Hoover Business Happenings - September 2022
Now Open
Chris Jeter, a resident of the Deer Valley community, in July opened a company called Player I Gaming that offers a video game truck for birthday parties, fundraisers, back-to-school parties, corporate events and more. His 24-foot-long trailer has space for 16 children inside, with five video screens inside the trailer and two outside. The trailer is equipped with Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Super Nintendo and virtual reality games. The business, while based in Hoover, operates within a 40-mile radius of the city. 205-603-9786
Patterson Builds is now open and offering handyman services. 205-739-4539
Dr. Mollie Helf purchased the dental practices of Dr. Neale Rhea Jr. (Faith Dental) and Dr. Charles Carter (Charles Carter DMD) and consolidated the two practices into one. She has rebranded as The Dental Boutique. The location is the same — 2642 Old Rocky Ridge Road. The new practice has 1,200 to 1,300 patients and is accepting new patients. Dr. Helf has been practicing about three years, but this is her first time to own her own practice. She opened as The Dental Boutique at the beginning of April. 205-987-1611
The 3 Paise Food Mart has opened inside the Riverchase Food Mart (BP gasoline station) at 3641 Lorna Road and serves food of Mexican, Honduran and El Salvadoran origin, including pupusas, tacos, gorditas, tamales, burritos, fried chicken, pollo con tajadas and omelettes. The restaurant also serves hamburgers and fries. 205-260-2943
Sam Keshwani has opened a Hispanic grocery store called 3 Friends Groceries in The Village on Lorna shopping center along Rocky Ridge Road. The store is 2,200 to 2,500 square feet, he said.
Jersey Mike’s Subs opened its restaurant in the Cahaba Market strip center at 5413 U.S. 280 on Aug. 10. The franchise owners are Kimberly and Angelo Crowell. The restaurant’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. 205-545-5199
Coming Soon
Dental Care of Hoover plans to open a new dental office at 2720 John Hawkins Parkway on an outparcel next to IHOP in the Colonial Promenade Hoover shopping center. The dentist is Dr. Lynn McMullan. 205-206-7113
Relocations and Renovations
Liz Lane Art Gallery recently moved from Homewood to Hoover at 2142 Tyler Road due to water damage in its old location, the company said in a Facebook post. Liz Lane Gallery represents a carefully selected group of emerging and established artists in the Birmingham area, according to its Facebook page.
River Bank and Trust, which just entered the Birmingham market in June, plans to close its temporary office on the fifth floor of The Offices at 3000 Riverchase and open its 21st location in Vestavia Hills in the Park South Plaza shopping center on U.S. 31, across from Mark’s Outdoors, by the end of the year, said Jack Hutcheson, a new assistant vice president and relationship manager for the Birmingham market. Brian Ethridge, a veteran banker in the Birmingham area, is serving as the regional president and has joined the bank’s executive management team. Other new hires include Vice Presidents Luke Kennedy, Erin Price, Charlie Sexton and Meghan Hicks and Assistant Vice President Jessica Brown.
The Aerotek staffing and recruiting agency is relocating from 100 Concourse Parkway, Suite 200, in Riverchase to 10,000 square feet on the 15th floor of The Offices at 3000 Riverchase, said Alan Paquette, property manager for the office tower. The lease is for five years, and the company hopes to occupy the space by late October, Paquette said.205-968-6130
ThinkGard, a data security company, is relocating from 160 Yeager Parkway, Suite 200, in Pelham to 5,000 square feet on the 11th floor of The Offices at 3000 Riverchase, said Alan Paquette, property manager for the office tower. The lease is for five years, and the company hopes to occupy the space by late October, Paquette said. 205-564-2734
Aligned Tek, a company that offers information technology service and support, voice and internet communication services, web design and digital marketing, has relocated from leased space at the 22 Inverness Building and additional space in downtown Birmingham to a 7,800-square-foot building the company bought and renovated at 2000 Resource Drive in Meadow Brook Corporate Park. Two affiliated companies, Lyons HR and Aligned Insurance, also are joining Aligned Tek in the Meadow Brook building. There are 18 employees there now, but the plan is to have 30-35 employees working there within the next year, Aligned Tek Vice President Kirby Watson said. 877-407-7888
Core Companies, a privately owned real estate development, management, brokerage and title company specializing in single-family homebuilding, and sister companies Prominence Homes and America’s Rental Managers are relocating their headquarters from 6,000 square feet at 2084 Valleydale Road to take up the entire 17th floor (20,000 square feet) of The Offices at 3000 Riverchase office tower next to the Riverchase Galleria. It is Core Companies’ third expansion in 10 years. Prier Construction is doing the buildout, and the companies should be in the new space by the end of the year, Prominence Homes Chief Development Officer Scott Underwood said. The new lease agreement is for nine years, said Alan Paquette, property manager for the office tower.
New Ownership
Hoover resident Ana Manzo purchased the Taqueria Mexico restaurant in the River Oaks Village shopping center at 3724 Lorna Road and renamed it Las Garzas Mexican Restaurant. She has added a few new menu items, such as cabrito costeno and la garza burritos. Hours are 11 am.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 205-989-5559
News and Accomplishments
Aho Architects won a contract to provide architectural services for new restrooms for the baseball and softball fields at both Hoover and Spain Park high schools. 205-983-6000
The Red Rock Realty Group expects to complete an exterior renovation of the Lake Crest Center at 2321 John Hawkins Parkway by Labor Day, said Jack Little, a principal and senior vice president for Red Rock Realty. The building has about 22,000 square feet and was about 33% occupied when Red Rock Realty bought it, Little said. With Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology moving into about 5,000 square feet since that time, the building now is about 50% occupied, Little said. The exterior renovation is costing more than $500,000, he said. 205-930-1799
Chicken Scratch Holdings has started construction of a Zaxby’s at 2071 Patton Chapel Road next to the Walmart Neighborhood Market. This Zaxby’s will not have indoor seating but should have outdoor seating for 16 people and a double-lane drive-through that should be able to hold 15 to 20 vehicles at a time.
American Pet Resorts has withdrawn its application for approval to have a Pet Paradise dog veterinary care, boarding and grooming facility with outdoor dog activity at the corner of Stadium Trace Parkway and Brock’s Gap Parkway. The company still has the option to put the same type of business at the location with no outdoor animal activity but was leaning toward abandoning that site for consideration, said Charlie Beavers, an attorney representing American Pet Resorts. 904-363-3330
Personnel Moves
American Family Care has promoted Jason Badyrka to chief operating officer. In his new position, he will oversee all daily administrative and operational functions of both the corporate and the franchise divisions to further align the company as one unified brand. Today, the AFC health care network includes more than 200 franchise locations and nearly 80 corporate-owned clinics and will open its 300th location later this year. The company expects to have 500 locations in the coming years. 205-403-8902
Anniversaries
BumperNets, America’s first table tennis store, is celebrating its 24th anniversary. BumperNets specializes in table tennis, billiards, game tables (such as foosball and air hockey), arcade games and pinball machines. Guests can play at the in-store arcade or book it for a birthday party. 205-987-2222
Closings
Dreamcakes closed both its Homewood bakery and Hoover cafe Aug. 13 after failing to reach a new lease agreement for its Edgewood location, the store owners announced on Facebook. The 13-year-old business thanked their “wonderful” customers and employees over the years. dreamcakescafe.com
Reggie and Michelle Torbor have at least temporarily closed the Taproot Cafe at 5190 Medford Drive in The Shoppes at Highway 150 Crossings. The restaurant’s menu included smoothies, paninis, salads, rice bowls and baked goods. 205-502-7781
Kome Japanese Cuisine has permanently closed its restaurant at 3076 John Hawkins Parkway.
Imperial Hair & Beauty Supply closed its store in the Hoover Square shopping center at 1662 Montgomery Highway at the end of June.
The Superior Grill restaurant at 4701 U.S. 280 closed permanently at the end of July.