Homewood Star September 2025

HOMEWOOD, HOOVER, MOUNTAIN BROOK, VESTAVIA HILLS, TRUSSVILLE

The last supper at DeVinci’s

By TIM STEPHENS

The place was loud — not like a concert but with the warm buzz of every table full. Voices overlapped with the clatter of plates and the shuffle of servers balancing pastas, breadsticks and pizzas.

Somewhere to the right, laughter. To the left, a story told over the clink of a wine glass.

Our table was in the back, after a 45-minute wait in a crowd that seemed to be here for the same reason.

For 64 years, DeVinci’s Italian Restaurant had been part of Homewood’s heartbeat — a first date one night, a graduation dinner the next, a Sunday family meal after that. People marked time here with calzones, pasta bowls and Mona Lisa pizzas.

When the news broke on Instagram that DeVinci’s would close Aug. 10, memories poured in: first dates, anniversaries, after-game dinners, birthday parties. Calls came from as far away as Tokyo, asking for favorites to be shipped. In the month that followed, business jumped 30 percent.

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

If you blinked, you missed the public hearing about the potential rezoning of the former police station in downtown Homewood for a steakhouse and pocket park. Chris Underwood blinked.

In nearly the same breath, Jones opened and closed the proceeding.

“As we all know, and have been discussing, this item is strictly about zoning but the applicant has withdrawn plans,” Jones said. “We really don’t have a plan.

The Hollywood resident, who admits to having problems with her hearing, couldn’t make out what Homewood Council President Walter Jones said when he opened the public hearing at the Aug. 11 council meeting.

September 16th-18th Lunch and Learn Thursday, September 18 @ 12 :00 th

MEGAN CHERRY, MD

KRISTY CURL, DO

LAUREN HUGHEY, MD

JENNIFER BARES, MD

SHELLEY WINZELER, PA-C

CAROLINE WILSON, CRNP

TAYLOR HOLSOMBECK, CRNP

ANN BEVELLE, AESTHETICIAN

KAYLA FISCHER, AESTHETICIAN

Transform Your Skin with Advanced Laser Treatments

ABOUT US

Editor’s Note By Tim Stephens

This month’s edition of

The Homewood Star lands just as voters elected a new mayor and council on Aug. 26 — too late for our deadline. Visit TheHomewoodStar.com for full election coverage and what lies ahead.

On our cover, we mourn the loss of DeVinci’s Italian Restaurant.

After 64 years of serving iconic Mona Lisa pizzas and gathering generations of patrons, the restaurant closed Aug. 10.

Join us as we sit down for a last supper and explore what may fill that storied space next.

Also on the cover, a plan to develop a former police station into a steakhouse was withdrawn amid public criticism.

Solomon Crenshaw Jr., examines the issue.

Inside, we look at the plans to renovate Piggly Wiggly and profile John White, a Samford University senior who bounced back from two heart surgeries and crushed his goal of competing in the Tour de Cahaba cycling race in Homewood.

Thank you for joining us this month as we navigate Homewood’s past, present and future.

General

For advertising, contact: dan@starnesmedia.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: tstephens@starnesmedia.com

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Contributing Writers:

Dan Starnes

Tim Stephens

Jon Anderson

Kyle Parmley

Melanie Viering

Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jordyn Davis

Diane Poole

Homewood City Schools Foundation (7)

Homewood Environmental Commission (13)

Homewood Parks and Rec (32)

Issis & Sons (16)

Jefferson County Commission (7)

Jefferson County Department of Health (28)

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One Man & A Toolbox (22)

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School (11)

Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (9)

Piggly Wiggly (4)

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CITY

Homewood’s Piggly Wiggly to close temporarily as part of rebuild plan

By TIM STEPHENS

Homewood’s Piggly Wiggly will temporarily close as part of a long-anticipated renovation that would rebuild the grocery store at its current U.S. 31 location.

The plan was approved by the City Council’s Finance Committee on Aug. 18 and presented to the full council for a public hearing on Aug. 25, after press time.

The revised redevelopment plan marks a major shift from earlier proposals and reflects months of community feedback. Instead of relocating the store toward the back of the lot, the new design keeps the building in its current footprint, which city officials say improves traffic circulation, expands parking and enhances pedestrian safety near Shades Cahaba Elementary School.

“This store is going to look brand new,” developer Murray Legg told councilors during the committee meeting. “The outside’s going to look brand new, and also the inside. It’s going to look and feel just like a brand new store.”

Because the store will be rebuilt on the existing site, it will have to close during construction — a fact Mayor Alex Wyatt acknowledged while expressing optimism about community support.

“Rather than doing the building that you’ve all seen in the back, they are going to build a new building where the current building is, which does mean that the Pig will have to shut down for a little while,” Wyatt said. “But I feel confident that the community will come back to it quickly.”

Wyatt said the revised plan reduces the size of the requested tax incentive agreement from $3.5 million to $3 million.

“I really think that we have gotten to a version of it that is the best possible version,” he said. “We’re getting, in my opinion, a much better

Pig that we all want, and we’re getting it with incentives that are less.”

The updated layout includes a green space buffer near the pedestrian tunnel on U.S. 31 used by Shades Cahaba students. According to Legg, parking will also increase compared to the store’s current layout.

“Where we were going to put the store originally, we’ve turned that into parking. So that should be a good thing with the neighbors,” he said.

PARKING DECK LEASE FINALIZED

At its Aug. 11 meeting, the City Council approved a lease agreement with Dawson Memorial Baptist Church for shared use of its parking deck on Oxmoor Road. The agreement, pending final insurance approval, is intended to

ease parking demand in the Edgewood business district.

Councilor Andy Gwaltney said the deal had been discussed in various forms for years.

“It’s disappointing it took all that to get there, but we made it,” he said. “Parties involved in the original construction of the deck remembered a verbal understanding that the city could use the structure.”

OTHER ACTIONS IN AUGUST

The council approved a design services contract for Phase 4 of Homewood Public Library renovations and authorized the mayor to sign a lease with Navigate Wealth Management for third-floor office space in a city-owned building.

A proposal to address traffic safety at the intersection of Oxmoor Road and St. Charles

Street was carried over. Gwaltney said the city is continuing to gather feedback from nearby merchants before taking action. Options include restriping the area as two lanes or cross-hatching to eliminate a problematic turn.

In other votes, the council:

► Approved a retail beer and table wine license for Seeds Coffee Homewood LLC

► Accepted a $5,000 Jefferson County grant to help replace a broken washer-extractor used for firefighter turnout gear

► Authorized the purchase of replacement batteries for the city’s core server room

► Amended the current budget to allow for several internal transfers

► Reviewed and approved the city’s most recent voucher report

► Multiple public nuisance hearings were scheduled for Aug. 25 for properties on Woodale Lane, Broadway Street, Hall Avenue and Firefighter Lane. A separate public hearing that night addressed an amended development plan for 124 South Point Drive in the Southwood subdivision.

BUDGET REVIEW UNDERWAY

City Manager Greg Adams presented an initial $127 million budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 during the Aug. 18 Finance Committee meeting. The council was expected to review the plan again on Aug. 25, with public budget hearings scheduled for Sept. 9-11 and Sept. 23-25. A possible final wrap-up meeting is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Councilor Barry Smith said pre-meeting planning should help smooth the process this year. “It’s going to look a little different,” she said, noting that the hearings will include dedicated nights for capital projects, the general fund, other funding categories and employee-related issues.

Jefferson County hosts free Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Oct. 18

Many people do not know how to safely dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) — including paint, automotive products, and household or outdoor chemicals — leading to serious safety and environmental issues.

“HHW should never be emptied into sinks or drains, flushed down toilets, poured onto the ground, discarded in storm drains, or placed in regular trash for pickup,” said Hana Berres, Stormwater Education Training Manager for the Jefferson County Roads and Transportation Department.

That’s why Jefferson County is sponsoring a free, public Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day on Oct. 18, from 8-11:30 a.m., at two locations:

• Camp Bessemer: 3295 King Street

• Camp Ketona: 121 County Shop Road

There is no fee to attend, but participants must be Jefferson County residents.

This event allows residents to safely dispose of HHW from their garages, basements, kitchens, and bathrooms, along with TVs, electronics, and paper for shredding. The county requests that items be sorted, with like items kept together.

WHY HHW SHOULD NOT GO IN THE TRASH

Improperly disposing of HHW in household garbage sends it to residential landfills not designed to handle hazardous materials — unlike specialized hazardous waste facilities.

“Residential landfills aren’t equipped to manage items like cleaning chemicals, oil-based paints, batteries, fire extinguishers, or mercury-containing items such as thermometers and old thermostats,” Berres said.

She added that HHW in residential landfills poses a risk to waste workers and can leach harmful chemicals into the environment.

When chemicals are tossed into trash cans, they may be compressed together by trash compactors, producing dangerous vapors.

“For example, mixing bleach and ammonia from two separate households can be particularly hazardous,” Berres said.

There’s also a long-term consequence.

“The faster we fill up landfills, the faster we have to build more — and no one wants to live next to one,” Berres said. “Building landfills is also expensive.”

ACCEPTED HHW ITEMS INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):

• Automotive products: such as oil, gas, tires with no rims, batteries, cleaners, degreasers and filters.

• Household products: including aerosols, chemicals, cleaners, batteries, and light bulbs and tubes

• Outdoor products: including insecticides, pool chemicals, yard chemicals, and septic tank additives.

• Paint products: such as paints, resins, sealants, stains, solvents, adhesives, thinners, turpentine, varnishes, and wallpaper cement.

• Miscellaneous items: including fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, mercury, and household cooking oil and grease.

THE COUNTY WILL ALSO ACCEPT

SPECIAL RECYCLABLES, INCLUDING:

• No. 1 and 2 plastic bottles

• Aluminum cans

• Glass bottles (any color)

WANT MORE INFORMATION? See a full list of accepted items and event details online or in the app.

• Call: 205-325-8741

• Web: jccal.org

• App: Download the MyJeffCo App or scan the QR code

BACK TO SCHOOL ‘25

The night-before jitters and the morning-of excitement are all part of the back-to-school tradition. With fresh outfits laid out, backpacks packed, and smiles (and maybe a few sleepy faces), Homewood students put their best foot forward for a brand-new school year. Submitted photos.

In the Classroom

GET TO KNOW

Christie Morman, Homewood High teacher

By STAFF

Christie Morman teaches AP Psychology at Homewood High School.

Q: How long have you been a teacher and what subject do you teach?

A: I have been a teacher for 30 years, and currently I teach AP Psychology. … I’ve taught a lot of things, but AP Psychology is my favorite — and that’s what I’ve done here at Homewood for 20 years.

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: I would say one of the biggest things that inspired me to become a teacher was seeing my mom and both my aunts as teachers and how they made a difference in people’s lives.

Q: Tell us about your favorite teacher from when you were in school.

A: My favorite teacher was Ms. Hall in high school geometry. I had a really hard time with geometry in high school, and she was always there to help me before school, after school, anytime, and just was sincere and compassionate and understanding.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher?

A: The most rewarding part of being a teacher — there are lots — I think is knowing that you can make a difference in the life of a child. Very few jobs give you that opportunity, and sometimes it takes years to see that, but it happens when you’ve been around long enough. And that’s just the most rewarding thing; knowing that I’ll make a difference for the rest of their life, hopefully, because of my actions.

ACCOLADES

Homewood student excels in Taekwondo

By STAFF

Claire Mitchell, a junior at Homewood High School, recently participated in the American Taekwondo Association Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mitchell competed in three events at the World Championships by placing in the top 10 in the world with points accumulated throughout the year. On July 24, Mitchell was crowned World Champion in Traditional Forms with a score of 24 points, edging the top seed by one point.

The following day, she competed in Combat Weapons and Traditional Sparring competitions, winning the silver medal in Traditional Sparring.

GIVE 189 CAMPAIGN BEGINS

The Homewood City Schools Foundation has launched its annual “Give 189” campaign — encouraging families to donate $1 for each of the 189 days teachers work during the school year. Donations help fund classroom innovations, teacher development, technology and more across all five Homewood schools.

Since 1994, the Foundation has worked to enhance education for every student and teacher in the system.

To contribute, visit homewoodcityschoolsfoundation.com/give189.

3 SELECTED FOR ASFA

Three Homewood students have been accepted into the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) for the 2025-26 school year.

The students — Atlas Phillips (Math and Science), Jace Sanders (Music) and Olive Gratton (Theatre Arts) — are among 100 new enrollees from across Alabama at the state-funded public school, which specializes in intensive education in the arts, math and science.

Located in downtown Birmingham, ASFA serves students in grades 7-12 with a curriculum that combines advanced academics and daily concentration in a chosen discipline: creative writing, dance, music, theatre arts, visual arts or advanced math and science. The school currently enrolls about 350 students.

2025 Education Guide

special advertising section

The Dance Foundation celebrates 50 years of joy, connection, creativity

For 50 years and counting, The Dance Foundation has been more than just a place to dance — it’s a place to grow, connect, and celebrate movement in all its forms.

Our creative and welcoming approach to teaching dance honors both the art form and the individual — inspiring joy, confidence, and community.

Our Programs Include:

► Dance PARTNERS

► Space RENTAL

► Studio CLASSES

Through these programs, we widen the circle — expanding ideas about what dance is and who a dancer can be — so that students and audiences alike can explore and belong. We believe that dance unites us in our joy and shared humanity.

Dance PARTNERS brings dance into schools and community organizations, engaging and impacting students who are very young, have disabilities or learning differences, or need academic support.

Space RENTAL offers studio space for artists to teach, rehearse, and perform, allowing them to connect with their communities through the benefits of dance.

Studio CLASSES inspire dancers of all ages and abilities. We meet each dancer where they are and encourage lifelong exploration and study. Our teaching approach and curriculum engage the imagination and nurture creative growth. Students gain a strong technical foundation in dance, along with the confidence and self-discipline essential to mastering the art. Live music is a key

THE DANCE FOUNDATION

► Where: 1715 27th Ct. S., Homewood

► Call: 205-870-0073

► Web: thedancefoundation.org

component of classes for young children through first grade.

Our state-of-the-art facility is located in downtown Homewood and features five studios, each equipped with two-way glass observation areas.

Visit our website to learn more, donate, and register for classes!

Alabama School of Fine Arts offers a tuition-free pathway to excellence in arts, math and science

The Alabama School of Fine Arts is where talent meets opportunity. ASFA offers a tuition-free (yes, free!), state-funded public education for Alabama’s most driven students in grades 7–12 who want to pursue excellence in the arts, math, and science. Located in downtown Birmingham, ASFA combines robust academics with intensive specialty study in six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, or MathScience.

In the morning, students take academic coursework that surpasses state diploma standards. Students spend the afternoon in their selected specialty with focused hours of study under the guidance of accomplished teaching artists and experts in their fields. This deep-dive approach fosters creative growth, discipline, and readiness for advanced study and leadership.

ASFA students benefit from a comprehensive school structure that includes AP and honors courses, expert faculty, a full-time college counselor, and boarding facilities for non-local students — ensuring every student has the support and resources they need to thrive.

The 64 members of ASFA’s Class of 2025 continued the legacy of excellence

ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS

► Grades: 7-12

► Where: 1800 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.

► Call: 205-252-9241

► Web: asfaschool.org

with an impressive $19.1 million in merit scholarship offers, the majority of which are renewable. Three 2025 graduates began their careers with professional dance companies. Four of the 2025 graduates received offers at early medical school acceptance programs. There were 10 National Merit Scholars.

Over the past five years, ASFA students have collectively earned $48.57 million in merit scholarships, a testament to sustained achievement and the school’s success in preparing students for competitive collegiate opportunities.

Prospective students and families are invited to learn more at ASFA’s Open House on Sat., Oct. 18 (sessions at 9 AM, 10 AM, or 11 AM) or visit the school’s website to explore admissions, tour the campus, and see firsthand how ASFA blends rigorous study with creative passion.

ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS

OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY, OCT. 18, 2025

SESSIONS BEGIN AT 9 AM, 10 AM, & 11 AM NO REGISTRATION NECESSARY

Experience the Difference at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School

At Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School (OLS School), we’re more than just a school — we’re a family. Our close-knit community of students, families, and staff creates a nurturing, faith-filled environment where every child is seen, supported, and celebrated — from 3K through 8th grade. This unique family atmosphere allows us to foster the religious, academic, and social development of each student in ways that set us apart from other schools.

A CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION ROOTED IN EXCELLENCE

Our comprehensive academic curriculum is grounded in Christian values and enriched with opportunities that help students grow in both faith and knowledge. Highlights of our offerings include:

► Advanced Math & STEM Program

► Robotics (including a competitive after-school team)

► Spanish Language Instruction

► Fine Arts & Leadership Development

► Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Atrium)

► Competitive Athletics

► Before & After-School Care

Younger students benefit from a healthy hallway sensory path designed to support early development, while all students

— from preschool through 8th grade — enjoy an immersive library experience that fosters a love of reading and lifelong learning.

Additionally, our dedicated school counselor and resource teachers ensure that each child receives the guidance and academic support they need to thrive.

ACCREDITED. ACCLAIMED. ACHIEVING.

OLS School is proudly accredited by

Come take a tour, meet our awardwinning faculty, and learn how you can apply! ASFA is a 7-12th grade public, tuition-free school for talented and passionate students. Located in Birmingham, AL with boarding available for grades 9-12.

OUR LADY OF SORROWS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

► Grades: 3K through eighth grade

► Where: 1720 Oxmoor Road

► Call: 205-879-3237

► Web: olsschool.com

Cognia, underscoring our commitment to academic excellence. Many of our graduates go on to receive prestigious scholarships and academic honors, including recognition as National Merit Scholar finalists — testament to the strong academic foundation they receive at OLS School.

COME SEE THE OLS DIFFERENCE

We invite you to discover what makes OLS School such a special place. Learn more at olsschool.com or schedule a personal tour by calling 205-879-3237. Tuition assistance is available. We are committed to working with families to explore options for making an OLS School education accessible.

At OLS School, we’re growing our children in knowledge and faith every day!

BUSINESS

Business Buzz

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

NOW OPEN

Colina WeHo, a new luxury apartment community at 8 W. Oxmoor Rd., marked its grand opening with a ribbon cutting on July 31. The Homewood development features one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and carriage-style homes, along with amenities such as a resort-style pool, yoga studio, co-working spaces and EV charging stations. WeHo is now leasing. colinaweho. com

National staffing franchise

AtWork has opened a new office in Homewood at 231 State Farm Parkway, near Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Moe’s Southwest Grill. The franchise is locally owned by Dominick Macri, a former Boeing engineering manager who relocated from Washington in search of a new venture. Drawn to AtWork’s mission of connecting job seekers with businesses, Macri plans to open a second location in the Birmingham area. AtWork places nearly 50,000 workers annually across multiple industries. AtWork.com

COMING SOON

Swing Away Golf Club will hold its soft opening Sept. 10 at 100 Frankfurt Circle. The PGA‑certified venue will feature four bays with launch-monitor technology and offer four membership options. Customers can practice, play simulated rounds on hundreds of courses, compete with friends or family, and purchase golf equipment and installation services.

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Homewood Public Library has been selected as one of only eight libraries nationwide to participate in the American Library Association’s “Libraries as Literacy

Centers” initiative. Funded by the Mellon Foundation, the two-year project will expand the library’s English Language Learning, Workforce Development, and Digital Literacy programs through new partnerships, resources, and specialized training.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s National Alumni Society recently honored 40 of the fastest-growing businesses led by UAB alumni with its inaugural Blazer Fast 40 Awards. Winners were selected based on verified revenue growth and recognized during a ceremony at UAB’s Hill Student Center. Winners with ties to Homewood included several businesses with headquarters in the city: Sherry Hartley, president of Alabama Goods, which sells locally made gifts and goods from its store on 18th Street South in downtown Homewood; Ryan Tripp, CFO of BluePenguin Payments, a payment processing firm based at 1900 28th Avenue South in Homewood; Brady McLaughlin, CEO of GoRescue Brands, headquartered at 211 Summit Parkway in Homewood, which provides lifesaving training, AEDs and other emergency preparedness.

ANNIVERSARIES

Urban Air Adventure Park recently celebrated nine years at its Homewood location, 800 Green Springs Highway. The park offers attractions such as go-karts, a warrior course, dodgeball and the Tubes playground, and serves as a venue for birthdays, church events, corporate gatherings and family outings. 205-916-0123, urbanair.com

Renew Dermatology is celebrating seven years at its Homewood location, 1651 Independence Court #211. Renew offers clients both medical and cosmetic dermatology, physician-grade skincare, aesthetician services, Emsella treatments and other related procedures. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Renew Dermatology has one other location in Greystone. 205-580-1500, renewdermatology.net

Swaddle Kids has been open at 2825 18th St. S., Suite 101, for three years. The store carries clothing, shoes and accessories for girls and boys, as well as backpacks, toys and more. Swaddle also offers ear piercing in-store. Shoppers can visit the store Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-870-3503, swaddlekidsonline.com

Vaco is celebrating 17 years recruiting talent from its office at 1900 28th Ave. S., Suite 250. The company specializes in executive searches, direct hires and contract

The Homewood Star is spotlighting local businesses in print and online. Submit your business for consideration here: go.starnesmedia.com/business-spotlight

Do you have news to share about a business in Homewood or the greater Birmingham area? Let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings

staffing to help companies find the personnel they need. Vaco is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-414-9599, vaco.com

U4ic Yoga is celebrating its fourth year in Homewood at 2926 Central Ave. The yoga studio encourages clients to “just show up,” while gaining strength, flexibility and mental clarity with each class. Instructors guide clients of every skill and ability level through a variety of sessions. 205-874-9333, u4icyoga.com

Edgar’s Bakery has been open at 2713 18th St. S. for four years. Known for cakes, cupcakes and sweet treats, the bakery also serves sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. Open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. 205-987-0790, edgarsbakery.com

The Christopher Collection, an interior design store at 2913 Linden Ave., is celebrating its fourth anniversary. The store curates luxury home decor, art, lighting, furniture, bedding and more from top designers. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-719-3206, christophercollection.com

Otey’s Tavern has been open at 924 Oxmoor Road for two years. Its original location in Mountain Brook has been a community favorite for decades. The Homewood location serves burgers, wings, salads and more, with live music on weekends. Open Monday through Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. 205-639-1721, oteystavern.com

Avadian Credit Union celebrates two years at its office at 2200 Lakeshore Drive. While it does not offer standard branch services, the location houses business services experts to assist clients with loans, planning and other needs.

888-282-3426, avadiancu.com

Honest Coffee Roasters is celebrating two years at 960 Oxmoor Road in Edgewood. The shop serves freshly roasted coffee, smoothies, acai bowls and more. Open Monday–Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 205-593-4566, honestedgewood.com

SPOTLIGHT

Pawsitivly perfect

facilities like this in the area. Calvin has been training dogs for 22 years.

He’s helped train thousands of dogs.

We knew when we were given the opportunity to move over here to Homewood, we had to take it,” Hill said.

Both Brown and Hill share a deep love for animals, but their beginnings couldn’t have been more different.

By MALIA RIGGS

Dog U has arrived in Homewood, opening earlier this year, and it’s not your typical doggy daycare. Built on a foundation of friendship, trust and more than two decades of training experience, this locally owned facility offers more than playtime and pet baths to our four legged furry friends.

Dog U, located at 2706 19th St. S in Homewood, specializes in personalized care through structured daycare, boarding, grooming, private lessons and hands-on training, all guided by a training-first philosophy. Behind it all are co-owners Calvin Brown and Tyler Hill, best friends turned business partners, who built a business rooted in intentional care and a deep understanding of dogs’ behavioral needs.

“There's not a lot of training

Brown’s journey started with fear, he was terrified of dogs after run-ins with aggressive neighborhood pets. That changed when his family adopted a dog, sparking a fascination that quickly grew into passion.

“I absorbed everything about dogs once my family had one. I had every single dog encyclopedia I could find.

I made my mom get “Dog Fancy, Dog Wear.” and all those magazines. I just absorbed everything I could get my hands on,” Brown said.

Hill’s experience with animals began on a farm, where he said he’d been around animals his whole life.

That background eventually led to his friendship with Brown, formed while the two worked together at a previous facility. They quickly developed a close bond that extended beyond the workplace.

When the opportunity came to launch their own business, they jumped at the chance in 2018. Since then, their partnership has helped

them navigate challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a canine flu outbreak and a building move, all of which tested their commitment to the business, the dogs they help and to each other.

Dog U’s training programs are designed to help lay behavioral foundations, and owners are expected to be active participants in the process through follow-up lessons and reinforcement at home. This partnership between trainer and owner ensures lasting results, Brown confirmed.

The team at Dog U focuses on each dog’s individual needs, emphasizing structured playgroups, specialized boarding arrangements and ongoing education for owners. The facility is intentionally designed to avoid overstimulation, something Brown and Hill believe can be a problem in traditional daycares.

“We just don't throw all dogs out there. We actually assess dogs and place them where they’d have the most fun and for them to socialize properly. I think a lot of people would be shocked to know how detailed we are when it comes to placing dogs in groups and placing them for boarding.” Brown said.

Instead of offering all-day play, dogs at Dog U engage in timed sessions based on their temperament, energy levels and social preferences.

This approach also applies to boarding, where dogs are grouped by behavior and comfort level, active dogs are housed together, while older or more mellow pets enjoy quieter spaces, Hill confirmed.

Brown confirmed that Dog U’s commitment to personalized care extends to its grooming and training methods. Rather than using a onesize-fits-all approach, trainers adapt their techniques based on each dog’s learning style. This ensures that dogs aren’t just well-behaved, but also happy and confident.

Both Brown and Hill stated that the

most rewarding part of running Dog U is witnessing the growth of both dogs and their owners through the training process, with a strong focus on building trust. Not only between trainer and pet but also with every client who walks through the door.

As Dog U settles their paws in Homewood, it continues to earn a reputation for care, consistency and thoughtful training. Each dog is treated as an individual, and every service is carefully designed not just to train, but to create lasting bonds that help both pets and their owners truly thrive together.

When people with extraordinary talent and passion are given the technology, the facilities, and the support, they achieve great things. The discoveries and innovations happening today will help shape the future of treatments and lead to cures. And it benefits not only the patients and families who come to Children’s of Alabama, but people across the country and around the world for years to come.

Sips and Bites

GET TO KNOW

Patricia Smith, Dunkin’ Donuts

By TIM STEPHENS

Q: How long have you been working here at Dunkin’ Donuts, and what do you like about it?

A: I've been working here six months. I really enjoy making the drinks. I love it when the customers come in and make my day.

Q: Do you have a favorite thing on the menu?

A: The chicken bacon croissant — that's my favorite.

Q: What is probably the most popular thing that people buy at Dunkin’ Donuts?

A: Can I name two? So basically they get avocado toast and sweet black pepper bacon, which is really famous too. Those are the two items most customers order.

Q: There are lots of different styles of coffee and drinks and the way people like it. What is probably the most popular way that people order a coffee here?

A: Frozen mocha. Basically what I do is put some mocha swirls in the cup first, then I put the ingredients in there with some whipped cream, put the mocha syrup on there and put hot chocolate toppings. It’s amazing. A lot of people like it.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not at work?

A: Be a mom. I have a daughter who is 11. She's my pride and joy. She is in the seventh grade. I'm super excited. She's an honor student, so I'm a very proud mom.

The team at ENT Associates includes 15 board-certified physicians, 5 licensed PAs, and 18 clinical audiologists across 10 locations, including a new satellite office in Clanton, all dedicated to your care. We prioritize your health, treating every patient with personal attention and compassion.

We offer same-day, early morning, evening, and Saturday appointments. Call 1-888-ENT-5020 (1-888-368-5020), visit entalabama.com, or scan the QR code to connect with us online.

SPOTLIGHT

Aden Cafe offers Arabian flavors and late-night treats in Homewood

By JORDYN DAVIS

Aden Cafe and Ice Cream, at 221 Lakeshore Parkway, Suite 101, brings a mix of American and Middle Eastern flavors to Homewood with coffee, desserts and ice cream — and is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight.

Barista Lynn King has been working at the family-owned shop since about three weeks after its opening in February.

“My personal favorite off the menu has got to be the traditional kanafeh,” King said. “It’s super good and you can’t get it from many places around here. It’s a Palestinian dessert. It’s got a fried dough base and goat cheese, and it’s really nice and unique to the area. I also love the Biscoff crepe.”

King said Aden Cafe offers a mix of American-style coffees plus Italian, Arabic and Middle Eastern fusion-style coffees.

She enjoys the “fact that it is family-owned. It’s such a small business and there’s only two of us who aren’t a direct part of the family on staff,” she said.

Popular items include the Dubai strawberry cup and the Dubai chocolate milkshake, latte and ice cream.

Aden Cafe and Ice Cream is open 7 a.m. to midnight every day.

“It’s really kind of a unique thing to put in the Birmingham area, since there’s not a whole lot of Arabian places. We have a lot of the community coming in, especially those who don’t want to be in the bar scene. They come in here to chill, eat and meet with friends without being in environments that are just for drinking.”

How Full Moon Bar-B-Que fed Alabama on Labor Day weekend

By DIANE POOLE

In Alabama, it doesn’t get much bigger — college football kickoff collides with Labor Day weekend, and the state’s appetite for barbecue goes into overdrive. UAB played Aug. 28, Auburn on Aug. 29, Alabama on Aug. 30 — and by Monday, it was wall-to-wall cookouts, tailgates and family feasts.

For Full Moon Bar-B-Que, the four-day stretch was the ultimate test. Across its 16 locations — including 337 Valley Avenue in Homewood — volume jumped by about 30% compared to a normal weekend, with about 280 to 300 employees on deck to meet demand. “Labor Day is one of those weekends where our pits never cool down,” said co-owner David Maluff.

The combination of football’s opening week and a major holiday made for a perfect storm of orders — ranging from small family gatherings to large corporate events and stadium-size tailgates. “On Labor Day weekend, we sell enough ribs to fill about four to five pickup truck beds,” Maluff said.

National trends underscored the demand.

According to the National Barbecue & Grilling Association, 63% of Americans celebrating Labor Day planned to grill or barbecue, and 47% of U.S. grill owners fired up their grills on Labor Day — making it the second most popular grilling holiday after the Fourth of July.

Preparation for the big weekend began about a week in advance. “We make prep about a week ahead of time — making sure all our stores have placed orders for extra ingredients, confirming inventory meets customer demands, ensuring all staff is in place and scheduling food prep accordingly,” said co-owner Joe Maluff.

From there, it was an all-hands-on-deck

operation. Pit masters arrived before sunrise — sometimes as early as midnight — to get the hickory wood pits smoking. Kitchen staff prepped sides, trimmings and desserts. “For those who don’t understand the life of a pit master or line cook on Labor Day weekend, just watch the smoke billow from the chimneys,” David Maluff said. “As long as that smoke is rising, the meat is being smoked, the ingredients are being prepped and the trimmings and desserts are in and out of the ovens.”

One of the keys to managing the rush was Full Moon’s point-of-sale (POS) system, which tracks ordering patterns year-round. “Our POS system gives us the data throughout the year on everything ordered, so we know what a regular day looks like versus a major holiday weekend like Labor Day,” Maluff said.

Though the company plays it modest when asked about the biggest single order ever fulfilled, they handled everything from corporate luncheons to stadium-size tailgates. As for logistical challenges, David Maluff summed it up simply: “Having enough room in the dining room for everyone who wants to be there.”

to

BUSINESS

Kings put their hearts into Antique Market on Linden

By SARAH OWENS

In the heart of Homewood, Antique Market on Linden offers more than vintage furniture — it offers what owner Linda King calls “curated warmth,” shaped by decades of family influence and a love of layered design.

“My husband and I, Chip King, we own the store,” King said. “He retired from a construction company probably about four years ago, and I let him not work for about three months. And then I said, ‘Hey, I've got a great idea,’ because we were vendors at another shop, and they closed, and we decided that we wanted to continue doing this. So we started our own place. We started this place in 2022.”

Antiques are part of their family history. “My mother-in-law was a designer, and she had an antique store in Cahaba Heights for years. And so I always was there and helping her work and do stuff. And so it's always kind of been in our blood,” she said. “My father was a builder, and my mother helped design the houses that he built. And so it was just kind of in both of our blood, and we loved doing it. We loved decorating and curating.”

From the start, the Kings wanted to create a space that felt like home. “We wanted it to be a place where you could come in and see how things would look in your house, so not just furniture just placed in here, but where it really looks like different rooms and vignettes,” King said. “It's curated very well. And, you know, people can see how things actually would look when they take them out.”

The shop opened with six vendors and currently has four. “When somebody decides to retire or leave, I just kind of keep taking over their space, because I enjoy decorating

so much,” she said.

The Kings source inventory through travel and local leads. “We have children that live in Maine and in Indiana and in Mobile, so we do a lot of traveling to go see grandchildren, and we can acquire stuff... in New Orleans and other places,” King said. “People know that we buy, so we get calls from people, and there’s always somebody walking in here every day at least. Just say, ‘I got some stuff’ — which is a great way that we get stuff.”

The result is a layered, eclectic style. King described her aesthetic as a blend of leather textures, French antiques and what she called a “more Ralph Lauren” look. “It's very eclectic stuff mixed together,” she said. “I think you can take one really, really nice piece, and then add — just kind of keep adding layers — and it just makes it. It kind of all comes together.”

Popular items include “things with straight lines,” King said. “We have fabulous artwork here... we keep really good art in here, good mirrors too.”

In addition to antiques, the shop carries accessories, gifts and soft goods. “I carry candles and pillows. I have a new pillow line from a girl that makes them locally — her company’s called Pillow Talk,” she said.

Many customers are decorators shopping for clients — some of whom prefer to keep the store under the radar. “They don't really like me to talk about it, because it's kind of their — they think it's their secret,” King said. “But it's not, but they think it is.”

Asked what customers say they appreciate most, King said, “They love the way the store is curated. They love that it's clean. They love that it always smells good in here. It's mainly just that everything is curated, and you can

It’s curated very well ... people can see how things actually would look when they take them out.

LINDA KING

really tell how it looks and how it would look decorated in your own [home].”

The shop is located at 2828 Linden Avenue in Homewood. New arrivals are posted weekly on Instagram and Facebook under the name Antique Market on Linden.

MEDICAL GUIDE 2025 FALL

Keep young eyes healthy this school year

The back-to-school season is upon us. And that means it’s time to prioritize your children’s eye health. From fall sports to time spent in the classroom, UAB Callahan Eye is committed to ensuring young eyes are healthy and ready for the school year ahead.

Children participating in sports and outdoor activities should protect their eyes to prevent injury. Wearing polarized sunglasses, sport goggles or wide-brimmed hats are good ways to shield eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Taking protective measures during learning hours is also important. When looking at digital screens, children should take frequent breaks to rest and prevent dry or tired eyes. While reducing screen time can be challenging, it is important to protect children’s eyes.

There’s also no better time to schedule an eye checkup than at the beginning of the school year. UAB Callahan Eye’s seven pediatric-focused clinicians are committed to providing

UAB CALLAHAN EYE

► 1720 University Blvd. ► 844-UAB-EYES ► uabcallahaneye.org

the best care for your children’s eyes. With multiple locations across central Alabama, it’s easy to get a check-up and then get back to life.

At UAB Callahan Eye, worldclass pediatric optometrists and ophthalmologists are ready to treat your entire family. And if emergencies arise, there’s care available at the nation’s only 24/7 freestanding eye emergency department. It’s no wonder Alabama parents have trusted their families with Callahan for the past 60 years.

Making an appointment today is so simple. Find a location near you and start protecting your child’s vision at uabcallahaneye.org.

TherapySouth providing ‘Hands On Care, Close to Home — and Work!’

Q: What makes TherapySouth stand out in the physical therapy industry?

A: TherapySouth is a private, physical therapist-owned practice that has been serving the greater Birmingham communities for over 15 years. Our numerous convenient locations across the metro area allows us to live out our message of providing “Hands On Care, Close to Home — and Work!”. Our staff develop relationships with each patient and truly make the clinic environment feel like a family. With access to quality physical therapy care, we believe we can help our community live better, healthier lives!

Q: Why should someone see a physical therapist?

A: Most often, patients are referred to one of our clinics by their orthopedic surgeon or primary care physician to assist with recovery from an injury or procedure. But, physical therapy is beneficial to anyone seeking pain relief and improved function. The physical therapy approach is to evaluate the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems and

address movement limitations or malalignments that are affecting mobility and causing pain. When patients come to physical therapy first, they can often avoid unnecessary surgery and medication. Through intentional exercises and

hands-on treatment, patients can get back to their hobbies, everyday tasks and more.

Q: Do I need a doctor’s referral to schedule an appointment at TherapySouth?

A: Patients are able to schedule an appointment without a physician’s referral. Your therapist will perform an initial evaluation to determine if therapy is appropriate for you. They will work with your primary care physician, or

THERAPYSOUTH

► therapysouth.com

LOCATIONS

LAKESHORE: ► 1280 Columbiana Road ► 205-968-1283

SOHO: ► 2610 19th St. S. ► 205-558-6400

physician specialist to create your best care plan. To schedule an appointment, patients can call the clinic directly or visit our website to check appointment availability and set up an initial visit.

Q: What would you like potential patients to know about your practice?

A: We take our core values very seriously. We are a company based on faith that believes in family, integrity, service, compassion, fitness, perseverance, and giving. We try to instill these values in all our employees and encourage them to live them out not only at work as professionals, but also in their personal lives.

Confused about Medicare? Local expert

Eric Smith helps you navigate with confidence

Navigating Medicare can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Eric Smith, a licensed insurance broker and owner of Medicare Advisors of Alabama, shares practical insights and reassuring advice for anyone trying to make sense of their Medicare options. With a no-pressure approach and a focus on education over sales, the Medicare Advisors of Alabama team helps clients understand their choices and make confident decisions about their coverage.

Q: Why does Medicare feel so confusing?

A: For most of our lives, health insurance is provided by our employer, and we’re rarely involved in the decision-making process. Then suddenly, we reach the “magical” age of 65 and are told to make a major decision — or face penalties. The lack of experience, pressure to choose the right option, and the overwhelming number of choices can create a tremendous amount of stress.

Q: How can Medicare Advisors of Alabama help?

A: We’re a group of local insurance brokers licensed to represent most of the available plans in Alabama. But before we start talking about insurance options, we begin by helping you understand the basics of Medicare. We take time to listen and get to know you and your unique situation. Then we provide the information you need to make an informed, pressure-free decision.

Q: Why does someone need a broker/ adviser?

A: With so many advertisements and plans available, it’s almost impossible to sort everything out on your own. A good broker will help you understand the pros and cons of each insurance product and work to find the best

MEDICARE ADVISORS OF ALABAMA ► 2116 Columbiana Road ► 205-704-9020 ► medicareadvice.org

solution for your needs.

Q: What is AEP?

A: AEP, or the Annual Enrollment Period, runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. If you’re already enrolled in Medicare, this is the time each year when you can make changes to your plan for the upcoming year.

Q: How do you get paid?

A: We receive commissions from insurance companies when we complete an enrollment. Almost every Medicare plan we represent pays the same commission, so there’s no financial incentive for us to recommend one plan over another. Our mission is to offer helpful advice — not to sell you a plan.

Q: What other insurance do you help with besides Medicare?

A: In addition to Medicare, we help with individual health insurance — commonly referred to as “Obamacare” or “Marketplace Insurance.” We also represent a variety of supplemental insurance products such as dental, vision, life, travel, cancer, and hospital indemnity plans.

Q: How does your service work?

A: It’s simple. Call our office at 205-704-9020 and tell us a little about your situation. We’ll recommend either a one-on-one in-person meeting, a phone call, a Zoom meeting, or one of our “Prepare for Medicare” classes.

It can be overwhelming to sift through ALL the Medicare plan options and decide which one to choose. Who can you trust to show you the options that are best for you? All the advertisers offer to give you advice, but they’re just trying

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► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,726 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Homewood

► LIST PRICE: $750,000

► SALE PRICE: $805,000

► ADDRESS: 1725 Windsor Blvd.

► BED/BATH: 3/1.5

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,351 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Samford University area

► LIST PRICE: $300,000

$408,000

► SALE PRICE: $330,000

SOURCE: GREATER ALABAMA MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE

Home Instead leads the way

Home Instead is a long-established, locally owned business that offers the finest, most compassionate non-medical, in-home care services for seniors and their families in the Birmingham area.

Owner Dan Pahos was inspired to open Home Instead by his personal experience – caring for his own aging parents in Minnesota. He quit his job selling industrial supplies and opened the Birmingham franchise of Home Instead – the first in Alabama – in 1997.

His driving purpose in running the business hasn’t changed in 28 years.

“Our mission is to enhance the lives of seniors and those who love them,” Pahos said. “We give families a way to allow an aging loved one to age in place, in the comfort of their own home, wherever that may be.”

Based in Vestavia Hills, Home Instead stands apart from its competition, in part due to its extensive employee training. “Each CAREGiver receives a two-day, in-person, instructor-led training on all the equipment used in a home, and we know of no other non-medical agency in town that provides that level of initial training, as well as ongoing training,” Pahos said.

Home Instead offers the best customer service, with highly trained client service managers, including a social worker, who develop detailed care plans and provide ongoing case management. “This is all included for free in our hourly rates,” Pahos said.

Home Instead also has loyal, dedicated employees.

“Our administrative staff have an average tenure of 11 years, and several have been with me for 20 years,” Pahos said. “Many of our CAREGivers stay with us for 10 or even 15 years. We have the expertise and experience to help you deal with your eldercare situation, be it short or long term.”

“We have the best staff,” said Director of Operations Andrea Martin, who joined Home Instead in 2009. “We wouldn’t be able to run an effective, caring business without them. Each staff member matters and is so vital to the success we have with each client.”

Home Instead offers a wide range of services for seniors, including personal care, home helper, transportation and companionship services, as well as hospice support. The company also cares for seniors with dementia, chronic illnesses, arthritis and diabetes.

For nearly three decades, Pahos has found great satisfaction in his work at Home Instead.

“I've met so many of our wonderful elderly clients who still have so much to offer but just need a little help, as well as their families,” he said. “We feel it’s truly a privilege and an honor to be able to help families who desire for their loved one to age in place

• Where: 2059 Columbiana Road, Vestavia Hills

• Call: 205-822-1915

• Web: homeinstead.com/bham Call today for a free, no-obligation consultation to help you decide the best care plan for your family.

with our seasoned, responsive staff that is available 24/7, 365 days a year,” he said.

“It’s so rewarding to know we can make a difference for seniors and help them age in place in their home,” Martin said.

Home Instead in Birmingham won the Caring Star Award for excellence in home care in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

EVENTS

BREAST CANCER AND BALLET: HEALING IN DANCE

► Where: The Dance Foundation, 1715 27th Court South, Homewood

► When: Wednesdays, Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24 • 12:30–1:30 p.m.

► Contact: Call 205-838-6159 or email programs@forgeon.org

► Details: This four-week beginner ballet series, hosted by Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center and The Dance Foundation, is designed for breast cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones aged 14 and up. Led by longtime dance educator Melissa Turnage, the class promotes healing through movement, posture and confidence-building. No prior dance experience is necessary. Registration is free but required. Class size limited to 20 participants.

ZOO GALA 2025: CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF WILD

► Where: Birmingham Zoo’s Trails of Africa, 2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham

► When: Friday, Sept. 26, 6-10 p.m.

► Web: birminghamzoo.com/event/ zoo-gala-2025-celebrating-70-yearsof-wild

► Details: Celebrate seven decades of wildlife and wonder at the Birmingham Zoo’s largest annual fundraiser. Zoo Gala 2025 features cocktails and animal encounters beginning at 6 p.m., followed by dinner, a live auction and dancing. Guests will enjoy elegant cuisine by Kathy G, entertainment and appearances from the zoo’s majestic residents. Dress is black tie optional. The event is for ages 21 and up.

► Tickets and donations: birminghamzoo.com

► For more events news, connect with the Homewood Star online by sccanning the QR code.

► Have an upcoming event to share? Email Sarah Owens at sowens@starnesmedia.com.

9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY & PATRIOT DAY CELEBRATION

► Where: Vestavia Hills Civic Center, 1090 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills

► When: Thursday, Sept. 11, 8:30 a.m.

► Details: Join the cities of Vestavia Hills, Homewood and Mountain Brook for the annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony & Patriot Day Celebration. Hosted this year by the City of Vestavia Hills, the solemn event honors the victims of Sept. 11 and pays tribute to the first responders who serve our communities. Open to the public.

CITY MEETINGS

► Sept. 2 & 16: Finance, Planning and Development, Public Safety, Public Works and Special Issues Committees, 5 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 3: Arts Council, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 4: Board of Zoning Adjustments, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 4: Park Board, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 8 & 22: City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 9: Planning Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 9: Historic Preservation Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall

► Sept. 9 & Sept. 30: Homewood Board of Education, 5:30 p.m., Board of Education office

► Sept. 17: Environmental Commission, 6:30 p.m., Homewood Community Center

► Sept. 19: Beautification Board, 12 p.m., City Hall

Sims Garden scarecrow contest, pumpkin patch returns this fall

By JORDYN DAVIS

With hints of orange and red appearing on the trees in Homewood, fall is right around the corner. Soon, cooler air will arrive, pumpkin and cinnamon will flavor the season and calendars will fill with family-friendly fall events.

Sims Garden on Irving Road will return this fall with its annual scarecrow contest and pumpkin patch. The event invites the Homewood community to decorate Halloween-themed scarecrows and contribute to the colorful pumpkin patch.

Sims Garden has hosted its community scarecrow contest for six years, offering a creative outlet for Homewood families during Halloween. Over the last few years, Sims Garden has seen many kids, families and even college students focus their energy on the scarecrow decorating competition, ranging from quirky Halloween themes to spooky characters like ghosts and goblins. Owner Amy Weis has hosted the event and seen the joy families bring to the competition.

“My favorite part of the scarecrow competition is seeing the creativity everyone brings each year. There’s something completely unexpected. The year before last, when Foxy, the Edgewood dog scarecrow, won, I would’ve never thought someone would make a scarecrow dog. I’d love to see even departments of the city make scarecrows and even have a little friendly competition. It would be fun to maybe have the police department have one out here,” Weis said.

In addition to the scarecrow contest, Sims

Garden hosts a pumpkin and mum sale that supports the Miss Sims Garden Foundation, which raises funds for its large-scale landscaping plan to address stormwater issues and implement water-saving procedures. The plan will also improve accessibility for visitors with disabilities.

“This landscaping project is really exciting for us because it means we’re going to be able to cater to the community better while also demonstrating to the community innovation and garden landscape design in a suburban area,” Weis said.

Not only does the garden host fun-filled contests and pumpkin patches, it also goes all out with Halloween decorations and fallthemed events.

“We put up tons of Halloween decorations each year and include animatronics. We serve fall-flavored refreshments, and the fall snack mix is always a favorite. We even have a couple of families who come over to make the fall mix with me as a tradition. We have a little photo booth set up in the courtyard and weekly crafts,” Weis said.

Entries for the scarecrow contest open on [date] and will close on Sept. 20. Participants are required to provide support for the scarecrow to stand for viewing and judging. Weis recommends using old Halloween costumes to decorate. Each scarecrow will be categorized and will have the opportunity to win local gift cards, cash prizes and Halloween-themed items. Judging begins the week before Halloween, with winners announced Oct. 25.

The pumpkin patch and mum sale will

be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is accepting scarecrow contest entries. Entries will close on Sept. 20.

SPORTS

Patriots, Cavs kick off September with high expectations

By KYLE PARMLEY

As the high school football season kicks into gear, both Homewood and John Carroll enter September with fresh playoff ambitions. After two non-region tune-ups in August, region play begins Sept. 5 and continues through Sept. 19. Each team caps the month with a key non-region contest on Sept. 26.

HOMEWOOD

The Patriots begin the season with non-region games against John Carroll and Briarwood in August, before getting started in Class 6A, Region 5 play in September.

► Sept. 5 vs. Mortimer Jordan: Homewood opens region play on the road against the Blue Devils, a matchup that last season resulted in a 49-21 win for the Patriots, in the first meeting ever between the two programs.

With that kind of offensive firepower carrying over, the Patriots aim to start strong and set the tone for their region campaign.

► Sept. 12 at Woodlawn: In the Patriots’ lone road game of the month, Homewood will take the road to play at Woodlawn in the on-campus stadium that opened two years ago. Homewood has never lost to Woodlawn in four previous matchups, including a 52-14 win over the Colonels last fall.

► Sept. 19 vs. Jackson‑Olin: The Patriots then return home to face Jackson-Olin. Homewood blanked the Mustangs 52-0 last fall, and the Patriots should have the clear edge in this matchup for the second straight week.

► Sept. 26 vs. Mountain Brook: The final game of the month brings a rejuvenated non-region matchup against Mountain Brook, a rivalry game Homewood narrowly lost in 2024, 27-22. The teams have been region foes

often over the years, but have continued the series the last two years. Homewood’s lost five straight in the series, with the last win coming in 2009.

JOHN CARROLL

John Carroll also only has one road game in September. The Cavs begin the season with non-region games against Homewood and St. Michael in August, before Class 5A, Region 5 begins.

► Sept. 5 vs. Carver‑Birmingham:

Patriots looking for more

By KYLE PARMLEY

As Grace Burgess enters her second season as head coach of the Homewood volleyball team, she feels a difference in the gym.

Last fall was her first at the helm of the program she once played for, and while the Patriots had a solid season, there was plenty of adjustment. There were new systems, expectations and relationships to build. This year, things feel more settled.

“I feel a lot more confident and ready this year, and I think the girls do too,” Burgess said. “There’s already a level of trust. They know the expectations, and we’ve built that relationship.”

The Patriots advanced to the Class 6A North Regional last season, and Burgess believes this year’s team has the potential to take another step forward. Over the summer, she saw signs of a group that has grown not only as volleyball players but as teammates and leaders.

“I’ve seen them really step into leadership roles,” she said. “They understand that it’s not just about being the best player but about bringing the best out of their teammates. That’s been really cool to watch.”

The 2025 team features five returners to the varsity team, along with some new faces who have emerged during the offseason. Mae Noerager impressed over the summer and should be one of the Patriots’ top offensive threats.

Setter Kamryn Coleman returns, and she has continued to improve over her years on varsity. Sarah Johnson will play outside hitter, while Addison Wood has proven to be a top defensive presence. Lily Stephens is another strong defensive player.

“They’ve played together for a long time,

and they’re very team-first,” Burgess said. “We’ve got a lot of returners that played important roles for us last year, and then some new ones that have really stepped up and are just great teammates.”

Mollie Brown is a junior setter, while senior Walker Binkley and sophomore Jane Serotsky are new middles for the Patriots. Mary Ellis Jarmon and Kailyn Mory are going to be factors on the outside as well. Mary Kyser Braswell, Mary Ashlyn Morris and Lucy Murphree are versatile players who can contribute in multiple spots.

The Patriots will miss the on-court production of Ellis McCool, who suffered an injury and will be out for the year. She has remained with the team and will be an emotional lift as the season progresses.

Burgess said the program has put a strong emphasis on accountability and effort, two values she believes are essential to the team’s identity.

“They know what’s expected. They’ve taken ownership and have been holding each other to those standards,” she said.

The Patriots compete in Class 6A, Area 9, alongside Parker, Minor and Jackson-Olin. The 2025 schedule also includes matches against Spain Park, Hoover, Chelsea, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills. They will also take part in events such as the Juanita Boddie Tournament and host the annual Margaret Blalock Tournament in early October.

Burgess sees a team that is building the right way, from the inside out.

“I’m proud of how far we’ve come,” she said. “They’re talented, but more than that, they play for each other. That’s what makes this group special.”

Opening region play at home, the Cavs host Carver-Birmingham, hoping to get off to a solid start. The Cavs fell to the Rams last fall, 26-7, and will aim for a better showing this year. The series between the two foes dates back to 1977, with the teams splitting 10 previous meetings.

► Sept. 12 at Hayde n: John Carroll’s lone road game of the month is at Hayden. Last year’s matchup was one of the Cavs’ most impressive performances of the season, a 36-6 victory. John Carroll won just once on

the road last season.

► Sept. 19 vs. Ramsay: Ramsay, one of Class 5A’s top teams in the last several years, visits the Cavs in a region matchup. Ramsay won 41-0 last season and the Cavs have dropped the last nine meetings in the series.

► Sept. 26 vs. Montevallo: The Cavs got Montevallo back on the schedule last fall for the first time since 1997, and they picked up a 27-7 win over the Bulldogs. This game represents a reprieve in the region schedule before jumping back into it in October.

Meredith Burney leads youth triathlon surge in central Alabama

By APRIL COFFEY

When Meredith Burney arrived in Homewood three years ago, she didn’t see a youth triathlon community. So she built one.

Burney, a former elite athlete and longtime coach, launched Birmingham Area Multisport (BAM) in early 2024. In just more than a year, the club has grown from a small clinic at the Hoover Recreation Center to a program producing youth athletes who have already found success on the national stage.

“I founded BAM from the desire to reach and coach athletes to experience the joys of multisport,” Burney said. “I do not believe in specialization in sport at an early age. There are so many great young runners, cyclists and swimmers in this area and a number of competitive adult triathletes but there wasn’t something to develop the youth.”

That vision paid off quickly. In May, a three-member BAM relay team (Coco Rocque, Madison Comer and Quinn McCurry) stunned the field by winning the XTERRA North American Championships at Oak Mountain State Park, beating adult competition in the process. Burney said the thrill of that experience showed her athletes what was possible.

“It’s a pretty awesome feeling to cross the finish line of your first triathlon and realize you just did three wildly different sports in quick succession in one day,” she said.

Burney’s own story stretches back decades. She began training for the Modern Pentathlon — a mix of cross country running, swimming, horseback riding, fencing and shooting — at age 12 and was accepted into the Olympic Development Camp at 14. She later coached at the University of Texas and earned a graduate fellowship at Smith College while coaching at Smith and UMASS.

From there, her career was shaped by life as a military spouse. “After choosing an alternate career as a military wife, I pursued coaching opportunities at local colleges, high schools and even started my own nonprofit,” Burney said. “Balancing marriage and motherhood with coaching has not been easy. Now that my kids have graduated and moved on, I am able to re-ignite the passion for coaching that I had before.”

That passion now focuses on middle and high school athletes. “I absolutely love working with middle school and high school athletes,” Burney said. “That period of growth and development is exciting and challenging. Kids are beginning to form their life goals intellectually, physically, and spiritually, and the opportunity to be a positive influence during this pivotal time is an honor and privilege.”

BAM also earned support from the USA Triathlon Foundation, which awarded Burney a grant to help build the program. She offers youth clinics at the Mountain Brook YMCA, triathlon swim groups and a free weekly open-water swim at Oak Mountain State Park.

The next milestone occurred Aug. 23, when some BAM athletes lined up at the Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon at Oak Mountain. The race doubled as Alabama’s first state high school triathlon championships, though results came after press time.

Looking beyond, Burney’s goal is steady growth. “Up next is developing the website, recruiting in local schools and building a roster of kids for the 2026 season,” she said. “The vision is to have a developmental program for new triathletes and those who want to do it recreationally, and an elite program for those who want to compete nationally and internationally.”

For Burney, it’s simple: provide opportunities she once had — and watch kids discover new possibilities.

COMMUNITY

Back on the saddle

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

John White didn’t simply want to survive the second open-heart surgery of his life. His desire, as it has been throughout his 21 years, was to thrive.

Hence, John, an avid cyclist, sought assurance that he could return to the road, riding his electric-assist bicycle.

“Honestly, the whole time before, like pre-surgery, I was asking … how soon after the surgery will I be able to ride again? It meant that much, at least to me, to be able to start riding again after surgery.

“Every time, every meeting, we would always ask the pre-surgery team, 'So how soon can I ride the bike after?’ And they would always say, six to eight weeks.”

Just shy of 10 weeks after undergoing a ninehour surgery on May 6, the Samford University senior completed the 35-mile course of the Tour de Cahaba on July 13.

The accounting major didn’t tackle the longer courses of 45 and 65 miles and didn’t settle for the shorter treks of 10 and 20 miles. He just wanted to be able to ride, which was not a foregone conclusion for someone born with a severe heart condition.

John, the youngest of seven children in the White family, was born with Ebstein anomaly. It is a congenital heart defect in which a malformation of the valve separating the top and bottom right heart chambers disrupts blood flow through the heart.

“The way it works is the right side of your heart, which doesn't have as much work as the left side, it had a deformed tricuspid valve,” the Vestavia Hills resident said. “It was like attached to the walls. I had my first open-heart surgery when I was 10, and the surgeon in Michigan basically created a valve out of my tissue, which was very new at the time.”

All this from a fellow who changed his Samford major because he didn’t like anatomy.

“It worked,” John said of the surgery. “It was great. The problem is, it stayed that size. Right now, the valve that is currently pumping is a 10-year-old-sized valve. That's what caused the need for a second surgery.”

Surgeons at Vanderbilt closed a hole in John’s heart, an atrial septal defect (ASD). Speaking

with the precision of his surgeons, John described the procedure.

“They closed that and they redirected my blood from like my head, down to my nipple line,” he said. “They redirected it with a Bidirectional Glenn. They took the vein that comes from the upper half of your body into your heart, they cut it and just went straight to the lungs.”

John’s father, Darin White, is the Margaret Gage Bush Distinguished Professor and the founder of the sports industry program in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Management and Marketing at the Brock School of Business at Samford. He attributes a lot of his son’s recovery to John’s commitment to keeping himself physically fit.

“The more fit you can be going into a surgery like that, the better,” he said. “He had a nine-hour surgery ... and within 72 hours he was walking out of the hospital. A lot of that's because of all the work, the hard work he put in ahead of time.”

That hard work included getting up much of the spring semester at 5 a.m. and doing 20- to 30-mile bike rides to get fit before he went to class at 8 a.m.

That kind of commitment is not lost to the elder White, who is a former soccer coach at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

“I coached for more than a decade, so I'm definitely all about hard work,” he said. “But (John) showed a lot of maturity and a lot of dedication to get up day after day. But John did, and he did it consistently over a long period of time. That's

what put him in the best position possible to have success in the surgery.”

John took a “been there, done there” approach to his most recent surgery. His surgeon agreed with that assessment.

“He said there's like a 99% chance, or 95% or 99% I can't remember, of it going well,” the accounting student said. “Even if it went poorly, the worst that would happen is having to revert it to normal and then figuring out a new solution. There wasn't a lot of major worry, it was just possibly having to do another heart surgery, which would be more annoying than anything.”

John’s goal to resume cycling mirrored his desire to return to the soccer field following his

Just two months after undergoing openheart surgery at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital,

crossed the finish line of

a ride

dreamed of completing during the darkest days of recovery. A fixture on campus and a former competitive cyclist, John trained for the event before and after his procedure with 5 a.m. rides through Homewood. Top

first surgery. He was a goalkeeper on a Briar

wood club squad his dad coached.

Playing for his father and only as goalkeeper were the nonnegotiable conditions of him playing soccer. He could play in goal because that position required less running to tax his heart; the elder White was the coach so he could assess his son’s condition and, if needed, he is certified to administer CPR.

“My cardiologist had to fight for me to be able to play soccer because it's such an extreme activity on your heart,” John said. “There's a whole council that looks over to approve or deny. She would always have to go to bat for me so I could play soccer.”

With his latest surgery behind him, John can look forward to completing his final year as a student at Samford. He is also anticipating getting married, as he is engaged to Irondale’s Claire Calfee, a marine biology major at Samford.

Just like anyone else.

“Everyone asks me, man, you must feel so accomplished,” John said. “I just like pushing myself honestly. I've done it before. When I was 12, I played soccer and I didn't think much of it either. I don't really view what I've had done and my heart problem (as a) hindrance. It's just there, but I'll keep trying my best.”

Life in Homewood

GET TO KNOW

Ben Haskins, athletic coordinator for Homewood Parks & Recreation

By STAFF

Ben Haskins has been an athletic coordinator with Homewood Parks and Recreation for a little more than a year. He helps coordinate the city's summer pool operations and sports programs.

Q: What is your day to day like in the summers?

A: I kind of go straight to the office because I'm either answering 100 emails or making sure the schedules are looking good. Because we’re dealing with a lot of teenagers, people want to take off. People are trying to change shifts. All kinds of things pop up. So that's kind of what I'm dealing with. The first part of the day is making sure people are actually going to show up to the pools.

Q: How did you end up in this role?

A: I got kind of into parks and rec not too long before coming to Homewood. But I lived close by and I grew up in this community as well, going to church here. So it was the right move for me and my family.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the job?

A: I really like when we get around to sports and stuff. So, flag football and volleyball are our next seasons that come up at the end of summer, going into fall. We put a ton of work into getting the seasons ready, and then as soon as they get up off the ground, just getting to be out there and seeing all the kids enjoy it.

BACK WHEN

Homewood High marched in the Orange Bowl Parade

By TIM STEPHENS

As the Homewood High School marching band readies to ring in 2026 in Pasadena, California, for the Tournament of Roses Parade, we look back at another New Year’s Eve on a national stage.

On Dec. 31, 1991, the Patriots marched down the streets of Miami as leaders of the Orange Bowl Parade. The 140-member band, dance line and flag corps performed before a crowd of roughly 500,000, just days before the University of Alabama faced Michigan in the Orange Bowl.

It was a home-team bonus for band director Ron Pence, who noted that several members were “real Alabama fans.” The appearance was one of many prestigious invitations for the Patriots, whose résumé includes the Fiesta Bowl Parade, the Rose Parade and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Acting as ambassadors for Alabama, the Patriots carried the red, white and blue spirit of Homewood all the way to South Florida.

Singer-songwriter Cheyenne Chapman

By TIM STEPHENS

Cheyenne Chapman is a singer-songwriter performing across Birmingham’s most popular venues, including Soho Social, Otey’s, Saw’s Juke Joint, The Summit’s Culinary Dropout and more.

Q: How did you develop your love for music?

A: That was something that started when I was young. My grandfather played music, and he did that for a living. He would write music and things like that, so I got to watch him a lot growing up. When I was about 11 years old, I started writing music. My grandfather gifted me my first guitar at 13, and from there I just kept going with it. It became my obsession through high school. I continued on with choir and just learning more skills with singing. I think I've developed the most through being a worship leader. I've been put in a lot of positions, things through the last several years of leadership and development. Now not only do I sing for a living, inside and outside of church, but I also teach other people how to do that as well.

Q: How old were you when you got your first professional gig?

A: I think I was 23 when I got my first actual professional gig. But I didn't start gigging at that time — that was more me showcasing my own music. It was a few years after that that I started actually gigging more professionally.

Q: Who are some of your musical influences?

A: Starting from a younger age, I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock. Stevie Nicks was a huge inspiration to me growing up. If you ever listen, I have a lot of tonality that's very similar to Stevie Nicks. I'm not a smoker, so I don't think I'll ever get that deep, raspy tone that she's got, but I've always loved her sound and the way that she does music. From that point, I have a very

diverse taste in music. I pull from all avenues and just kind of take what's useful and grow on that.

Q: Where can people see you perform?

A: Publicly, I play a lot at Cahaba Brewing. I was playing at Trim Tab — they've been doing some things, so I may be back there soon. Saw’s Juke Joint, Otey's in Mountain Brook and Homewood. If you're a member of The Club, I am very frequently there, about three times a month. And then Culinary Dropout.

Q: What are some of your favorite songs to perform?

A: Number one would be my own music because I wrote it and I have a lot more passion toward that. Outside of that, I would say “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac or “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, and then “Creep” by Radiohead. I love that song. It's very emotionally driven. “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree,” I love singing that song. I've kind of made it my own through the years and I can have so much fun with it.

Q: Tell me about your original music — what should people expect?

A: I think I have two eras of my music. One era was me trying to find myself and struggling through a lot of issues and loss. I was still learning how to put songs together. Those songs had a lot more folk and rock. I would say I've hit a revamp in the last few years. The style of music that I'm writing now is a little more blues, still folk, and a little bit of rock as well. Every song that I write comes out a little differently. My style of writing has changed, and my way of putting songs together is also evolving. I’ve got one song out called “Lost and Wandering.”

Q: Where can people find your music online?

A: cheyennechapmanmusic.com is a great place to go because it has everything all in one place. Otherwise, if you just wanted to check it out on YouTube or Spotify or Apple Music, you

Singer-songwriter Cheyenne Chapman performs at many of metro Birmingham’s most popular venues, including Saw’s Juke Joint, Otey’s, The Summit’s Culinary Dropout, Soho Social and more. Photo by Tim Stephens.

would just look up Cheyenne Chapman. “Lost and Wandering” is the one that I'm currently pushing.

Q: What’s the big dream? Where do you want to take this?

A: The big dream is evolving. Each year I kind of find a different path that I want to take. Right now, it is just writing more material. Last year I was gigging so much that it took away time from actually creating the art. I took this year to kind of back off a little and create more. The idea is to get at least an album's worth together within the next year and get in the studio and get something out. I've already traveled to Nashville. I went there last year to kind of dip my toes in that atmosphere. I love the Birmingham culture, honestly, and it's growing.

Q: Is this your day job?

A: It's my night job, I'd say. I started out gigging by getting a job at Saw’s Juke Joint years ago, and I'm still there. I do that three times a week usually, and it's not because I have to anymore — it's just because I love that place. I'm also on staff at a church in Calera called Hope Mountain Church, and that's kind of my day job.

Q: Did you go to college?

A: I started at Montevallo, but I did not complete college. I left and traveled abroad for a little while.

Q: Where did you go?

A: I stayed with my sister in Kuwait, then traveled to Dubai, Thailand, and then made my way back home. That was kind of the end of that time period.

Q: How did that travel shape you and your music?

A: It definitely impacted me. In Kuwait, there's not as much to do, so that was my time period to reflect and find myself as an artist and as a young woman. My perspective started shifting because it’s so different there. After Thailand, I started writing a lot more calm music. Everything about that trip was just very soothing and relaxing.

Q: When people hear you perform, who do they say you sound like? How do you balance influences and your own voice?

A: People say I sound like Jewel a lot, and I can definitely hear it. Stevie Nicks is another one. I would say Stevie influenced the type of music I wanted to create, and I relate to Jewel because her writing is so deep and soulful. That’s the kind of writing that I do — I'm not surface level by any means.

Q: Anything else you’d like people to know?

A: If you are interested in listening to any of my music or coming out to any of my shows, everything is regularly updated on my website, cheyennechapmanmusic.com. I’d love for people to come out and support.

Faces of Homewood

Kenneth Rhodes, O’Carr’s & Memory Lane Ice Cream Parlor

By JORDYN DAVIS

For half a century, O’Carr’s has been a Homewood tradition, known for its award‑winning chicken salad and Sunday gatherings after church. In 2022, founders Cameron and June O’Carr retired, passing the restaurant to Kenneth Rhodes, who first helped the business post‑COVID before tak ing over as owner.

This summer, Rhodes brought O’Carr’s back to its beginnings. On July 4, he opened Memory Lane Ice Cream Parlor, a retro‑style shop next door at 2909 18th Street South.

Designed with vintage lights, candy jars, and nostalgic décor, Memory Lane pays homage to O’Carr’s origins as a 1970s ice cream shop.

“I wanted to go back to where we start ed,” Rhodes said. “Ice cream didn’t pay the rent back then, but our milkshake has been winning awards for 50 years.”

The parlor serves Tillamook ice cream — a rare brand in Birmingham — plus sundaes, floats, sorbet, and milkshakes. Rhodes hopes it becomes an evening gathering spot for neighbors, much like O’Carr’s itself.

“Homewood is a great community,” he said. “As long as you support Homewood, it will always support you.”

CONTINUED from page 1

“People are coming in, they’ve got a tear in their eye,” owner John Day said. “They’re reliving first dates and anniversaries and birthdays and baby showers. That’s what’s been happening all week.”

We were five former UAB student journalists — me, Tim Stephens; Kelli Hewett Taylor; Kelly Council; Mike Baswell; and Chuck Evans. “This might be the first time we’ve all been together since … 1991?” I said, and we ticked through the marriages, kids, careers, moves and losses since those carefree days.

This was our last supper at DeVinci’s. In many ways, it might have been yours.

APPETIZERS

The room moved at its own rhythm — servers weaving through with baskets of breadsticks and pizzas balanced high. As we waited, we retraced our college years: late nights at the paper, dive bars, cheap eats.

“This place was always where you went when you had a little money in your pocket,”

Mike said. “It wasn’t Rocky’s with the $5 pizzas. You came to DeVinci’s when you wanted to make a night of it.”

Our server, Karli Bush, had worked here off and on for more than three decades. She once waited on her future husband here — and kept working after he became her ex. Her son Riley’s first job was bussing tables in this room.

We ordered cheesy breadsticks “the right way” and stuffed mushrooms. Karli nodded, shorthand from thousands of regulars who barely needed menus.

“It’s humbling to hear all these stories,” she said. “But part of me wants to say, ‘Where have you been all this time?’”

We laughed, because the truth stung a little. We hadn’t thought to come here in years — until we learned we might never come again.

THE TABLE REMEMBERS

Kelly Council recalled coming here as a baby in a pumpkin seat, then later with her dad for what would be their last meal together. Stories like hers echoed across the room: first dates, graduations, family dinners, anniversaries.

“I’ll have parents come in with their children and say, ‘I used to come here with my mom,’” Day said. “We had a couple fly up from Orlando for their last wedding anniversary here — they had their first one here 37 years ago.”

We noted the tablecloths were a bit sticky. “A good sticky,” I said.

“It’s lived in,” Kelli corrected. “The stories these chairs could tell.”

Around us, couples leaned in, families posed for photos, older pairs lingered over pasta. Everyone seemed to have a DeVinci’s story — and shared it with Day on the way out.

“You’ve got 200 people that come in and hug you and thank you,” Day said. “A lot of them cry. Every time you think you’re prepared, someone else touches your heartstrings again.”

MAIN COURSE

The food arrived one plate at a time. Stuffed mushrooms bubbling under cheese.

Breadsticks with marinara. Finally, a Mona Lisa pizza took center stage, steaming under garlic and oregano.

Chuck took the first bite, mugging for the camera.

“This tastes like I just turned 21,” I said.

“This is September 1991.”

“Just the smell is time traveling,” Kelly Council said.

The talk drifted to the hangouts of our early twenties — Hoppers, TC’s penny-beer nights, Dugan’s, The Mill. All gone. “DeVinci’s was the last holdout,” Kelly said.

At other tables, forks paused mid-air as diners slipped into their own versions of the same conversation. Behind us, a replica of da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” presided over our meal.

THIRD ACTS

Between bites, we turned reflective.

“We used to write stories like this,” Kelli said, recalling her years as a reporter

Below left: Owner John Day gets a parting hug from a customer, a regular occurrence during the restaurant’s final days as people arrived for one last meal at an old favorite.

Below right: One last night, on Aug. 10, and then it was lights out for DeVinci’s Italian Restaurant after 64 years of serving Homewood and beyond.

covering restaurant closings. “Back then, you don’t have a connection. But to come back now, it’s like I remember the smell. I’m on the other side of the article this time.”

For Day, too, it was a third act. As he prepared to turn 64, he was closing the door on 64 years of history. He’d taken over in 1986 with his father, learning on the fly.

“The first few years were tough,” he said. “Inventory, scheduling, quality control — it took a lot.”

Business grew, staff became family. But in the last few years, costs rose 48 percent.

“I didn’t want to compromise the quality, the quantity or the value,” he said. “So the choice was smaller portions, less quality, higher prices — or walk away. And the decision was, let’s walk away with dignity after 64 years.”

A new owner plans another Italian restaurant here, but Day will step away. “This took a toll,” he said. “I thought closing it was going to be easier.”

The Mona Lisa pizza was down to a few slices. Plates and glasses cluttered the table, but no one was in a hurry to move. We boxed the leftovers, reluctant to let anything — or the night — go to waste.

LAST CALL

The morning after it closed, I stopped by. The blinds were down. The lights were off. The walls were bare. Not a menu in sight, not a crumb left behind.

I thought back to our last supper — the hugs, the promises to get together again.

“Let’s not wait another 30 years,” someone said. We agreed to text about tickets, dates, plans.

But deep down, we knew we wouldn’t.

As we left that night, we said we needed to live in the moment more — to slow down, appreciate people and places while we have them.

And then, without thinking, I reached to scroll on my phone.

disappointment that the project didn’t proceed.

earned any tax revenue for the city.

CONTINUED from page 1

I understand the council will probably drop this in light of not having a plan. In light of all that, I will open (gavel) and close (gavel) the public hearing.”

After a quick motion and second, the council dropped the matter on a 10-0 vote.

Speaking earlier with The Homewood Star, Underwood said she thought the council should accept suggestions from residents about the property at 1833 29th Avenue South.

“Whatever goes there impacts this section of downtown Homewood,” the 79-year-old said. “In my opinion, the section looks awfully bare right now. (It) looks not very welcoming, not very attractive. They might seek input from a city planner too.”

Jones said after the meeting that the hearing was specifically to address the request to rezone the property for the planned project. With no plan, he said, nothing else could be discussed.

But that didn’t stop a councilman and the mayor from weighing in. Each expressed

“It’s always nice when you have high quality developers that want to invest in the city,” Andy Gwaltney said. “Basically, they were bullied out of town by people who couldn’t develop the property because they didn’t have the skill set. They didn’t follow basically the process.

“The people who were complaining — amateur developers — didn’t follow the process for how we got there,” he continued. “They basically took to the internet to bully (developer) Mike Mouron and ran him off.”

Mayor Alex Wyatt said Mouron’s plan “checked all the boxes.”

“It really managed to thread the needle where it would provide for the park that people have been asking us for, for over a decade,” the mayor said. “It would allow the park to be built with new funds that would come from the sale of a third of the property so we wouldn’t have to spend existing city money on it to get the park or to tear down the building.”

Wyatt added that the Mouron’s planned development would also add a revenue-producing business that would provide tax revenue from a fine dining restaurant on property that had never

“It really was a situation of everything lining up just right, in my opinion,” Wyatt said, “and would sort of check all the boxes without that property getting over developed in some way, whether it be too tall or something that wouldn’t benefit the community very well.”

The mayor said he hopes lightning can strike a second time in the same place with another plan to develop the former police station.

“I certainly think that would be good for the city,” Wyatt said, adding that the matter now will fall on the next council. “I’m hopeful that they will, and that they will be able to find something that is so fiscally responsible that it doesn’t require existing funds in the city, where it does produce revenue for the city and at the same time where it provides for the public use that the public has asked us for, for over a decade.”

Wyatt announced at the Aug. 4 meeting of the Planning and Development Committee that the proposal to redevelop the former police headquarters.

The plan, first discussed in February, called for rezoning the property from industrial to commercial to allow a 4,500-square-foot restaurant and

a pocket park. Mouron had offered to fund the park portion through proceeds from the sale and cover any additional costs himself.

The project faced public criticism and a lawsuit filed July 14 by Kevin Misso of River Brook, a residential design‑build firm. Misso’s suit challenged the sale process and sought to delay rezoning. On July 18, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Monica A. Agee dissolved a temporary restraining order and dismissed the case with prejudice, ordering the plaintiff’s bond forfeited. Jones, who is not seeking reelection after 25 years on the council, said the roadblock to the steakhouse proposal is no indication that development in Homewood won’t continue.

“No, no, I don’t think so,” the council president said. “I think this is just kind of a one-off. We don’t own a lot of property. This is actually a city-owned property. We went through all the proper procedures; it just didn’t work out.

“But, no, I think the development in downtown Homewood will continue on,” he said. “We’re excited about all the new things that are happening in Homewood. We just got some great, new restaurants. It’s just a wonderful time for the downtown area, in my opinion.”

Homewood Parks & Recreation

Central Barre

Wednesday, 5:15pm & Saturday 8:15am

Homewood Community Center

Central Barre is a small group fitness class incorporating barre, core, cardio, balance, strength training and stretch to give you a complete workout in 55 minutes.  We use a variety of small equipment such as weights, resistance bands, balls and sliding discs to increase variety and provide real results.  ellyngagnon@gmail.com

Dance Trance

Saturday, 9:30am – 10:30am

Homewood Community Center

Dance Trance is a high-cardio, high-energy dance fitness experience that leaves participants soaking wet!  It is a non-stop workout that feels more like a party than an exercise class. www.dancetrancefitness.com

Fun For All Line Dancing

Tuesday, 2:30pm – 3:45pm

Fitness Studio 2

Beginner and Beyond Beginner line dance instruction encompassing a variety of music genres, e.g., pop, country and R&B. You will learn line dance terminology, line dance steps, and, of course, line dances to specific music. Homewood Community Center $5.00 per person per visit funforalllinedancing@gmail.com

Classes & Activities

North Star Martial Arts

North Star Martial Arts primary focus is to make a life lasting impact on our students, and their families. Classes range from beginners to adults. For detailed class listings and times please visit the park’s website or www.northstarma.com. 205-966-4244 • info@northstarma.com

Bench Aerobics

Step & Line Dance

Monday, 5:00pm – 6:00pm (Step Aerobics) Tuesday, 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Step Aerobics) Thursday: 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Cardio Line Dance)

Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 2

Cost: Classes are FREE (with donations) For more information contact Rosa at 205-253-9344 or benchaerobics@bellsouth.net

Royce Head Personal Training

Affordable personal training available to members in the Fitness Center at the Homewood Community Center. Workouts are fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. Call Royce for more information: (205) 945-1665

YoLimber

Wednesday, 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Warrior Sculpt Friday, 8:00am – 9:00am - Basics Class Friday, 9:30am – 10:30am - Regular Class Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music at Homewood Community Center. All levels welcome. Contact Marla: 205-223-8564 • mac@yolimber.com

Tai Chi Classes

All classes are suitable for anyone who is willing to take the time to learn these beautiful, liberating and empowering sets of movements (forms). For additional information about Tai Chi Classes, contact Galina at: galinawaites@gmail.com

Sun Style – Tuesday at 1:30pm

Arthritis and Fall Prevention – Wednesday at 1:30pm

Yang Style – Thursdays at 1:30pm

Homewood Youth Basketball

Rec League Basketball Registration Dates:

K-8th Grades: Begins in September

Go to www.homewoodparks.com for more information.

Fast Track Line Dance

Saturday, 11:00am to 1:00pm Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 2

We learn the current and classic intermediate-advanced line dances.  *This class is not for beginners. Jackie Tally - jgtally@aol.com or Helen Woods - aquafool@aol.com

FIT4MOM

FIT4MOM Birmingham provides fitness classes and a network of local moms to support every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy, through postpartum and beyond, we serve our community by offering our fitness and wellness programs to help keep moms strong in body, mind and spirit. View our website for Membership Plans, Passes and Schedule. https://birmingham.fit4mom.com/

Argentine Tango Lab

Sunday, 4:00 – 5:30pm

Weekly tango laboratory / practice for milongueros seeking to improve their dancing skills and explore interconnection, movement and musicality. Fundamental tango skills expected. Milongueros with all levels of experience are welcome. Non-marking shoes with leather or suede soles required. Hosted by Chalo at the Homewood Community Center in Fitness Studio 1. $5 per class.

Chair

Fitness

Monday / Wednesday / Friday at 10:45am

Great for individuals with stamina or balance issues.  Focuses on joint mobility, stretching, strength, & balance.

Senior Lunch Program

Weekdays, Noon – 12:30pm – The lunch program does not require membership but does require enrollment (for ages 60+).

Homewood Wrestling Club

Powered By Stronghold

Grades: Kindergarten – 6th Grade

Go to www.hwdwrestling.com for more information and to register