Fire Engineer Lee Kilgore, known as “Maternity Lee,” is recognized for his impeccable service to the community, including helping bring life into the world.
You voted. We tallied. See just who Hoover’s favorite restaurants, retailers, community events and more are.
OUTSIDE THE
From the breezy coast to the tranquil lakes to the mighty falls, New York has a lot to explore outside its namesake city.
PHOTO BY DAWN HARRISON
PHOTO BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
EDITORIAL
Michaela Bankston
Dave Domescik
Anna Grace Moore
Tyler Raley
Andrew Simonson
Noah Wortham
CONTRIBUTORS
James Culver
Rachel Culver
Dawn Harrison
Blair Ramsey
Kelsea Schafer
Kate Seaver
Caroline Sharpnack
DESIGN
Sydney Allen
Jamie Dawkins
Rowan Futrell
Connor Martin-Lively
MARKETING
Kelsey Alexander
Noah Brakefield
Evann Campbell
Octavia Campbell
Rachel Henderson
Rhett McCreight
Viridiana Romero
ADMINISTRATION
Mary Jo Eskridge
Alec Etheredge
Stacey Meadows
Lauren Morris
Kayla Reeves
Leslie Reeves
Brittany Schofield
James Culver, Photographer
James lives in the Birmingham area with his wife, Rachel, a native of Homewood, and their three children, Callie, James III and John Michael. James is a graduate of Auburn University and spent years in Atlanta working as a graphic designer, creative director and photographer. He specializes in event, real estate and portrait photography, and he can be found on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @jculvercreative and at jculver.com.
Dawn Harrison, Photographer
Dawn Harrison has been a freelance photographer with Shelby County Newsmedia, Inc. for almost 12 years and has had the opportunity to cover a variety of subjects from concerts to D1 sport championships. Her favorite thing to photograph is portraits of athletes in dynamic lighting. She is a licensed boat captain, and in her free time, she enjoys competing in billfish tournaments.
Kelsea Schafer, Photographer
Kelsea is a student at Hoover High School. She lives in Hoover with her family and two dogs, Fendi and Riley. When not in class, she is behind the camera, shooting sports, events or senior portraits wherever possible while running Kelsea Schafer Photography. During her free time, she is often at Lewis Smith Lake, enjoying all things sun, boating and wake surfing with her family and friends.
Kate Seaver, Writer
Pursuing her degree in journalism and mass communications, Kate Seaver is a Samford University student, who loves writing and photography and hopes to continue sharing her community’s stories for years to come. She is always captured by stories about people, and she challenges herself to seek out the interesting bits in even mundane topics. When not writing or taking photos, she enjoys spending time outside, taking in the beauty of creation.
Hoover’s Magazine is published quarterly by Shelby County Newsmedia Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Hoover’s Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newsmedia Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Hoover’s Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.
Hoover’s Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Hoover, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit HooversMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $14.95 plus tax for one year by visiting HooversMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.
Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@hooversmagazine.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.
Rescues and Rock-a-Byes
Hoover Fire Engineer Lee Kilgore saves lives and helps bring new life into the world.
PPacked shoulder-to-shoulder, bellowing out spirited chants, swaths of crazed fans decked out in orange and black cheered on the Hoover High School Lady Bucs on their final destination of the drive to five: the AHSAA Girls Basketball State Championship on Saturday, March 1 at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. For the fifth year in a row, the Lady Bucs had made it to the Class 7A final and were competing against Hillcrest—a team they actually lost to earlier in the season.
Down the 2024 tournament MVP Khloe Ford due to a season-ending injury, Hoover felt the naysayers’ growing doubts leading up to the state final. Hoover’s head girls basketball coach Krystle Johnson, an alumna herself, kept a weather eye on the team’s horizon from the start of the season.
She never once doubted her student-athletes’ capabilities.
Talking with her, I learned that no road leading to a legacy is ever the straight and narrow. In fact, it’s filled with road bumps and blocks, and only through adversity are winners ever created.
She assumed the role of head coach in 2016 after assistant-coaching at Hoover from 2007-2012 and serving as the head girls basketball coach at Huntsville High School from 2012-2016. Nine years later, Krystle has now racked up seven of Hoover’s 11 state titles in program history as head coach.
Hoover defeated Hillcrest 51-44 in the championship, making this win incredibly special not just to the team for avenging its early season loss, but also to Krystle, who made the two winning free throws as a senior to help Hoover win its first-ever state championship in 2001. She says watching her legacy unfold on the court, seeing her players grow up and invest in future generations of athletes, will forever be her favorite victory both on and off the court.
In this issue, you will not only get to learn about Hoover’s transformative basketball program (25), but you will also get to read about heartwarming stories involving local artist Janice James Eubank (13), newly opened restaurant Umi Sushi Poke’s founding (37), Hoover Fire Engineer Lee Kilgore (53) and more.
After receiving hundreds of nominations and votes, my editorial team has also finally narrowed down just who the public thinks is the best in numerous categories of our annual best of the best contest— results begin on page 61. Between stories about basketball dynasties, firefighters and more, this issue has something for everyone to look forward to reading. I hope you all enjoy!
Best,
ON THE COVER annagrace.moore@hooversmagazine.com
Photo by Dawn Harrison
Design by Rowan Futrell
“THE QUESTION
”
With
graduation approaching, which Hoover or Spain Park senior do you want to give a shout out to?
Shout out to Kelsea Schafer! Your drive, heart and accomplishments have made us prouder than words can say, and we can’t wait to see you shine in this next chapter!
-Stacie Schafer
Tate Correia
-Rachel Cargill Sipper
I’d like to shout out Preston Nafz, Shihanur Tahmid and Uzma Khan for their participation in the HBH Realty Big Pitch Contest and their winning this year’s scholarships!
-Jordan Hosey
Grayson Hyde
-Christine Pappas Golab
Graci Reed, Lily Edwards, Sophia Shofner, Catherine Wallace, Emme Lawrence, Caroline Simmons and Emma Voytanovsky
-Mary Katherine Brown
Micah Breland, I’ve watched you grow up into an amazing, kindhearted, selfless leader. I can’t wait to see the great things that await your future. God has big plans for you!
-Traci Walter
I am so proud of my daughter Lilla Ray’s unwavering strength, character and her graduating from Spain Park with a 4.0 GPA!
-Dana Ray
My seniors made school history by ranking second in the nation at DTU’s National Dance Team Championships! I can’t wait to watch them flourish in their next chapter.
-Rachael Matherson
@hooversmag
Tag us in your Hoover photos on Instagram, and we’ll pick our favorites to regram and publish on this page in each issue.
@mavenhairco
Easter Bunny visit yesterday at the salon thanks to our stylist @jesserin_! Happy Easter weekend from Maven! @hannahobremskeyphoto
FEATURED in the Spring 2025 Wedding Issue of @hooversmag!
@jeffstatecollege
Hoover Fire Chief Clay Bentley was honored as Jefferson State’s 2025 Outstanding Alumnus during Jefferson State’s annual Honors Convocation on April 17. @hooveryearbook
Exciting night! We are honored to have been recognized by the @hoovercityschools Board of Education at tonight’s meeting for our achievements at the Alabama Scholastic Press Association State Convention, including our 2025 state-winning yearbook cover!
HYDRANGEAS UNDER THE STARS
JUNE 7
6-9 P.M.
Aldridge Gardens
Hydrangeas under the Stars is Aldridge Gardens’ annual summer shindig. Event attendees can look forward to live entertainment, dinner and both a live and silent auction. The reception and silent auction begins at 6 p.m., and dinner and the live auction will begin at 7 p.m. underneath the pavilion. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit aldridgegardens.com.
THE GUIDE
Market Fresh
Check out these local farmers markets near you this season:
ROSS BRIDGE FARMERS MARKET
Friday | 4-8 p.m. 2101 Grand Avenue
THE MARKET AT BROCK’S GAP
Saturday | 8 a.m.-Noon
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company 500 Mineral Trace, Suite 100
VALLEYDALE FARMERS’ MARKET
Saturday | 8 a.m.-Noon 4601 Valleydale Road
SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE-JULY
Mason Music Summer Camps
8:30-11 A.M.
Mason Music Bluff Park
JUNE 9-13: Stars Preschool Music Camp Ages: 3-5
JUNE 2-6, 9-13, 16-20 & 23-27
Summer Camps 2025
9 A.M.-NOON Aldridge Gardens
Every week in June, Aldridge Gardens will be hosting summer camps for children entering kindergarten through third grade. Camps will be held Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon each day. American Girl Doll Camp, S.T.E.A.M.
JULY 21-25: Mason Music Camp for Beginners Ages: 6-9
Camp and Art in the Gardens Camp are now open for registration. Snacks and water will be provided daily. Fees are $130 for Aldridge Gardens’ members or $150 for non-members. To learn more or register, visit aldridgegardens.com/ education/summer-camps/.
AROUND TOWN
SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE-JULY Gross Out Camp Oak Mountain State Park
SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE-JULY Kids’ Art Camp Thomas Andrew Art, Home & Faith 2856 18th Street South
SELECT WEEKS IN JUNE-JULY Gymnastics Camp Mountain Brook Gymnastics
MONDAYS IN JUNE-AUG. Montevallo Farmers’ Market 660 Main Street
TUESDAYS IN JUNE-AUGUST West Homewood Farmers Market 160 Oxmoor Road
FRIDAYS IN JUNE-JULY
Columbiana Farmers’ Market South Main Street in Columbiana
SATURDAYS IN JUNE-AUG. Helena Market Days Helena Amphitheater
JUNE 1
Sean of the South Presented by the Shelby County Arts Council
JUNE 6
Electric Avenue - The 80’s MTV Experience Presented by Iron City Bham
JUNE 6
Backyard Bash Presented by Calera Main Street 1120 17th Avenue
JUNE 7
Alabaster CityFest Thompson High School
JUNE 7
Rug Tufting Workshop with Andrea Willis of Tuft Birmingham O’Neal Library
JUNE 13
Family Kickball Night Pelham Recreation Center
JUNE 13
Movies Under the Stars 555 Ballpark Road
JUNE 14
Run, Ride & Rumble for PTSD Awareness 4500 5th Avenue South
JUNE 14
Helena Old Town Live Helena Amphitheater
JUNE 16-20
Hip Hop Camp 2025 Linda Dobbins Dance
JUNE 17-22
Birmingham Barons vs. Columbus Clingstones Regions Field
JUNE 19
Juneteenth
JUNE 20
Coco Jones with Lady London Presented by Iron City Bham
JUNE 21
Fourth Annual Cornhole for a Cure Presented by Calera Main Street 1120 17th Avenue
JUNE 21-23
Southern 12s L4 Tennis Tournament Pelham Racquet Club
JUNE 26
I Love America Night Wald Park
JUNE 27-28
Columbiana’s Liberty Day Festival
Main Street in Columbiana
JUNE 28
ChelseaFest and the Big KaBoom
Open Field behind Dairy Queen off of Highway 280
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Ángel Cabrera Wins The Regions Tradition
Congratulations to Ángel Cabrera for winning the 2025 Regions Tradition! This title is his second PGA Tour Champions victory. Despite weather delays, he finished at 20-under-par.
Taking place this past May, the Regions Tradition was held at the Greystone Golf & Country Club, featuring PGA Tour Champions players, World Golf Hall of
Fame members and more. Since the tournament’s name was changed to the Regions Tradition in 2011, more than $5 million has been raised for its beneficiaries, namely Children’s of Alabama. Since its inception in 1992, more than $24 million has been donated to charity.
To stay up-to-date on this event next year, visit regionstradition.com.
STAY TUNED
Each summer, the city of Hoover hosts its annual fireworks show at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Event attendees can sit outside in the parking lot and watch the 15-minute fireworks display. Patrons are advised to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs, and everyone can tune in to 87.9 FM for a music broadcast paired with the show. Follow @hooversmag on Instagram for more information as event details are publicized. Red, White and Boom
HOOVER’S MAGAZINE’S 2026 WEDDING ISSUE
Calling all newlyweds! Hoover’s Magazine is featuring newlywed couples in the spring 2026 wedding issue. Those who got married in 2024 or 2025 may be eligible to be featured. Couples interested in being featured can email magazine editor Anna Grace Moore at annagrace.moore@ hooversmagazine.com for more information on how to be featured.
Share your news! Email submissions to AnnaGrace.Moore@hooversmagazine.com to be considered for our next issue.
JULY 4
JULY 4
JULY 26
Sale
ARTS CULTURE&
ARTISTIC REVELRY
Janice James Eubank shares how her near-death experience helped reveal her purpose as an artist.
BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
SCHAFER
PHOTOS BY KELSEA
AAs the curtain ploddingly closed on the Dog Days of Summer, Janice James Eubank lounged by the pool with her best mates, wondering if Mother Nature would ever be so kind as to grant a few rays of sunshine to dissipate the festering cumulus overhead. Another Labor Day weekend had dawned, and yet, an overbearing, fog-like humidity settled heavily in the air, glistening her forehead with beads of sweat.
Huffing, she rose in disdain for the weather’s mood swings that afternoon, heading inside to wash up–then, her world faded to black.
Hard. Cold. Empty. Shallow. Janice slipped between reality and her subconscious, trapped in a dream painted in black and white on that old, tiled floor.
Though her heart started exploring, her mind started screaming, “Wake up! You’re dying!” Peeling open her eyes, confusedly blinking, she slipped in and out of the void–her soul yanking with
all its might to awake her from this trance. With outstretched hands, she felt the rug’s wet fibers scrape her skin as she slowly placed her palms face-down, attempting to push. Yet, her muscles remained disobedient.
Rolling her neck around, forcing her chin up, she gazed at the blurred bathroom ceiling, circling above her mockingly. The throbbing in her head pulsated louder and louder, suffocating her thoughts in agony.
With every ounce of hope, she called for help, but her pleas never traveled further than the bathroom threshold. As she lay dying, nearly ready to wave the white flag, a still, small feeling echoed in her chest: “This has purpose.”
Finding her Spark
A Birmingham native, Janice grew up admiring her mother’s creativity spur from every flick of her
paintbrush. Though her mother mostly painted landscapes, Janice says “traditional” was never really her style.
She would doodle little ditties here and there, but it wasn’t really art. Not to her then, at least.
After clocking more than 30 years with Blue Cross Blue Shield, she “passed go” and collected free time–something she had not known in a long time–monopolizing on her newfound liberty as a new retiree.
Throughout her life, she was always keen on trying new things. Baton twirling, tap dancing, playing piano–if it wouldn’t kill her, she’d try it, she says, chuckling.
Fate soon placed a group-on for art classes in her
hands with the one and only Karen Libecap. Karen is a Hoover-based artist who is renowned across the Southern and Midwestern United States for her one-of-a-kind oil paintings–lifelike depictions of people, places and things no larger than 1.25-by1.25-inches in size.
No one else in Hoover, much less the country, could paint what she does, according to Janice.
“Karen is amazingly talented,” she says. “I learned a lot of stuff from her in a really short period of time.”
Each session, Karen would teach structure and color theory, encouraging her students to never shy from bold hues. The first painting Janice ever completed was during one of those classes–she painted her Schnauzer, Magic.
Over time, she developed her own style–a balanced blend of structure and abstract–studying under painters including Dori DeCamillis and Beth Bradley, and later, glass artists Deborah Ballog and Tanya Veit (AAE Glass) and pottery maker Daphne Ferguson. Janice also purchased a hybrid kiln to create fused glass and pottery, further expanding her artistic repertoire.
A dash of elbow grease soon yielded a home art gallery adorned with hundreds of masterpieces, wall-to-wall, table-to-table. Before long, she found
herself seven years into the art business, now attending art shows and selling her work.
“I’m very fortunate to have a lot of really good friends, supportive friends,” she says, later adding, “I have a wonderful husband, Bill, who supports my artistic passions."
Hundreds of pieces later, Janice says this hobby-turned-hustle further reaffirmed her purpose as an artist. She was always meant to be creative, but creating what, exactly, was a question she would discover the answer to in time.
The Sacred Vessel
One of Janice’s favorite paragons of creativity hangs in her home and depicts beautiful flowers in bloom. As one admires more closely, he or she might notice an innuendo in the petals.
“That is a Georgia O’Keeffe-style painting,” she says. “What I did was I turned it upside-down and
painted it upsidedown. I mean, I can only hope that somebody would come down here to little Hoover, Alabama, look at me and say, ‘Excuse me, that’s a copyright.’ I’d be like, ‘Oh, excuse me!’ I love her style, and I love her colors.”
She says Georgia not only helped pioneer modern art, but she also famously painted depictions of nature that beautifully rendered sensual interpretations of womanhood among both her admirers and critics alike. To many, this style pays homage to the eternal bloom born from the female vessel, or rather, celebrating feminine intimacy, rather than treating it as something to hide or shame.
Regardless of intention, Janice says the allure of this style has inspired her to paint similar works of art–but ones that reflect her lived experiences. Often, these epiphanies strike her at the most random of times, but one in particular, she believes, was intentional.
"Lady in Red" by Janice James Eubank
The Art Resurrection
The year was 2022. Janice says she remembers broken bits and pieces from her near-death experience after suffering her third heart block over that Labor Day weekend.
While different from a heart attack, a heart block occurs when the body’s electrical current does not make the heart beat consistently or even at all. Janice was eventually rescued and transported to UAB Hospital, where she nearly died in the ambulance on the way there.
She underwent a very risky procedure that at the time had only been performed once previously at UAB. Thanks to the talents of some very skilled surgeons, she lived.
During her recovery, she could not shake her dream, trying to make sense of it all. She actually had that dream once before in her youth, so she knew it must be important.
“It was a strange combination of ‘Spy vs. Spy’ and Dr. Seuss, and it was all in black and white,” she says. “I knew I had to make some kind of art out of this personal resurrection.”
Once Janice healed from her procedure, she got to work, playing with fused glass and mosaics to try and birth some creation from her strife. Finally, after weeks of toiling, she
Stay In Touch
Follow Janice James Eubank on social media to stay up-to-date on galleries where her work will be displayed or her upcoming art shows.
Instagram: @jjeubank
Facebook: Janice James Eubank
YouTube: JJEubank (@TheJaniceArt)
"In Dreams" by Janice James Eubank
created six, 10-by-10-inch fusible glass sheets that when put together, detail what she believes was yelling out to her from the void–divinity inspiring her to take charge.
“I call it a personal resurrection, which I know sounds a little too much of myself,” she says. “To me, I was almost dead, so I felt like I needed a tribute to it–the experience.”
Fittingly, Janice named her masterpiece, “In Dreams,” paying homage to this experience. Now three years later, she’s thriving happily, eager to share with anyone how her dance with death opened her eyes to the power she holds: Connecting others through their shared experiences via art–and revealing the beauty in each person’s journey through creating.
As a child, she never thought her doodles meant much. Learning to paint during retirement, she says, was just a way to pass the time.
Only after fully grasping this revelation did she learn how many others could benefit from what she had learned: Self-worth comes from pursuing one’s calling, not adhering to the status quo.
“People really base the value of their painting on how much they sell or their art,” she says. “That’s not where value is. The value is inside.”
While she does not know how many years she will
spend this side of eternity, Janice says she does know that with every passing day, she will encourage others to discover just how healing art can be, especially for those seeking silver linings amidst atrocities.
After all, she says, broken crayons still color. It just takes one to appreciate purpose over perfection to fathom this reality.
To view or purchase Janice James Eubank’s art, or to learn more about her story, visit thejaniceart.com.
Hydrangeas Under the Stars
Summer is here, and that means hydrangeas will be in bloom on the shrubs and also under the stars! Yes, Aldridge Gardens’ biggest fundraiser of the year, Hydrangeas Under the Stars (HUTS), returns for the 22nd year on Saturday, June 7. Guests enter Aldridge Gardens under the stars that evening, strolling past incredible hydrangea displays on their way to Aldridge House, where they are greeted with a glass of chilled bubbly before
joining the fun at the silent auction, complete with a wine and beer open bar. A catered dinner with fabulous paired wines in the pavilion will follow. The real fun begins following dessert— the live auction will feature prizes such as golf trips, jewelry, beach vacation home rentals and incredible goodies that are up for bidding. The live auction is always a spirited way to end a wonderful evening at the social event of the year in Hoover! Purchase
tickets at aldridgegardens.com or by calling 205-739-6553. Reserve your table now—this event is always a hard sell-out!
Hoover-Randle Home and Gardens
The historical Hoover-Randle Home and Gardens is an incredible, picturesque, one-of-a-kind event venue space for people to gather inside and outside. We look forward to you scheduling your wedding, Christmas and holiday parties, corporate dayretreats and all other social events such as baby showers, bridal teas, anniversaries, birthday parties and more. To learn more about HooverRandle Home and Gardens, or to book an event, visit the website at hooverrandlehome.com or call 205-7396556. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Weddings
From baby showers, graduation parties, birthday parties, corporate meetings and more, Aldridge Gardens is the perfect spot for your next event. Summertime weddings at Aldridge Gardens are especially lovely as many flowers are in bloom. We understand how important it is to secure the right venue. That’s why our experienced event coordinators are here to help. We
want to provide you with all the information, inspiration and guidance you need to make your wedding and reception everything you’ve dreamed of. Our 2025 calendar is filling up fast, and we are rapidly booking weddings for 2026. Don’t wait–reach out today, and let’s start planning your perfect event. For more information, contact kristen.valentine@hooveralabama.gov.
Summer Camps
June will be a full month long of excitement and education at Aldridge Gardens. Camps are available for boys and girls entering kindergarten through third grade. Whether your little campers like American Girl Dolls, Art or S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), we have something they are sure to enjoy.
Each camp is held Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m.-noon. Mid-morning snacks and water will be provided daily, or feel free to bring your own. The cost of each camp is $130 for Aldridge Gardens members and $150 for non-members. Purchasing an annual membership for $50 could save you money if registering for multiple camps or multiple campers, and a membership includes many other benefits. 3530 Lorna Road | Hoover |
WALKING
WEDNESDAYS
COLOR YOUR WORLD
The Hoover Public Library staff is gearing up for what will be an exciting Hoover Library Summer Reading event–and it lasts all summer.
BY ANNA BETH REECE
This year’s theme is “Color your World.” We have a plethora of books, programs and prizes for the whole family. We hope that on top of attending our fabulous programs and participating in our reading program, you take advantage of the free kid’s meals every weekday for kids ages 0-18. Yes, I said free!
Our kids’ summer performances always have a little something for everyone, and this year is no different. The line-up includes familiar faces alongside a few acts that are new to HPL! Fan favorites That Puppet Guy–a dynamic puppet comedy show–and Atlantic Coast Theater, which will present an adaptation of “Winnie the Pooh,” will be back this summer to entertain families of all ages. While new faces Mr. G–a Latin, Grammywinning artist, Michelle’s Magical Poodles–an interactive and quirky dog show, and Steve Trash–a show of science and magic, are new friends to the Library Theatre! Of course, it wouldn’t be “Summer Reading” without our dear friend, Roger Day! Roger will close out our summer performances in July with his clever and catchy tunes that have been making Hoover families move and groove for years. Families should, as always, make plans to arrive a little early as seats for our kids’ shows are filled first come, first served, and doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
School-age students will definitely be looking for things to keep them busy this summer. Parents, we’ve got you! Drawing cute animals, cookie painting and the S.T.E.A.M. color lab are planned for rising first through third graders. Rising fourth through sixth graders are also going to be busy with solving an interactive art heist, learning the ins and outs of animation and a special visit from Jan “The Science Lady” for color-based science. We always round out our summer programming with a kickoff party for the incoming kindergarten class, serving as a sweet milestone for families to send their kids
off to “big” school. There is something for even the littlest readers at the library with a weekly lineup of summer storytimes as well. Color us amazed!
Don’t forget the teens! Tell your teenagers–grades seven to 12–to grab a friend and come to one of our many fun programs offered this summer. Whether you’re attending a program with friends, helping with Reading Buddies–the teen volunteer program (rising 10th graders and up), working with younger kids to build their reading skills or just hanging out, the Teen Department is the perfect place to chill with friends without spending a dime. Between do-it-yourself charm necklaces, Oreo cookie tasting, painting and gaming programs and much more, there is lots to do (and eat)!
Keeping the reading in “Summer Reading” has always been the staff’s favorite part of our summer program. There are always so many things trying to get your kid’s attention during the summer, but our reading program is a great way to incentivize kids to get busy with books! Babies through teens can read (or listen) to books, log their page numbers and get prizes that get cooler the more pages you read. There are even chances to win bigger raffle prizes by meeting further benchmarks throughout the summer. Readers can also earn a free book from our book vending machine! There is even a summer reading program (and prizes) for adults, too. There is a little something for everyone at the library this summer.
Hoover Library Summer Reading has always been something families look forward to throughout the year. It’s so great to see so many regular patrons in the library all summer long. The excitement that comes with checking out a huge pile of books to eagerly head home to read, then return a few weeks later knowing you will exchange your reading log for a hard-earned prize is unparalleled. That is the magic of “Summer Reading.” I sincerely hope we bring a little color to Hoover families this summer. See you soon!
Roadtrip Audiobooks
Recommendations
from
Anna Beth Reece
Youth Librarian at the Hoover Public Library
Anna Beth Reece is a youth librarian at Hoover Public Library, and 2025 will be her 11th Summer Reading! Between preschool storytime and general library silliness, Anna Beth is always ready with a chapter book recommendation and fresh pictures of her cats and children. Here she recommends some of her favorite audiobooks the whole family will enjoy listening to on road trips with the family. READ THIS BOOK
Echo
By Pam Muñoz Ryan | Fiction
A story that spans decades and circumstances, “Echo” is a book that will keep you engaged with fabulous narrators and a beautiful musical component. Young Otto gets involved in a mysterious quest involving a prophecy, a promise and a harmonica. This epic story is one that will stay with you after the last chapter ends and is a favorite of the HPL Youth staff.
Wishtree
By Katherine Applegate | Fiction
An audiobook perfect for a short road trip, “Wishtree” features Red–an oak tree–who has seen many years go by in the neighborhood where she resides. As the resident “wishtree,” she is privy to the wishes of the neighborhood as people write them on pieces of cloth and tie them to her branches. With friends like Bongo the crow and other animals who call Red home, there is always something to observe. When a new family moves in and not everyone in the neighborhood is happy about it, her magic becomes more important than ever.
The Magic Misfits
By Neil Patrick Harris | Fiction
“The Magic Misfits” is a fabulous audiobook narrated by the author and entertainer extraordinaire, Neil Patrick Harris. Carter is a street magician, and after he escapes to a quiet New England town, he falls in with a new group of friends-turned-family. After a greedy carnival owner sets his sights on destroying the town, Carter and his fellow illusionist friends will do everything they can to protect their home and each other. There are also several opportunities to learn magic tricks in the book!
Save Me a Seat
By Sarah Weeks | Fiction
“Save Me a Seat” features Joe and Ravi, two boys who don’t appear to have anything in common but are both condemned to school–yuck! Joe misses his friends after they moved away, and Ravi just misses the feeling of fitting in after his family’s move from India to the United States. Both boys feel as though they can’t catch a break. When a bully in their class becomes the common thread between the two, they decide it’s time for them to turn their lives around. Separate narrators for the two alternating voices really bring this story to life.
The Mysterious Howling
By Maryrose Wood | Fiction
In the first installment of this hilariously clever series, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess, and neither are her new charges–three siblings who have been seemingly raised in the forest and now need an education. Despite being only 15 years old, Penelope seizes the opportunity to put her new governess training to use and help these children along. Hijinks ensue and mysteries unfold in this charming and witty, middle-grade novel. Added bonus? This incredible narrator pulls off an amazing wolf impression, so it really is a win-win.
SCHOOL SPORTS&
DRIVE TO FIVE
The Hoover High School girls basketball team wins its fifth, consecutive state championship.
BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
PHOTOS BY KELSEA SCHAFER & CONTRIBUTED
TThe heart of Hoover bleeds orange and black. Fans donning their pride’s colors swarmed the lower bowl of the BJCC’s Legacy Arena on Saturday, March 1, eager to witness the Lady Bucs reach their final destination on the “drive to five.”
The words, “the road ends here,” rolled across every video board, but to coach Krystle Johnson, they should have read, “the ‘buc’ stops here.” What naysayers doubted, she already knew to be true.
Hoover defeated Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 51-44 in the Class 7A final, earning not just its fifth, back-toback state title, but also its 11th in program history. The Lady Bucs had an electrifying start, scoring a 3-pointer followed by a steal within seconds of the game’s onset.
Dominating offense, Hoover led 8-0 in the first 60 seconds. Ahead by 13 going into the second quarter, they struggled to push back against the Lady Patriots’ 16-1 run, which put Hillcrest up by two at the half.
Hoover responded with a 9-1 run throughout the third quarter, completing 12-of-15 free throws over the second half. While Hillcrest fought hard, even cutting the deficit within five points twice in the final quarter, they found no answers for the Lady Bucs’ offensive drive.
Facebook and X were buzzing by the end of the championship, with fans across the state praising the perennial powerhouse for defending its legacy. Some paid tribute to Krystle, calling her the best coach of the decade.
To her, the “drive to five” was always the expectation, never the goal.
“At the end of the day, the work doesn’t stop,” she says. “The standard has not changed.”
A Hoover native, Krystle never thought twice about basketball as a child, not until she watched Shaquille O’Neal win Rookie of the Year in ‘93, later leading the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in ‘95.
The 7-foot-1 NBA All-Star held Krystle’s attention
Alabama.
captive as she quickly turned into his number-one fan. By age 11, she towered over her classmates at a staggering 6-foot-2, and it wasn’t long after that she first stepped foot on the court.
“That’s where my love [for basketball] came from,” she says, chuckling. “Honestly, it was Shaquille O’Neal. My first day of practice, I had on his shirt, his shorts, his shoes. I knew nothing about basketball except for Shaq.”
Krystle went on to play at Hoover, helping lead the Lady Bucs to the state championship during both her junior and senior years. As a senior, she made two winning free throws to earn Hoover its first-ever state title in program history in 2001.
Afterwards, she attended UCLA for two years on a basketball scholarship before transferring to play at the University of Alabama, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and later, her Master of Secondary Education with a focus in mathematics. She graduated in spring 2007, and by that fall, she was back at her beloved alma mater, teaching math and assistant-coaching the girls basketball team.
“Coach Lori Elgin, I told her when I left, I was like, ‘I’m coming back to get your job,’” Krystle says, chuckling. “It was something that I always knew I wanted to do. This was my dream job.”
After assistant-coaching for four years, Krystle left to coach the girls basketball team at Huntsville High School from 2012-
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Pictured is Krystle Johnson playing basketball for the University of
2016. She transferred once again to Hoover, after earning the position of a lifetime as head coach in fall 2016.
“With me being a Hoover girl, it was an easy fit,” she says. “I tell people all the time, knowing what these players go through and walking the same halls that they’ve walked, I think it helps me a lot because there’s not much that they’re facing here at Hoover that I don’t understand because I’ve been through it myself. The way classes are hard and having to be held to a higher standard not just as an athlete, but as a student–that’s something I understand because I also went here.”
In Krystle’s first year back, she led her players to win the 2017 AHSAA Class 7A Girls Basketball State Championship. She led her teams to rack up the wins again in 2019, 2021 and 2022-2025, making this year her seventh overall state win as head coach.
During the state finals, every single studentathlete on the Lady Bucs’ roster had played in a state championship game previously, with the
Next Up: The AmeriCup
Krystle Johnson has been selected to be an assistant coach on the 2025 USA Basketball Girls U16 National Team, which will compete in the AmeriCup in June. As the National Governing Body of basketball athletics for the United States, USA Basketball selects and trains U.S. citizens to compete in global basketball competitions that are sponsored by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Founded in 1974, USA Basketball features teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, FIBA Basketball World Cups, FIBA AmeriCups, Pan American Games, FIBA U19 and U17 World Cups, FIBA Americas U18 and U16 Championships and more. For more information about this year’s AmeriCup or USA Basketball, visit usab.com.
freshmen playing in their first.
“We always say it’s hard to play here at Hoover,” Krystle says. “We put them through a lot. We run our program as if it’s a college program. For them to be able to win their fifth in a row–for our seniors to be able to go through high school and those who’ve been on varsity all four years–for them to win a state championship every year is pretty cool.”
However, the drive to five did not come without its challenges.
Hoover first faced-off against Hillcrest earlier in the season and lost. Then, one of the team’s best players–6-foot-3 junior Khloe Ford–suffered a season-ending injury early on. Now down the 2024 state tournament MVP, Hoover struggled to fight back against the doubters, but Krystle’s faith in her players never wavered.
“Leading up to that game, we were very focused on making sure we were correcting some of the stuff we did from the first time we played Hillcrest,” she says, later adding, “we broke it down quarter by quarter, so we could figure out what exactly did we
fail to accomplish or capitalize on.”
Day after day, week after week, she drilled her players on that deafening loss, having them practice over and over the areas in which they were lacking. By March 1, the girls were ready to avenge their reputation.
Leading Hoover with 17 points, senior and captain Kaitlyn Gipson’s 9-of-12 at the free throw line helped the Lady Bucs defend their legacy and earned her the tournament MVP award. Junior Aaliyah Blanchard also had a great game, clocking 12 points and five rebounds.
Most impressively, Kristen Winston, who is in eighth grade at Bumpus Middle School but plays varsity for Hoover, tallied eight points. Despite her age, she started as Hoover’s “ball girl” when she was in fourth grade and knows exactly what it takes to become a state champion.
Senior Layla Cannon played valiantly as well, having been the only player thus far who had been on varsity since she was a freshman. She scored seven points and made six rebounds and three blocked shots.
Sophomore Jaliyah Manuel tallied seven points. Other key players including Chasity Johnson and Tatum English also stepped up during the game,
reminding everyone of why Hoover continues to be the reigning champ.
Altogether, the team pulled off an impressive victory.
“I was just proud of my players,” Krystle says, later adding, “I’m glad they are able to see the power of hard work, and I hope they understand that everything they went through–every workout, every early morning conditioning session–it was all worth it.”
On a deeper level, she says this job is the best in the world because she gets to help raise so many young, aspiring student-athletes, inspiring in them each a call to action: be the change that builds a better tomorrow.
“Hopefully, they’ll take [these lessons] into their adult lives and become productive citizens in this world because that’s the ultimate goal–to make them better women,” she says.
To her, basketball is more than just a game. It builds one’s foundation of character, teaching resiliency through strife, tenacity through adversity and above all, connection through competition.
By learning such a sport, these student-athletes will grow up to help change the world–and Krystle Johnson will be to thank.
5 FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Lindsey Byrd Burn Boot Camp Personal Trainer & Hoover’s Magazine’s Best Personal Trainer 2025
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Hoover’s Magazine hosts its “Best of the Best” contest each spring online, allowing the public to vote each day on who they think is the best out of numerous categories. Burn Boot Camp personal trainer and fitness instructor Lindsey Byrd was voted the city’s best personal trainer for 2025. Here, she details her journey into a career in personal training as well as her devotion to her clients.
Why did you choose this career path?
I actually started as a member of Burn Boot Camp in 2021. I was looking for community, and this place poured into me so well, that I wanted to be able to give that care and genuine love back to others. I started training in 2023, and I consider it a daily gift and privilege to be a part of the lives of our members. This is a place that continually pours into me, and I try to give our people everything I’ve got.
What is the most rewarding aspect of helping people achieve their physical fitness goals?
I say this to my team all of the time, “This place is not about a workout. This place is about people.” The opportunity to be invited to some of the vulnerable parts of a person’s life is a privilege. When I get to be a part of helping someone lift a heavier weight, we aren’t just celebrating a bicep curl, we’re celebrating confidence. Watching someone achieve a belief in themselves they never thought they could have? Priceless. Watching a community scream and cheer for someone as they get their first pull-up instead of competing
with them? Unseen anywhere else. Seeing women walk into a room and find safety, support, passion, strength and energy is the most rewarding thing.
If you had to do one exercise for the rest of your life, what would it be, and how is it beneficial?
I would want to do a box jump for the rest of my life because it brings me the most joy. However, I would pick a “beast maker” for the most benefit. It is a complete, full-body exercise that would hit the most muscles to allow me to stay strong and active with my kids.
How does the atmosphere at Burn Boot Camp contribute to people’s motivation in pursuing their goals?
Inside the walls of Burn Boot Camp, you will find a support system that challenges you while cheering you on. The community that we pride ourselves on cares about our members inside and outside of the gym. You will find accountability and genuine love. Can people achieve some goals on their own? Sure. What I love about Burn Boot Camp is that members begin to
believe in goals they would have never dreamed of pursuing on their own. That change in belief is due to the power of our community.
How would you define “living healthily” in the context of mental, physical and emotional well-being?
For someone to live a healthy lifestyle, they truly need a balance of all three. Many physical goals cannot be unlocked without mental strength. Mental strength cannot continue to grow without pushing yourself physically. The feeling of emotional safety and support is crucial to the growth of mental and physical growth. None of these elements can live without the other, and that is why we pursue growth in all three.
Burn Boot Camp is located at 1021 Brocks Gap Parkway, Suite 121 in Hoover. It is open Monday-Saturday from 5 a.m.1 p.m. and 3:45-6:30 p.m and on Saturday from 6-10 a.m. For more information or to connect with Lindsey Byrd about personal training, visit locations. burnbootcamp.com/locations/hoover-al.
FOOD DRINK&
ODE TO HOOVER
Restaurateurs GengSheng Huang and Bao Qing Lin believe all of their successes stem from the Lord.
BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
PHOTOS BY ANNA GRACE MOORE & OWEN OU
FFueled by courage, a flicker of faith, the American Dream is the guiding light across oceans, in foreign lands, for those willing to fight for their freedoms. Such a dream is this catalyst that ignites in each person a call to voyage the unknown in search for a better life, and it is exactly what led two aspiring immigrants to Hoover, Alabama.
The brainchild of husband-and-wife duo GengSheng Huang and Bao Qing Lin, along with their nephew Owen Ou, Umi Sushi Poke officially opened its doors for the first time on Friday, March 14 in the former Unagi Bento Sushi space in Trace Crossings. The Asian-fusion restaurant is now the fifth concept the Huang family has owned in the greater Birmingham area.
Veterans of the hospitality industry, GengSheng and Bao Qing owned Bistro & Grill and Suki Hana in the Riverchase Galleria for 19 years before deciding to sell both businesses right before the COVID-19 pandemic. While retirement was
relaxing, it did not lend itself to the challenges they enjoyed as entrepreneurs, leading them to look for more business opportunities around town.
When Unagi’s owner chose to sell his business, it opened a door for the Huangs to move in and reinvent the brand to be their own.
“We wanted to bring poke to the [community] at an affordable price but also to a level where you feel like you are full after your meal, and you don’t have to get seconds,” Peter Huang, GengSheng and Bao Qing’s son, says. “We give people the right portions at the right price.”
Strolling inside, customers are first greeted by the staff’s cheerful salutations as they are guided to their seats. Cast in a warm, ambient lighting, the restaurant’s feng shui seating and ornamental interior design yields a calming atmosphere rich in reds, golds and hues of blue adorning gorgeous motifs wall-to-wall.
At first glance, the menu sports a plethora of
Pictured is Peter Huang and Owen Ou.
Chef Picks
Try these recommended items the next time you dine-in at Umi Sushi Poke:
Soups & Salads
uMiso Soup
uSeaweed Salad
Appetizers
uHamachi Kama
uVolcano Spoons
Sushi
uCrispy Spicy Salmon Roll
uWar Eagle Roll
Poke Bowls
uAhi Tuna Poke Bowl
uSpicy Crabmeat Poke Bowl
Dessert
uGreen Tea Ice Cream
uFried Cheesecake
options ranging from Chinese and Japanese dishes to hibachi, poke bowls and dozens of sushi combinations. Crowd-favorite starters include the Miso Soup, which is a soybean soup with tofu, seaweed and scallions, or the Kani Salad–a decadent dish topped with crab meat, julienne-style cucumbers, seaweed and mixed spicy mayo.
Diners can also choose from 18 different appetizers such as edamame, fried calamari and gyoza–Japanese pork dumplings served steamed or fried; although, the shrimp tempura still reigns supreme among most-ordered items. Straight from the sushi bar, the Yellowtail Jalapeño layers jalapeños drizzled in a Japanese dressing over thin slices of yellowtail and provides a symphony of flavor in every bite.
Those with a more eclectic palate will appreciate appetizers such as the Dragon Ball, which wraps spicy crab meat with sliced avocado and is served alongside eel sauce, spicy mayo and crunch. Everyone will find something they love on the menu–picky eaters, especially, will love all of the poke bowl customizations.
Poke bowls are all served with the customer’s choice of sushi rich or spring mix and are accompanied with avocado, pineapple, edamame, jalapeño corn, seaweed salad, masago, poke sauce
and yummy sauce. The Seafood Lover Poke Bowl, which features tuna, salmon, yellowtail, crabmeat and shrimp, is a delicious, hearty option rich in protein.
“I’m a purist, and I love just the natural flavor of the fish,” Peter says. “We never use frozen salmon, and our tuna sashimi and our tuna sushi nigiri are just fantastic because of the natural taste of the fish.”
The Huang family believes the key to any good restaurant is creating authentic flavor profiles, utilizing only the freshest ingredients possible. Although Umi has been open less than a year, its popularity has skyrocketed as customers have traveled great lengths just to sample its mouthwatering cuisine.
GengSheng and Bao Qing’s reputation precedes them in Birmingham as most locals have long loved dining at their establishments over the past two decades. However, it has not always been this way.
Bao Qing first immigrated to the United States from China in 1996. Not knowing a lick of English, she began working at her sister’s restaurant in New Jersey, learning the ins and outs of running a business.
GengSheng and Peter later followed in 2001.
After a family friend encouraged them to open a Chinese restaurant in Birmingham, the Huangs
flew south for a new business venture–one in what was then a virtually untapped market.
“On a whim, we came down here for a visit, and we just fell in love with Hoover,” Peter says. “Before [what] Hoover is today, there was no Patton Creek. There wasn’t even a Target at the time. It was the perfect time to come here to jump in when Hoover was about to explode and grow.”
After opening day, business became all-handson-deck. At the time, the Galleria was only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, so GengSheng and Bao Qing labored 362 days a year, working to achieve their American Dream–a better life for their son.
Peter remembers watching his mom and dad never rest, clocking hours a day just to accomplish their goals. Their dawn-till-dusk work ethic, he says, instilled in him the discipline of perseverance and ability to overcome adversity.
“It really helped me to understand the price that you have to pay to build your American dream,” he says.
It was not long before Peter began working at the family business on the weekends, cleaning, taking orders–anything his parents thought could teach him the value of manual labor.
“I learned English the Chinese way, which is by starving,” Peter says, chuckling.
Joking that he is a very “food-motivated” individual, he recalls first learning the language during one of his first summers in the U.S. Every day, he was tasked with memorizing 10 new words from the dictionary.
Every night when his parents came home from work, they would quiz him, and if he got even one word’s pronunciation or definition wrong, he would have to skip dinner–or at least just dessert.
“It sounds bad, but it’s not that bad,” he says, later adding, “on the weekends, on Saturdays and Sundays, I would go work at the restaurant, and I would take the words I learned and try to put it into a sentence and practice it, talking to customers. That’s the only way that you can learn by actually practicing and using it in a conversation. Monday through Friday, I was learning these words. Saturday and Sunday, I practiced it in the restaurant with real people.”
By the end of that summer, Peter learned more than 2,500 English words. He could read, write and speak English fluently in less than a year.
“I appreciate my parents so much for putting me through that because it made me who I am today,” he says, smiling.
Navigating the language barrier was not the only hardship the Huangs faced, however. Within a year
of opening Bistro & Grill, Bao Qing was diagnosed with cancer.
A medical translator, Lily Huang–who has no relation to Bao Qing's family–met Bao Qing and helped her understand what was happening at the time. She coached her through having to have emergency surgery, and later, navigating a lengthy recovery process.
With GengSheng being the only family member able to work, he had to run the restaurant to keep the family afloat financially, leaving Bao Qing to face her health crisis alone. Once Lily found out, she offered to drive Bao Qing to and from her doctor’s appointments, always eager to help out whenever needed.
“One day, we were walking out of the hospital, and my mom asked, ‘You know, Mrs. Huang, why are you helping me?’” Peter says. “‘You’re a volunteer.’ Mrs. Huang told my mom, ‘I’m a Christian, and this is the way that God has told me to go out and show the love of Jesus.’”
Lily’s words touched Bao Qing so much that she started attending Lily’s church, later coming to know the Lord and getting baptized. She then started bringing Peter who got saved, and afterwards, GengSheng as well.
Now, the whole family has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and relies heavily on their faith each day. Peter says they all have cancer and Lily Huang to thank.
“The thing that I admire about my parents is through all of the negatives, they try to stay focused on the positives because they understand that when you come to this country, you’re going to face hard times,” he says. “But, if you’re willing to pay those prices, if you’re willing to tough it out and stick to it, you can and you will build your American dream.”
Twenty-three years after opening their first restaurant, GengSheng and Bao Qing still have a joyous appetite for the lives they are leading. They love serving those who helped transform their simple immigrant family’s dream into a reality.
Above all, they love that the Lord led them to Hoover–the birthplace of new beginnings for dreamers willing to walk by faith and work hard.
Umi Sushi Poke is located at 2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 141 in Hoover. It is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. For more information, visit umisushipoke.com.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
5
Shad Graham Founder of WYL Juice
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
The brainchild of Shad Graham, WYL Juice’s products are known as reiki-inspired drinks whose niche range of flavors are sourced from fruits and vegetables, in order to provide healthier options throughout the local food and beverage scene. Flavors rotate year round, offering a new menu of drinks each season as produce is available. Now sold at local farmers markets and events including The Market at Brock’s Gap, Hueytown Harvest Farmers Market, Inc., Luna Dance at Railroad Park, Awakenus Music & Art Festival and Spiritual Playground at Cha House, WYL Juice’s products are on the rise as one of the newest raves in healthy drink alternatives. Here, Shad details just how his business was formed and the menu curated from his inspiration.
Where did the concept of WYL Juice originate?
Many years ago, I received a juicer as a Christmas gift, and I loved the idea of taking raw fruits and vegetables and turning them into beautiful juices that are nutritious for both mind and body. In June 2023, I realized I needed a career change after working in the retail industry for seven years and founded WYL Juice. Beyond that, what really inspired me was the reaction of a friend who loved my juice samples and encouraged me to start my own business.
What menu items pair best for a “symphony of flavor?”
Currently, I’m loving our spring juice “Nectar,” made from oranges, pineapple and honey. We’re getting ready to change our pop-up menu next month and add Equinox, which is a delicious blend of strawberry, orange, mint and lemon juice. I love some unique flavor combinations such as the Minter Wonderland, a winter special with pineapple, cucumber and mint, or the Garden Party, a blend of celery, pear and kale.
How do you hope WYL Juice creates a positive impact, helping expand healthy beverage options in the community?
The goal for WYL Juice is to meet people where they are in their wellness journeys. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for personal health, so I offer individual consultations and customized juice solutions. I believe that helping individuals achieve their health goals will ripple out into the larger community, inspiring others to start or continue their health rituals. I’m also passionate about supporting people who are “sober curious” or are looking for non-alcoholic beverage alternatives, especially at special occasions and events. I’ve had the amazing experience of partnering with groups in town such as Ecstatic Dance Bham and getting to offer delicious, nourishing drinks for people looking to have fun and share space in a way that isn’t dependent on alcohol.
What is the best aspect of being an entrepreneur in Hoover?
The best aspect of being an entrepreneur
in Hoover is getting to interact with the supportive community and helping to spark joy in individuals and groups.
Where would you like to see yourself and the business over the next fiveto-10 years?
My dream is to see WYL Juice become part of a collective wellness co-op, not only to support my business, but also other small business owners who are dedicated to promoting community health and wellness. I’m definitely looking to expand at a slow and steady pace that feels right for my company. We’re always changing up our seasonal menus and adding monthly juice specials. As always, the focus is on producing a quality product that is not just juice but one that brings life energy with it in every sip.
To learn more about WYL Juice and where to buy its products, visit wyljuice. com. Follow the business on Instagram (@wyljuice) to stay updated on menu additions, events and more.
HOME STYLE&
NICHE DESIGN
Ellie Cate Home’s founder Andrea Meade reveals the nurturing of homes through intentional interior design.
BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
PHOTOS BY CAROLINE SHARPNACK & KELSEA SCHAFER
Face of the Home
The curb appeal of the Meades’ home is rich in Old World charm, thanks to its organic color palette and brick-lined window trims.
IIntentional interior design lends itself to accentuated living spaces that help families thrive. Andrea Meade, owner and principal designer of Ellie Cate Home, maintains this is more than a philosophy–it is a lifestyle among the rich in heart.
Founded in 2021, Ellie Cate Home is Andrea’s brainchild business–a boutique interior design firm located in Hoover, specializing in room redesign and design-build projects. The sweet moniker pays homage to her maternal grandmother, Ellis, and her mother, Shelia Catherine.
Andrea, her husband and two young boys live in Trace Crossings–the community of which this dream of hers was founded, she says. This area first drew her to Hoover when she was working in pharmaceutical sales.
She would often drive through it, admiring the architecture and views along the ridge. A decade later, she found herself delighted yet downtrodden to have not only bought a home in the neighborhood, but to have also welcomed her first-born son prematurely, forced to move into their fixer-upper one short week later.
As the family navigated the newborn stage, Andrea grew restless with the state of her unstarted projects. There were so many things to do with not enough time to do them all.
Finally, as the holidays were approaching that
same year, her family moved out for what was supposed to be a two-week remodel that snowballed into a two-month fiasco. They spent their first Christmas as a family of three at the Holiday Inn, but they would not have it any other way.
Over the years, Andrea continued tinkering with her house’s interior aesthetic, adding layers of textiles and pops of color. In 2018, she welcomed her second-born son, and in 2020, the world seemed to have stopped spinning. Biding her time, she revisited her fondness for interior design, documenting her “sweet finds” on Instagram for friends to stay in cahoots.
To her surprise, curious homemakers began reaching out, spreading word of her talent across the Southern Continental United States. Four years after its conception, Ellie Cate Home’s projects have stretched from Clemson, South Carolina, to College Station, Texas, with some being featured in Mississippi Magazine, Mobile Bay Magazine and the 2024 Birmingham Home & Garden Inspiration Home to name a few.
What started as an answer to ample time during the pandemic is now a thriving business, helping families across the nation curate their dream homes. Best of all, Andrea found her niche in the process–utilizing her talents to create beautiful spaces for deserving people.
Living Room
Past the entryway’s threshold, one’s line of sight is transported through the living room and out the grand, posterior windows, whose visual allure remains the kissing skyline and tree tops of this verdant respite. Conspicuously, the room’s color palette is grounded in earth-tone hues and is elevated by the interplay of modern pieces and handpicked relics.
Augmenting the space’s natural ambiance, these elongated curtains add a bit of softened structure to the decor while drawing attention to the visual height of the room.
Gold is the perfect hue to add subtle refinement to a space without disrupting its feng shui or oversaturing a calming aesthetic.
Dining Room
The home’s signature of fine craftsmanship is the dining room’s coffered ceiling, whose recessed panels both contribute to a stately aesthetic and enhance its dynamic of light and depth.
The corner curio originally belonged to Ellis and has been in Andrea's family for more than 70 years.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom’s vaulted ceiling and triple crown molding structure the suite; whereas, the nuanced linens conceive a feminine softness in the design.
Sunroom
First built in 2017, this screened-in porch is a midsummer’s dreamcome-true, according to Andrea, who appreciates this space’s bird’s-eye view that extends for miles.
Follow @elliecatehome on Instagram to see how houses are nurtured into homes through intentional interior design. To start a conversation about a “dream” project, visit elliecatehome.com.
RESCUES and ROCK-A-BYES
Fire Engineer Lee Kilgore, known as “Maternity Lee,” is recognized for his impeccable service to the community, including helping bring life into the world.
BY NOAH WORTHAM
BY DAWN HARRISON
PHOTOS
FFire Engineer Lee Kilgore recalls being at Fire Station 11 in Hoover, when the Hoover Fire Department received a call to assist a woman in labor. After receiving the alert, which was not an unusual situation for a firefighter to deal with, he leaves Fire Station 11 and makes a left turn to get to the house which happened to be close by.
He pulls in behind the rescue truck, where men were preparing equipment and a stretcher. He is the first to enter the home.
After he steps inside, he is greeted by the husband of the woman in labor.
“She’s in here,” the man says, directing Lee where to go.
However, as he follows the husband, Lee discovers the mother lying on the floor of a small, walk-in closet. He learns she first entered the closet to change clothes earlier in the day, but when her water broke, she sat down in the closet.
The baby is now crowning.
Lee says he realized he had no choice but to get to work and help her deliver the baby—something he had never done before. Crouching down inside the closet to assist, Lee remembers instructing the father and other personnel looking-on to hand him equipment.
While helping the mother through the process, her 3-year-old daughter sits in the closet with them, expressing her excitement for her brand new baby brother on the way.
“That’s my mama,” she says. “She’s doing good.”
Maintaining a calm demeanor and remembering prior training and teaching, Lee stays focused on the job, continuing to safely usher the baby into this world. With the baby successfully delivered and the mother in good condition, he sighs, relieved.
The emergency was handled–at least until he received another call three weeks later in which he would deliver another child in a critical situation, earning him the new nickname, “Maternity Lee.”
Birth of a Firefighter
Nearly two decades earlier, after growing up in Warrior, Lee says he decided to begin a career as a firefighter. With that new employment in mind, he knew just where to aim.
“When I got into the fire service, Hoover is where I wanted to be,” he says. “They were always ahead of everybody else–is how I felt. They always wanted the best. They paid the best. They [have] the best employees here. So, I just wanted to be a part of the best team.”
However, like any career, it was a journey to get there, and it took determination and effort for him to rise through the ranks. He first got his start in June 1996, working as a volunteer firefighter for the Warrior Fire Department.
In 1997, he completed Basic EMT and won “Firefighter of the Year” for the city of Warrior. He then began work for Blount EMS and eventually became an EMT paramedic.
In August 1999, he was hired by the Tuscaloosa Fire Department where he served the technical rescue team. While serving at Tuscaloosa Fire, he was hired as a part-time fire medic for Warrior where he climbed through the ranks to fire chief in 2022.
Lee says he eventually joined the HFD in 2004. Now, with November 2024 marking 20 years of service to the city of Hoover as a firefighter, he still feels the same way about the fire department.
“All 20 years have been great–even the rough years,” he says.
According to his supervisor Hoover Fire Captain Brandon Harbison, Lee always comes into work with a smile and gets along with his coworkers.
“He’s always level-headed, he’s calm,” Brandon says. “I feel more comfortable when he’s on a call with me.”
It’s that clear-minded approach and calm demeanor that carried him through a difficult call that could have led to the death of two individuals.
Knowing the Basics
Three weeks after Lee helped deliver a child for the first time while responding to a call, the HFD received another alert involving a woman in labor. This time, however, the call indicated a much more critical situation as it reported a possible breech birth.
“That’s a very dangerous birth, even in a hospital setting,” Lee says. “So, I’m just like, ‘Man, I don’t know. Let’s hope it’s not happening.’”
A situation that was already difficult became even more demanding, when he realized that the next engine over was already dispatched, serving a different territory, and the rescue
•
•
•
truck on the way was coming from the other side of the city.
After arriving and knowing the severity of the situation, Lee and a single other responding fireman grabbed an OB kit, a monitor, an airway bag and any additional supplies. After entering the home, they met the father.
Lee remembers the father exclaiming, “Thank goodness you all are here!”
The two found the mother upstairs in active labor with her feet hanging at the front of the bed. Lee grabbed the OB kit along with a sterile sheet and sterile gloves.
As he investigated, his eyes confirmed that the baby was breech. He began the delivery process, and soon enough, the baby made progress, and Lee was able to determine that the umbilical cord wasn’t wrapped around the baby’s neck.
“We’re going to take a little break for about three seconds, then we’re going to push for 10,” he says, recalling his conversation with the mother.
After two or three bursts of strained effort, the baby finally made it out.
“We never know what we’re going to get [when we’re called],” Lee says. “As long as you stay calm in a situation like that, normally everybody around you will
also try to calm down, too. You just try to focus on the basics, and if you handle the basics good, everything else is going to take care of itself most of the time.”
For his efforts in delivering two babies by himself, Lee earned a new nickname from his peers.
“I like to give people nicknames,” Lee says. “When the guys found an opportunity to call me something, they decided they would call me ‘Maternity Lee.’”
In addition to his new honorary title, Lee was named the Hoover Fire Department’s 2024 Paramedic of the Year by Chief Clay Bentley at The Shelby County Chamber’s Public Safety Awards for his character and efforts in delivering two babies.
“That was a true emergency,” Clay says. “A lifethreatening emergency for the child and the mother, and due to his actions that day, both survived and are healthy.”
Serving the People
Firefighters and paramedics are prepared at all times to deliver any number of services to residents in need. No matter the situation or call.
“No two shifts are the same,” Brandon says. However, unlike Lee’s deliveries or the extravagant tales that are often displayed on television, sometimes
answering the call of those in need means handling something much less glamorous such as a hurt knee, a medical issue or helping an individual who has fallen down. Regardless of any situation, the victim matters, their issue matters and the HFD is prepared to aid them and provide what is necessary.
“A lot of it is just knowing the basics,” Brandon says. “Make sure they’re breathing, make sure their heart is pumping, their blood [is] circulating, and if you handle those vital checks, things turn out better for you.”
In addition to the life-saving services that the HFD provides, it is also able to build camaraderie with the general public, thanks to its plentiful resources.
“Hoover does a lot of things for the citizens that probably some departments might not, or might not have the people to do,” Hoover Fire Assistant Chief Matthew Javinett says. “We do a ton of community work.”
One year, Fire Station 11 participated in a Fourth of July golf cart parade, and Lee and the other men at the station worked together to decorate an ATV like a fighter jet, utilizing their own money and effort to make it possible.
“Lee’s one of those guys that, any time he interacts with the public, it’s 100 percent customer service,” Matthew says.
Passing Down the Torch
As Shelby and Jefferson counties grow and develop, public safety continues to advance, and the needs of the people continue to evolve.
“Fire service has changed, and Hoover has changed,” Matthew says. “We used to hire people that had, sometimes, years of experience with other fire departments. We’re not doing that anymore. We’re hiring, sometimes, right out of high school.”
The HFD recently undertook a mentorship program, and according to Brandon, Lee played a role in preparing those young men and getting them ready.
“Lee’s the type that—he can be on you to aggravate you and kind of get in your head, but he’s very encouraging and he’s fun,” he says. “They like to learn from him. They want to be pushed by him to get better.”
During the mentorship, the recruits learned all of the necessary technical skills involved in firefighting while also receiving life advice to set them up for a successful career.
“I really feel like the guys that are working with Lee are going to learn, not only the things on the fire engine they need to, but how to get through this career and come out on the other side successful,” Brandon says. “I’m appreciative of what he does.”
HOOVER’S BEST WINNERS 2025
Photos by Anna Grace Moore & Contributed
FOOD & DRINK
BEST ASIAN CUISINE
Blue Pacific at Hoover Food Mart
3219 Lorna Rd. Hoover, AL 35216
205-978-0754
Runners Up: Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking, New China Restaurant
BEST BAKERY
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Cookie Fix, Edgar’s Bakery
BEST BARBECUE
Saw’s BBQ
3780 Riverchase Village Hoover, AL 35244
205-315-4637
Runners Up: Moe’s Original BBQ, Full Moon Bar-B-Que
BEST BARTENDER
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: The Casual Pint of The Grove, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
BEST BEER SELECTION
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company 500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: The Casual Pint of The Grove, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
Thanks Hoover!
BEST BRUNCH
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: First Watch, The Casual Pint of The Grove
BEST BURGER
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Whiskey Foxtrot Burger Dive, The Casual Pint of The Grove
BEST CASUAL DINING
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante, Taco Mama—Trace Crossings
BEST CATERING
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante, Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
BEST CHEF
Brian Mooney—Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 145 Hoover, AL 35244
205-538-5866
Runners Up: Biscuit Belly, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
BEST COFFEE
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: O.Henry’s Coffee, Daysol Coffee Lab—Bluff Park Coffee Collective
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT
Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 145 Hoover, AL 35244
205-538-5866
Runners Up: Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
BEST DRINKS/COCKTAILS
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Biscuit Belly, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
BEST FRIENDLY SERVICE
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Biscuit Belly, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
BEST KID-FRIENDLY DINING
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante, Chick-fil-A— Hoover Commons
BEST LUNCH SPOT
Biscuit Belly
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
BEST MARGARITA
Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 165 Hoover, AL 35244
205-834-8265
Runners Up: Taco Mama—Trace Crossings, La Fiesta
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 165 Hoover, AL 35244
205-834-8265
Runners Up: La Fiesta, Taco Mama—Trace Crossings
BEST MILKSHAKE
The Whole Scoop Ice Cream Shop
1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy. Hoover, AL 35244
205-444-8000
Runners Up: Bluff Park Ice Cream Shoppe, Chick-fil-A—Hoover Commons
BEST OUTDOOR SPOT
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Aldridge Gardens, Moss Rock Preserve
BEST PATIO DINING
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Biscuit Belly, Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurante
BEST PIZZA
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-848-7837
Runners Up: Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Tortugas Pizza
BEST SWEET TREATS
Biscuit Belly 1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 157 Hoover, AL 35244
205-402-8126
Runners Up: Cookie Fix, Good Neighbor Baking—Bluff Park Coffee Collective
BEST MARGARITA, BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Phil Sandoval's Mexican Restaurante
BEST UPSCALE RESTAURANT
Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen 1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 145 Hoover, AL 35244 205-538-5866
Runners Up: Bellinis Ristorante & Bar, J. Alexander’s Restaurant
BEST WINE SELECTION
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria 5225 Peridot Pl., Suite 121 Hoover, AL 35244 205-739-2159
Runners Up: Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen, Pleasure is All Wine
HEALTH & BEAUTY
BEST DOCTOR
Dr. Elizabeth S. Martin—Pure Dermatology & Aesthetics
5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244 205-682-8022
Runners Up: Dr. Claire Ussery— Reignite Chiropractic, Dr. Jody Gilstrap—UAB Medical West Brocks Gap Health Center
BEST CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Reignite Chiropractic 2717 John Hawkins Pkwy., Suite 107 Hoover, AL 35244 205-855-3305
Runners Up: My Chiropractor— Hoover, Pillar Chiropractic and Rehab LLC
BEST DENTAL PRACTICE
Brock's Gap Dentistry
1015 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite C Hoover, AL 35244
205-982-0112
Runners Up: Anglin Pediatric & Family Dentistry, Hoover Family Dentistry
BEST PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Brocks Gap Dental Group— Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry
1015 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite C Hoover, AL 35244
205-982-0112
Runners Up: Anglin Pediatric & Family Dentistry, Oak Mountain Pediatric Dentistry
BEST ORTHODONTICS PRACTICE
Backus Orthodontics
425 Emery Dr., Suite A Hoover, AL 35244
659-734-1296
Runners Up: Brocks Gap Orthodontics, PT Orthodontics
BEST DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE
Pure Dermatology & Aesthetics
5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-682-8022
Runners Up: Cahaba Dermatology & Skin Health Center, Inverness Dermatology & Laser
BEST ESTHETICIAN
Pure Dermatology & Aesthetics
5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-682-8022
Runners Up: Olive Brendlinger— Birch Tree Day Spa, Dawn Diehl— Birch Tree Day Spa
BEST EYE CARE PRACTICE
TriaVision—Hoover
2010 Patten Chapel Rd., Suite 101 Hoover, AL 35216
1-833-733-8742
Runners Up: Brocks Gap Eye Care, Alabama Family Eye Care
BEST FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE
Alliance Primary Care— Dr. Anisa Ssengoba-Ubogu
5530 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Suite 150 Hoover, AL 35244
205-588-1748
Runners Up: UAB Medical West Brocks Gap Health Center, UAB Medicine Hoover Primary & Specialty Care
BEST FITNESS CENTER
Burn Boot Camp 1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 121 Hoover, AL 35244
205-335-1884
Runners Up: Pivot Fitness, Pure Barre—Hoover
BEST PERSONAL TRAINER
Lindsey Byrd—Burn Boot Camp 1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 121 Hoover, AL 35244
205-335-1884
Runners Up: Abby Williamson— Pivot Fitness, Fit People
Runners Up: Hunter Street Weekday, Adventure Ark Playschool—Prince of Peace Catholic Church
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company 500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244 205-848-7837
Runners Up: Biscuit Belly, Camp Bow Wow
BEST DANCE/GYMNASTICS
STUDIO
The Pointe Dance Arts 1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy., Suite 265 Hoover, AL 35244
205-518-5389
Runners Up: Birmingham Dance Theatre, The Dance Studio
BEST DRY CLEANER
Champion Cleaners—Greystone 5363 U.S. 280, Suite 105 Birmingham, AL 35242
Runners Up: Deluxe Cleaners, Watkins Cleaners
BEST FARMERS MARKET
The Market at Brock’s Gap 500 Mineral Trce., Suite 100 Hoover, AL 35244
205-228-9220
Runners Up: Andy’s Farm Market & Garden Center, Ross Bridge Farmers Market
Congratulations to Donna Gaskins for being voted the Best Realtor® in Hoover for nine out of the past ten years. As a mother, Realtor®, and volunteer, Donna is an exemplary member of the Hoover Community, and we could not be more proud to call her one of ARC’s finest.
Thank you Donna for all that you do!
BEST FIREARM/TACTICAL STORE
Precision Tactical Arms Company
3435 South Shades Crest Rd., Suite 111 Hoover, AL 35244
Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM 1624 Montgomery Hwy. Hoover, AL 35216 205-545-8074
Runners Up: Vulcan Tire & Automotive, Goodyear Auto Service
BEST NEW/USED CAR DEALER
Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM 1624 Montgomery Hwy. Hoover, AL 35216 205-545-8074
Runners Up: Hoover Toyota, Long-Lewis Ford of Hoover
COMMUNITY
BEST COMMUNITY CENTER
Hoover Public Library
200 Municipal Dr. Hoover, AL 35216 205-444-7800
Runners Up: The Finley Center, The Hoover Metropolitan Complex
BEST EVENT/WEDDING VENUE
The Barn at Shady Lane 290 Sunbelt Pkwy. Bessemer, AL 35022 205-790-7238
Runners Up: Brock’s Gap Brewing Company, Aldridge Gardens
BEST EVENT PLANNER
Custom Perfection Events
Runners Up: Any Reason To Plan, LLC; GoPro Event Solutions
BEST GOLF COURSE
Hoover Country Club 3140 Club Dr. Hoover, AL 35226 205-822-0647
Runners Up: Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, Greystone Golf & Country Club
BEST LOCAL CAUSE
Hope for Autumn Foundation hopeforautumnfoundation.org
Runners Up: Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, Hoover Helps
BEST LOCAL FESTIVAL
Bluff Park Art Show bluffparkartassociation.org
Runners Up: Bash on the Bluff, The Market at Brock’s Gap
BEST COMMUNITY CENTER
Hoover Public Library
BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY
James Spann, Chief Meteorologist ABC 33/40 800 Concourse Pkwy., Suite 200 Hoover, AL 35244 205-403-3340
Runners Up: Justin Banger— Hoover Public Library, Dr. Jody Gilstrap—UAB Medical West Brocks Gap Health Center
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD
Bluff Park
Hoover, AL 35226
Runners Up: The Preserve, Lake Wilborn
BEST PARK
Aldridge Gardens 3530 Lorna Rd. Hoover, AL
205-739-6558
Runners Up: Explore Playground & Splashpad, Moss Rock Preserve
BEST PLACE FOR A FAMILY OUTING
Moss Rock Preserve 617 Preserve Way Hoover, AL 35226 205-739-7141
Runners Up: Aldridge Gardens, Bluff Park Ice Cream Shoppe
BEST PLACE FOR A KID’S BIRTHDAY
Let’s Play Hoover 5623 Grove Blvd. Hoover, AL 35226 205-718-8993
Runners Up: Hoover Heights Climbing Center, Goldfish Swim School—Hoover
BEST PASTOR
Father Jon Chalmers—Prince of Peace Catholic Church
4600 Preserve Pkwy. Hoover, AL 35226 205-822-9125
Runners Up: Pastor Buddy Gray—Hunter Street Baptist Church, Pastor Ross Furio—Bluff Park United Methodist Church
BEST PLACE TO WORSHIP
Prince of Peace Catholic Church
4600 Preserve Pkwy. Hoover, AL 35226 205-822-9125
Runners Up: Hunter Street Baptist Church, Bluff Park United Methodist Church
BEST PUBLIC/PRIVATE SCHOOL
Prince of Peace Catholic School
4600 Preserve Pkwy. Hoover, AL 35226 205-824-7886
Runners Up: Bluff Park Elementary School, Hoover High School
BEST TEACHER
Nicole Williams–Bluff Park Elementary School 569 Park Ave. Hoover, AL 35226
Runners Up: Katie Buhai McDougal—Prince of Peace Catholic School, Julie Buttery— Prince of Peace Catholic School
Outside the City
Exploring New York State
Looking to escape the heat of an Alabama summer? Wanting to get away from the tourists crowding the Florida beaches? Consider heading up north to the quiet atmosphere of New York State. From the breezy coast to the tranquil lakes to the mighty falls, New York has a lot to explore outside the city.
By Kate Seaver | Photos by Discover Long Island, Niagara Falls Canada, Niagara Falls USA, Visit Finger Lakes & Contributed by Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant (Facebook)
NIAGARA FALLS
The unofficial “eighth wonder of the world,” Niagara Falls provides a cool escape from the typical southern summer. Renowned for its beauty, it pushes more than 2,000 tons of water over the falls every second. Carve out time during your vacation to explore the falls’ natural serenity and enjoy the breezy summer weather.
WHERE TO STAY
Stay in the famous Oakes Hotel Overlooking the Falls to see the view from your bedroom window. You’ll see the unobstructed vantage point when you open your eyes in the morning! On the Canadian side, Old Stone Inn is a historic, boutique hotel with dining options ranging from cabins to domes, so you can eat in a cozy, rustic atmosphere. The Inn has a wine bar open Thursday through Sunday and also has a dog-friendly policy.
Old Stone Inn
WHAT TO DO
For your daytime excursions, make sure to hit the Maid of the Mist boat tours to see the falls from down in the water! Descend into the gorge, and feel the mist on your skin from the wooden walkways with the Cave of the Winds experience. Another popular attraction is the Seneca Niagara Casino with popular live entertainment. Less than a 30 minute-drive away, the city of Buffalo has more dining options and urban activities.
Make sure to bring your passports to see the view from the Canadian side, too! In Ontario, Niagara Falls offers more hot spots such as Skylon Tower Revolving Restaurant, Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and WildPlay Zipline to the Falls.
WHERE TO EAT
The Top of the Falls restaurant is the only local dining spot where you can take in the sights while enjoying dinner! This restaurant serves locally-made food and beverages rich in modern American cuisine alongside several classic dishes.
THE FINGER LAKES
While touring your way through the beautiful state of New York, catch some R&R at the tranquil Finger Lakes. Located a few hours east of Niagara Falls, you’ll find this region is known for its ample wineries and vineyards, sporting beautiful outdoor views. The Finger Lakes, referred to locally as FLX, have mild summers with daily temperatures reaching a balmy 70-to-80 degrees Fahrenheit, cooling down in the evenings.
WHERE TO STAY
The area around these glacial lakes is full of historic inns and bed-and-breakfasts that will transport you to the earlier days of the United States. A few popular selections include William Smith Inn—a B&B in the home that once belonged to historical figure William Smith. The Lake House on Canandaigua is a lakefront resort featuring multiple, luxury restaurants and lake-facing balconies that feel like grandma’s front porch. Geneva on the Lake, a stately villa built in the style of Italian Renaissance architecture, hosts multiple restaurants of its own and is a short drive from Geneva’s historic district. Belhurst Castle, built between 1885-1889, has it all: a riveting history, a winery, fine dining and a salon with a spa.
WHAT TO DO
Activities common for this region are equally easygoing. Stroll along the waterfront walking path at Seneca Lake State Park, or get into the lakes via kayak for an easy trip riding the current. Rent a pontoon for a day with Finger Lakes Boat Rentals, or set off kayaking or paddleboarding with Seneca Lake Kayak. Cruise along the Canandaigua Lady, a paddlewheel steamboat offering lake tours and meals from May through October each year.
Of course, a visit to the largest wine region in New York would be incomplete without a tasting and a visit to a vineyard! Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail features seven different wineries. Purchase the digital passport for perks and discounts at the different locations on the trail.
Pay a visit to Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, which is located in a historic home overlooking Keuka Lake, and celebrate the pioneer of the Finger Lakes wine industry. Red Newt Cellars hosts a hearty, sit-down lunch on the weekends to pair with your tasting. Buttonwood Grove Winery features live music on the porch on Saturdays during the summer and even has on-site cabins for an overnight stay.
WHERE TO EAT
Get out and see more of the region—have dinner at F.L.X. Table for an intimate dinner party atmosphere. Named “Best New Restaurant” in the nation by “USA Today” in 2017, this restaurant is reservation-only, and the bookings are released two months in advance.
Roots Cafe features live music at its farm-to-table restaurant. Reservations here are highly recommended, and they serve meals for lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday, as well as Sunday brunch.
Belhurst Castle
MONTAUK
Known as the quieter, more authentic side of the Hamptons, Montauk provides a laidback, coastal experience that really embodies what it means to “vacation.” Visit this charming hamlet for the smalltown atmosphere, and enjoy the slow, luxurious life of the East Coast.
WHERE TO STAY
For a European feel, stay in the stately Montauk Manor. This historic, castle-like accommodation creates an experience like no other. This hotel offers full amenities including sunset yoga on the lawn and tennis courts.
The classic Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa offers oceanfront rooms and amenities including a private beach, spa and bathhouse. Choose between rooms, cottages and residential-style accommodations.
WHAT TO DO
To get a taste of the rustic, slow-living that Montauk embraces, take your family horseback riding at Deep Hollow Ranch. The ranch provides rides for all ages, and everyone 8 years old and older can participate in the beach rides. For the safety of the horses, there is a weight limit of 240 pounds.
Don’t miss the classic Montauk Point Lighthouse, which was originally commissioned by President George Washington and is the fourth-oldest working lighthouse in the United States. Admission is $15 for adults or $5 for children under 12.
Every Thursday during the summer season, the Montauk Farmers Market hosts more than 40 vendors selling everything from flowers to fresh produce! Swing by to take home a locally made souvenir.
Ditch Plains Beach is a popular public beach with scenic views of the cliffs. Enjoy a sunset stroll, and bring along your dog for some exercise.
WHERE TO EAT
When staying on the coast, it would be a crime not to partake in fresh seafood on the water. Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant will serve up its famous tuna nachos while you enjoy the sunset views and the full-service bar. On Sundays after 4 p.m., kids eat free! Gosman’s Restaurant has been serving fresh seafood to the Montauk community since 1951. Harvest on Fort Pond serves Montauk Italian fare and creative garden cocktails, too.
Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant
Summer 2025 Events
JUNE 3
Women’s Council Workshop HACC Conference Room
JUNE 12
Coffee & Contacts
The Crossings at Riverchase 2171 Parkway Lake Dr.
JUNE 19
Entrepreneur & Small Biz Lunch & LearnElectroDash HACC Conference Room
JULY 1
Women’s Council Workshop HACC Conference Room
JULY 17
Freedom Awards Luncheon
Hoover Country Club
JULY 22
New Member Orientation
HACC Conference Room
JULY 24
Business After Hours
Homewood Suites by Hilton BirminghamSW-Riverchase-Galleria
AUG. 5
Women’s Council Workshop
HACC Conference Room
AUG. 14
Coffee & Contacts
Arise Knox Square
AUG. 21
Entrepreneur & Small Biz Lunch & Learn
HACC Conference Room
Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce Staff
2025 Board of Directors
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair – Kimberly L. Jackson, Alabama Power
First Vice Chair – Sanjay Patel, Baron Hospitality
Second Vice Chair – Johnathan Carter, PNC Financial Services
Vice Chair of Administration – Kimberly Starling, UAB St. Vincent’s
Vice Chair of Finance – Keith Barfield, BMSS Advisors & CPAs, LLC
Immediate Past Chair – Rohen Porbanderwala, Lake Crest Chevron
DIRECTORS
Vivian Mora, State Farm Insurance, Vivian Mora Agency
Tyler Lipe, Regions Financial
Kelvin Johnson, Spire Energy
Tyler Williams, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
Cori Perdue, PhD UAB Collat School of Business
James Robinson, Retired Executive, Spire Energy
Merrick Wilson, Hoover City Schools
EX OFFICIO
Aaron Dettling – Legal Advisor, Fortif Law Partners, LLC
uRenaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa
uRevere Control Systems, Inc.
uRiverchase Galleria
uShelby Printing
uSignature Homes
uSomerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen
uSouth Haven Health & Rehabilitation Center
uSouthlake Orthopaedics Sports Medicine & Spine Center, P.C.
uSpringHill Suites by Marriott
uBirmingham Colonnade/Grandview
uStone Age Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
uT&C Construction
uTameron Honda
uTerracon Consultants, Inc.
uThe Noles Group
uTruewood by Merrill Gardens at Riverchase
uTurtle Creek Enterprises, LLC
uUAB Medical West
uUnited Community Bank
uWallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt, LLC
uWalk-On’s Sports Bistreaux - Tattersall
uWBRC 6 News
uWhataburger
uYour CBD Store
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A Life of Faith and Music: Honoring Linda Harper
BY LORI GROCE
PHOTO BY TRACY RIGGS FRONTZ
In every community, there are individuals whose contributions quietly and powerfully shape the lives of others. For the Hoover Area Chamber and beyond, that person is Linda Harper.
For more than 40 years, Linda has dedicated herself to music ministry, ensuring every child knows they are loved, supported and rooted in God’s word—in a way that’s fun, memorable and lasting.
“The ‘Children Obey Your Parents’ song was great,” Hannah Sherrill, children’s pastor at Life of Faith, says. “The children loved learning the motions and were so engaged even with it being their first time to sing it. I do think it helps children learn
scripture. Linda Harper’s music is a great tool to teach children God’s word in a fun, memorable way.”
This testimony echoes what so many already know—Linda’s music is a gift to children, families, churches and communities, but even more powerful than her music is how she shows up for others personally. In my own life, Linda has been a source of strength. She has prayed with me, encouraged me and reminded me that Jesus never forgets His children. Her hugs carry the peace of the Holy Spirit and the genuine love of Christ.
Linda also blesses the Hoover Area Chamber in a unique and heartfelt way. At membership luncheons, she leads attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance—a testament to her love not only for Christ, but also for this great nation.
Her music is more than entertainment— it’s an invitation to connect with God. Her YouTube channel (Linda Harper Music) is filled with uplifting, scripture-based songs that teach, encourage and inspire. At lindaharpermusic.store, families can download a free, digital coloring book with matching music—an interactive way for children to engage with scripture through creativity and sound. All songs are completely free to stream or download, reflecting her heart for ministry over monetization.
The Hoover community is so grateful to have Linda Harper as part of the Hoover Area Chamber family—and even more grateful for the eternal difference she makes in the lives of others. We are honored to celebrate her story, her mission and her love.
To learn more about Linda Harper and her music ministry, visit lindaharpermusic.store or subscribe to her YouTube channel (Linda Harper Music).
uUAB St. Vincent’s uBMSS Advisors & CPAs, LLC
uCoca-Cola Bottling Company uCumulus
uDunn’s HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical
uGo Green Lawn
uHyatt Regency
Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel
uRiver Bank & Trust
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uTwo Men and A Woman
uCBS 42 News
uKale Me Crazy uKing Acura uMcLeod Software Corporation
It was all smiles at Brock’s Gap Brewing Company’s third anniversary in Hoover on Saturday, March 1 as the M-80s took the stage, drawing hundreds for an electrifying performance. With live music, food and beverage vendors and kid-and-pup-friendly activities, there was something for everyone to enjoy at this “barks and brews” extravaganza.
2.
3. The Williamson, Mitchell and Rimes families
4. The Pressley family
5. Robben Tindle and Lorrie P’Pool
6. The Riggs, Elliott and Ankenbrandt families
7. The Civitello, Boothe, Buentello and Dailey families
8. Lindsay and Casey Boothe
9. The Lockett, Gardner, Loo and Motherwell families
10. Nevaeh Pope
1. Sam Beene, Elizabeth Dew, Kaylee Smith, Arthur Araujo and Lily Dew
The Cowing family
PHOTOS BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
HOOVER CITY LEADERS BREAKFAST
PHOTOS BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
Brought to patrons by the Hoover Parent Teacher Council, the 2025 Hoover City Leaders Breakfast took place at Discovery United Methodist Church on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The event honored students for their essays or works of art that earned them each awards or scholarships from the Hoover Police and Fire departments. Local philanthropist Alan Song delivered the keynote address, and the Hoover High School Chamber Choir performed as well.
1. Frank Brocato and Kelsea Schafer
2. The Flores family
3. The Schlueter family and Hoover Fire Department Firefighters
4. Katie Bonham and Anna Kate Underwood
5. Madison Headley and Frank Brocato
6. Geradline Flores, Anna Kate Underwood, Nick Derzis and Kelsea Schafer
BPUMC EASTER EGG HUNT
PHOTOS BY ANNA GRACE MOORE
On Saturday, April 12, Bluff Park United Methodist Church held its annual Easter egg hunt, featuring 10,000 stuffed eggs.
1. The Lochmann and Parker families
2. The Berry family
3. Clara Flowers
4. The Johnston family
5. The Bates family
6. Justin and Jacob Breedlove
7. The Williams and McVay families
8. The Hocutt family
9. The Self and Miller families
10. The Diaz family
11. The Nobles family
WASHINGTON UPDATE LUNCHEON
On Monday, April 21 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel, U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer delivered his remarks at the Washington Update Luncheon, which was co-hosted by the Homewood, Hoover Area, Montevallo, Mountain Brook, North Jefferson and Shelby County chambers.
1. Shelby Weir and Abigail Bradford
2. Abigail Jacobs, Adam Carroll and Jessie Gilliland
3. Adele Nelson and Joyce Lewis
4. Alison Steineker and Lizbeth Juarez
5. Lori Groce, Nan Baldwin, Andy Tatum and Mitzi Eaker
6. Jordan Powell, Cami Hammond and Andrea Egea
7. Darren Hamrick and Jason Harper
8. Andrew Burke and Rohen Porbanderwala
9. Clay Hammac, John Samaniego and Mitzi Eaker
10. Lashaunda Blair and Charles Long
PHOTOS BY BLAIR RAMSEY
CELEBRATE HOOVER DAY
BY
ANNA GRACE MOORE
It was all smiles on Saturday, April 26 as the city of Hoover held its annual “Celebrate Hoover Day” event at Veterans Park, drawing thousands of attendees from all corners of the community. Featuring inflatables, live music, a petting zoo, pony rides, a vendor market and more, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
1. Trent Morton, Hosea Slaughter and Ken McGinnis
2. Christina Norman and Christina Ray Norman
3. The Makoko and Chukwujekwu families
4. The Sandlin family
5. Bonnie Moore and Jacob Breedlove
6. The Adams and Vollmer families
7. The Jackson family
8. Kristian Avery, Gilbert Peralta and Junior Peralta
Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience. CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007
Now Hiring For Utility Positions Starting pay $15.14/hour Must be able to pass background screen. Please apply at: www. bc.com
Central Alabma Wellness Mental Health Services Office locations in Calera, Clanton, Pelham, and 280! 205-651-0077 Visit our website to learn more central albamawellness.org
Shelby County Schools
Substitute Teachers
Limitless opportunities for passionate people!
•Free pre-hire training
•Paid orientation
•Ongoing professional development
•Steady, yet flexible, work •Weekly pay
•Your preference of schools Contact Anne Gamble:O: 205.682.7062 M: 205.532.1122 anne. gamble@kellyservices. com
Marble Valley Manor. Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-2456500 •TDD#s: 800548-2547(V) •800-5482546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/Employer
Security Guard for Gated Community in North Shelby County Full-time or Part-time. Must have pistol permit. Call Brittany 205-9914653
“University Baptist CDC Pre-K In Montevallo NOW HIRING Lead Teachers for First Class 4 Pre-K program. Long Term substitute for spring semester and maternity leave substitute April-May. Lead Teacher subs must have a bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education/ Development. Experience in First Class program and Bilingual skills a plus. For questions or resumes, contact Lorrie Ozley: university baptistcdc@ gmail.com
Preschool preregistration for 2025-2026 school year January 15-March prek. alaceed.alabama.gov
Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstone dentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!
ETS Restorations & Tree Service “From street to walls, we do it all” •Retaining Walls •Concrete Work •Demolition •Landscaping •Tree Removal •Tree Trimming •Bobcat Work •Hardscapes •Hauling FREE ESTIMATES!!! CALL NOW (205)2097787 (205)683-3257
Breakpoint Manager – positions offered by Autocar, LLC (Center Point, AL). Understand eng design & specified auto parts, & work w/ both Planning & Purchasing on best time operationally & financially to change suppliers, parts, or both. Submit resume to legalcompliance@ gvwgroup.com.
AUTOMATION L2 SPECIALIST
Danieli Taranis LLC (Chelsea, AL) to be rspns. for dvlpng, cmmsng, prvdng rmte spprt, & trnng rel to L2 autmtn sys; prfrmng startup & cmnng of dedicatd mchnes/
aggrgte accrdng to rel tchncl dcmnttn; prfrmng intrnl tstng of apps; drwng up & prprng oprtr mnuals; prfrmng hrdwre instlltn, elctrcl & ntwrk cnnctns, & autmtn intrcnnctns chckup; instllng & cnfgrng sys sftwre & dbas; intgrtng a combo of prgrmng mdles dvlpd w/ mxd lang envrnmnts; prfrmng Lvl2 srvr bckgrnd srvcs & Lvl2 clnts (OWS/PWS/TWS) apps instlltn; & prfrmng Lvl2 autmtn sys cold & hot tst. Master in Eng, CompSci or rel w/ 3 yrs of prior wrk exp in pos off or rel w/ DCACom PLC driver; DCADispatcher mssge brokr; Delphi prgrmng lbrry; DACI frnt-end WPF C# prgrmng lbrry; & DASI C# prgrmng lbrry. Mst knw (thru acdmc trnng or wrk exp) Orcle, SQLite & MS Access dba mngmnt sys; Telerik UI for WPF; & SAP Crystal Rprts & Rprt Viewer rprtng pltfrms. Resumes to c.hegarty@danieli. com
Multiple Fulltime positions for Personal Care Aides in BIRMINGHAM, AL is immediately available. Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting,
and ambulation). May also provide help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry. No Minimum Requirement.Send Resume to: Dan Pahos, Owner, Home Instead, 2059 Columbiana Rd.,Birmingham AL 35216
Now Hiring! Termite Treaters and Inspectors Work with a great local company, in business for over 50 years. BC/ BS insurance, 401k, opportunities available. No experience required Must have a good driving record and be able to pass drug screen. Email to facsmith@charter.net or call 205-369-6250 Vulcan Termite and Pest Control
Wanted Maintenance/ Handyman to assist with vehicle and land upkeep. Must pass background & drug test, have reliable transportation, be able to drive a manual transmission and be willing to work. Apply in person at 115 Commerce Drive Pelham, AL 35124 Vulcan Termite and Pest Control
MY HOOVER
MELANIE POSEY
Public Information
Officer
for the City of Hoover
Eat Local
Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
Working for the city, I get to experience a plethora of restaurants in town. I love that you can taste the world in Hoover, literally! It’s hard to pick just one restaurant, but I am a huge fan of Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen, which is located in The Village at Brock’s Gap. I particularly like the restaurant’s short rib sliders for lunch. They give you enough for now–and later!
Fellowship in Community
The Hoover Public Library
From the various performances at the Library Theatre, to the Southern Voices Conferences, concerts on the plaza and more, the Hoover Public Library has it all. It is the best place for newcomers to become connected in the community.
Making Memories
Kids’ Events at the Hoover Public Library
Some of my fondest memories go back to when my daughter was small, reflecting on the joy we experienced while attending so many events at the Hoover Public Library. The weekly story time sessions, the incredible Halloween bashes and the summer reading shows were treats for us both. She had fun, but I loved that she was getting a strong foundation in reading and so many other facets of life. To this day, even as a high schooler, she is still a library kid! No doubt her experiences years ago were a big contribution to that.
Serving the Hoover Community
Serving as Public Information Officer
I enjoy when I can help citizens one-on-one, whether it be in answering a question, connecting them to a service or sharing more about all of the wonderful aspects of Hoover at an event. I also really enjoy sharing about the beautiful diversity in our city. In my opinion, it’s one of Hoover’s greatest assets!
Best-Kept Secret in Town
Flemming Park’s Canoe Launch
The area surrounding Flemming Park’s canoe launch is sublime! The natural respites of our city that are nestled in with the hustle and bustle of the town offer rejuvenating opportunities to recharge and connect with nature.
T H A N K Y O U F O R
V O T I N G U S H O O V E R ’ S B E S T ! D O C T O R D E R M
5 3 4 6 S t a d i u m T r a c e P a r k w a y ( 2 0 5 ) 6 8 2 - 8 0 2 2 p u r e d e r m a l a b a m a . c o m
