NOW OPEN
Ashley Mac’s Kitchen
Ashley Mac’s Kitchen opened its fifth location in a 3,500-square-foot space in the Knox Square development across from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on July 10. The restaurant, owned by founder and executive chef Ashley McMakin and her husband, Andy McMakin, is at 5840 Elsie Road and is the first Ashley Mac’s to be built from the ground up and the first to be built in a new community, Andy McMakin said. Other locations are in Riverchase, Inverness, Homewood and Cahaba Heights. The general manager of the Knox Square location is Megan Waters. 205-360-0221
HBH Realty
HBH Realty has relocated its office from The Offices at 3000 Riverchase to a new 5,000-square-foot building in the Knox Square community across from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The new “concierge hub” is designed to be a one-stop shop for all the services people need when they are buying or selling real estate, with space for collaborative partners that handle everything from marketing to moving, lending money, home inspections, closing attorneys, title companies, organizers, stagers, closet solutions, photos, videos, fencing, pressure washing, electricity, windows, blinds, trim, security services, foundation repairs, landscaping, home remediation, short-term housing, corporate housing, rental options, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Jordan Hosey, managing broker and CEO of HBH Realty, said she expects to have 20 partners with permanent office space in the hub and 40 or so more who use the space on a come-and-go basis. A grand opening block party celebration was planned for Aug. 1.
Andrea Snyder
Farm Bowl + Juice Co. opened its second Birmingham-area location at 5846 Elise Road in the Knox Square development in Trace Crossings on July 11. The restaurant, owned by Andrea Snyder, is a plant-based wellness stop and offers acai bowls, oatmeal bowls, cold-pressed juices and smoothies. It also has a coffee bar serving coffee, espresso and lattes from Birmingham-based Seeds Coffee Co. The restaurant offers natural supplements such as colostrum and collagen and sources its produce locally through its Alabama farmer network. Synder opened the first Farm Bowl + Juice Co. in downtown Homewood in 2018. She is considering opening another corporate location in the Birmingham metro area and is actively pursuing franchises opportunities in the Southeast, she said. 205-326-7990
The Sticks N Stones cocktail bar, owned by Hoover resident Lantrice Green, opened in a 2,000-square-foot space at 5865 Elsie Road in the Knox Square development across from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on July 19.
Space Cadets, a residential closet design and organizing company, has opened a second location at 5890 Elsie Road in the Knox Square development across from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. A grand opening was held July 1. The other location is at 5287 U.S. 280 South, Suite 261 in the Brook Highland shopping center. Space Cadets is owned by Kim McBrayer. 205-277-0973
Articularis Rheumatology Specialists has opened a new practice at 4902 Valleydale Road to serve patients in Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood and the greater Birmingham area. The practice, led by Dr. Kurt Blake, offers diagnosis, treatment and management of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, osteoporosis and Sjögren’s syndrome. The office is equipped with advanced medical technology, on-site infusion therapy and in-house laboratory services. 205-677-5454
New Day Car Wash
New Day Car Wash has opened a new site at 5305 U.S. 280. next to Hamburger Heaven, marking the company’s fourth location in the Birmingham area. The car wash features New Day’s longest wash tunnel and is now the flagship location for the brand, which also operates in Vestavia Hills, Trussville and Fultondale, with a Tuscaloosa site planned. New Day offers customers a choice of four wash packages and monthly membership options.
Luxurious Linens, a custom bedding and fine linens business, has opened a space in The Mercantile by Miller store at 5287 U.S. 280, Suite 249. 205-789-3975
Neezo Studios, a creative marketing company based in Toronto for 20 years, has opened its first U.S. headquarters in Greystone in a 6,000-square-foot office space at 100 Village St., Suite 200. President, CEO and Founder Marvin Maalouf said in a press release he chose the Birmingham area because the Southeast is booming and Birmingham stands out as a thriving hub for innovation, real estate and culture. Neezo Studios does architectural scale model productions, renderings, animations, real estate software development, virtual reality and more. Its 3D animations are featured on all of HGTV’s “Property Brothers” shows, and the company work also has been featured on Netflix, Discovery +, A&E, Fox, FX and the Food Network.
Dog U Day Spa has opened a location at 5291 Valleydale Road. The business provides full-service grooming, bathing and a boutique experience tailored just for dogs, including haircuts and stylish accessories. 205-238-5787
COMING SOON
The Brock’s Gap Pharmacy plans to open soon at 5860 Elsie Road in the Knox Square development across from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The owners are pharmacist Patrick Devereux and Noel Chaney. Devereux, a Hoover resident, has practiced pharmacy for 20 years. He started in the industry with Eckerd Drug when he was 16. He graduated from Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in 2005 and spent 18 years at FMS Pharmacy in Bessemer. The last seven of those years, he was CEO of the parent company, Family Medical Services, which owned four stores in the Birmingham area. Chaney worked in commercial drug development and has a passion for custom compounding. Brock’s Gap Pharmacy will offer a wide selection of over-the-counter products, supplements, health items, gifts, home goods, event supplies, snacks, drinks and other items. 205-354-6080
NEW OWNERSHIP
Crazy Cajuns’ Boiling Pot has reopened on U.S. 280 in Inverness Plaza under new ownership. The longtime Cajun restaurant, located at 125 Inverness Plaza, closed June 21 after 28 years but reopened July 16 under the leadership of Dave Dempsey. Dempsey, who also owns Crawfish Warehouse in Jasper, said he plans to preserve the restaurant’s family recipes and traditions while continuing to serve longtime customers on the 280 corridor. The menu remains focused on Cajun staples, including jambalaya, po’ boys and other Louisiana-inspired dishes.
The team behind Edwards Chevrolet 280 has expanded its presence in Birmingham by acquiring the Carlock Honda dealership in Ensley. The dealership at 1813 Ensley Ave. was rebranded as Edwards Honda in June and is now locally owned and operated by Lee Edwards and Kevin Liles. Edwards, a family-run automotive group with more than 110 years of history, brings its legacy of customer service and family values to the Honda brand. Business operations were acquired, while the property remains under separate ownership. This marks the third ownership change for the Ensley dealership in three years.
Hotworx
The Hotworx franchise at 2786 John Hawkins Parkway in the Colonial Promenade Hoover shopping center has been acquired by Ann Marie Cerise and Melissa Grubbs. Hotworx is a 24-hour fitness studio with 10 patented infrared saunas. All workout sessions are led by virtual instructors and can be scheduled using an app. 205-438-6363
NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ABC 33/40, at 800 Concourse Parkway, Suite 200, won a 2025 Southeast Emmy Award for Daytime Newscast in a Medium Market for its 5 p.m. newscast coverage. The team included Megan Scarano, Valerie Bell, Austin Pratt, Riley Blackwell, Jeff Speelge, Josh LeBerte, Theo Brocato, Malik Banks and Bill Castle. 205-902-3809
CLOSINGS
Starz Karaoke Lounge, located at 5479 U.S. 280 Suite 118, announced its immediate closing on June 25 via its Facebook page after more than 20 years of operations.
