ON THE LAWN

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PHOTOS BY JAMES CULVER

The Junior Women’s Committee and others sponsored an outdoor showing of Trolls World Tour at the field across from the O’Neal Library on June 12.

1. The Lloyd Family 2. The Choate Family 3. The Ferguson Family 4. The Cotney Family

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5. The Crayne Family 6. The Tucker and Russ Families 7. The Ward and Vickers Families

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Marketplace Mountain Brook Magazine • 205.669.3131

Now hiring RN’s and LPN’s throughout Alabama! $250 community referral bonus for RN’s and LPN’s.

Sign-on Bonuses available at select locations! For more information please contact: Paige Gandolfi Call/text: 724-691-7474 pgandolfi@ wexfordhealth.com

Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry. Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walk-in applications accepted. Clanton (205)2800002. Pelham (205)444-9774.

Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience.

CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007 Lancaster Place Apartments.

Location, community & quality living in Calera, AL. 1, 2, & 3 bedroom apartments available. Call today for specials!! 205-668-6871. Or visit hpilancasterplace.com Marble Valley Manor.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) •800-548-2546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm.

Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer LAND FOR SALE 180 acres, located on Walnut Creek. Will not divide property. Call for more information: 205-369-5641

CLOCK REPAIR SVS. * Setup * Repair * Maintenance. I can fix your Mother’s clock.

Alabaster/Pelham. Call Stephen (205)663-2822

HIRING EXPERIENCED FULL CASE ORDER SELECTORS $19.03 per hour plus production $$$ incentives.

Grocery order selection using electric pallet jacks & voice activated headsets.

Great benefits including Blue Cross health & dental insurance & matching 401k.

Pre-employment drug test required. Apply Online: WWW.AGSOUTH.COM GENERAL LAWN CARE •Grass Cutting •Limb Trimming •Storm Cleanup •Debris Removal •Serving Shelby, Chilton, Coosa & many more areas. •Decks •Porches •Stairs •Demolition Call Alex today for details: 1-205-955-3439 Military & Senior Discounts $2000 SIGN ON BONUS NEW PAY SCALE TO QUALIFYING DRIVERS EVERGREEN TRANSPORT, is accepting applications for local drivers in the Calera and Leeds, AL, area. Must have Class A CDL, good driving record, 1 yr verifiable tractor trailer experience. Good pay and benefits. Apply in person at 8278 Hwy 25 South, Calera, AL, or call for info 205-668-3316.

Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectrical.com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327.

MARKETPLACE

MountainBrookMagazine.com

Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $14/hour. Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www.bc.com WELDER NEEDED MIG & TIG •Light gauge stainless, aluminized, galvanized Manufacturing and Assembly Helpers Needed •Paid Holidays •Typical Shifts 6:00am-2:30pm Call RICK: 205-761-3975 Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas. Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic.

Serious inquiries only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.Oxfordhealthcare.com South Haven Health & Rehab NOW HIRING!!!

•LPN’s & RN’s -$5,000 Signon Bonus for Full-Time shift •CNA’s Apply in person: 3141 Old Columbiana Rd Birmingham,AL-35266 Earth Angels In-HomeCare LLC. BBB Accredited, licensed, bonded, following CDC guidelines to keep out clients safe. 205-881-4034 or 205-484-1301. earthangelshcare@gmail.com 1365 A Hueytown Rd. Hueytown, AL Acceptance Loan Company, Inc. Personal loans! Let us pay off your title loans! 224 Cahaba Valley Rd, Pelham 205-663-5821

Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn new profession. Workvehicle/equipment provided.

Must drive straight-shift, have clean driving record/ be 21/pass background/ drug test. Training provided.

Insurance/401K offered.

M-F 7:00-4:30 + 1 Saturday/ month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@charter.net Eastern Tree Service • 24Hour Storm Service • www.ETSTree.org • Experienced Professionals • Quick Response • Free Estimates • Call Us Today: 205-856-2078

Inernational Assoication of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers BIRMINGHAM AREA INSULATORS LOCAL 78 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee Accepting applications for 4-year Apprenticeship Program. Applications will be accepted July 1–July 31, 2021 in person at 2653 Ruffner Road Birmingham, Al 35210 8:30am-2pm Monday-Friday 205-956-2866 205-956-8101 etx.3 craig@insulators78.org Check us out at www.insulators.org Applicants must be 18+, drug free, have dependable transportation, ID & proof of age, high school diploma/ GED. Applicants will be required to take math test & English comprehension test.The Asbestos Workers Local 78 Apprenticeship Training Trust will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based on, RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX (INCLUDING PREGNANCY AND GENDER INDENITIY),

SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENTIC INFORMATION, OR BECAUSE THEY ARE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABLILITY OR A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. The Asbestos Workers Local 78 Apprenticeship Training Trust will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30.

Tru Acupressure Clinic LLC. Licensed Therapist.

Services Available: •Deep Tissue •Swedish •Acupressure •Hot Stone. Same-Day Appointments. Walk-Ins Available. *$50 SPECIAL!* 1 Hour Foot/Back Massage when you bring in this ad! 844 Highway 31 Suite I, Alabaster.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! 9:30am-9:30pm 205-624-211 AL License #E-3013 Golden Rule BBQ Pelham and Helena Now Hiring outgoing, reliable, team oriented, energetic Cashiers, Cooks, Servers Apply @ 309 Huntley Parkway, Pelham(Publix Center) Or 4290 Hwy 52 West Helena Or apply on Facebook at Golden Rule BBQ Pelham Or Golden Rule BBQ Helena HunnyBee’s Health Shoppe NOW OPEN Family Owned Business We sell supplements and other general merchandise!

Elliotsville Plaza Suite 101 Hwy 119, Alabaster hunnybeestore.com 205-6243364 High Expectations Cleaning 205-728-8854 highexpertcleaning.com

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MY MOUNTAIN BROOK JENIFER KIMBROUGH

Mountain Brook Board of Education Board Member

Gift Shopping Go-To

Leaf & Petal This is my go-to small gift shop for teacher gifts, birthday happies, etc. They have everything from plants to disco balls!

Years of Memories

Brookwood Forest Elementary My two children started there in preschool when they were 3, so we had 11 years at the school that ended when my youngest graduated from sixth-grade this year. I’ll never forget Miss Donna and Miss Elsie putting socks on my kids’ hands for gloves and walking them to me and then home for 2 miles in the snow.

Christmas Stroll

Locksley Drive I love going for an early evening stroll with my dog and seeing all of the Christmas trees lined up down the street

Baked Goods Galore Magic Muffins I’m a fan of a good bakery, and they have so much. Cakes, soups, quiche, casseroles and good coffee—I can always find something yummy.

Bootcamp Time

Every Girl Fitness Paula and Leigh are the best!

And, I never know what friend or blast from my past I’m going to be working out with on any given day.

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State-of-the-art facility combined with over 75,000 sq. ft. of retail space and pro shop.

All-new Can-Am off-road vehicles by BRP. Largest inventory of new and pre-owned boats.

New fishing boat line-up from BassCat, SeaArk, and Crevalle Boats.

Large selection of apparel including new brands-Hook & Tackle and Huk performance gear.

And our top-of-the-line boat brands from Godfrey Pontoon Boats,

Nautique, Sea Ray, Key West, Supreme, Scarab, Bryant Boats, Hurricane, and personal watercraft from Sea Doo.

Stay up-to-date at RussellMarine.net MountainBrookMagazine.com 89

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