Reviewed by: Patience Itson
Top 5 stories you don’t want to miss, including local plant shop Botanica closing
Happy Monday, Birmingham! We hope your season has been merry and bright. As we head into a new week, we’ve got you covered with the top stories you may have missed, including Botanica plant shop closing and a new American Airlines route that’ll take you from Birmingham to New York City nonstop. Read on for more.
Local plant shop Botanica closing
What’s happening: After 3.5 years serving the Birmingham community, local plant shop Botanica is closing its storefront to focus on expanding its Plantscaping services for residents and businesses of Birmingham and Huntsville. While the Birmingham storefront is closing up shop, they’ll still offer in-person plant consultations, installations and ongoing maintenance. Plus, you can still shop in person and online in Huntsville.
Why it matters: Botanica has been a local favorite for years, and Birmingham showed outstanding support for its final sale over the weekend. While the shop was planning on remaining open throughout December, just two days after announcing its closure, the popular plant shop sold out of everything in store. We wish the Botanica team the best of luck in their future endeavors!
“Since 2018, Botanica has provided me a creative escape from my stressful career as a physician assistant and I am so thankful for each and every one of you who made that possible by supporting our small business. The plantscaping and design aspect of this business is what I’ve grown to love more than anything, so I’m very excited to continue making spaces greener and spreading my love for plants around Birmingham and Huntsville.”
Caitlin Hastings, Owner, Botanica
American Airlines adds new nonstop route from Birmingham to New York City
What’s happening: Big news, Birmingham! There’s now a new way to make it to the Big Apple. Starting May 5, 2023, American Airlines will add a new route to their lineup where travelers can fly nonstop to LaGuardia (LGA) from the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM). The new flight will have the following daily departure and arrival times:
- Depart Birmingham at 6:05AM — Arrive at LaGuardia at 9:30AM (EST)
- Depart LaGuardia at 7:29PM — Arrive in Birmingham at 8:54PM
Why it matters: BHM is Alabama’s largest airport, serving four major US-based airlines. On average, 85 flights a day arrive and depart BHM. This new route is attractive to business travelers who often like the option of a one-day trip.
“We are thrilled that American is showing such confidence in this market. We know there is room to grow additional services and we are consistently making a business case to our airline partners to consider adding more.”
Darlene Wilson, Board Chair, Birmingham Airport Authority
5 new + coming soon businesses including Sons Donuts
New businesses to try are always a cause for celebration. Check out these new places to shop, eat and be entertained around town.
Now Open:
- Teaspoon, a new boba tea cafe, is now open at The Summit.
- Lime, an electric scooter and bike company now offers their rental services across Birmingham.
- Sons Donuts is serving up their fan-favorite tiny donuts in Lane Parke.
Coming Soon:
- Corbeau Wine Bar, a wine bar taproom in Trussville, is opening with 45+ different types of wine on tap and more later this month.
- SanPeggio’s Pizza has opened their newest locally-owned location in Homewood.
A-Train Station opens first restaurant on Birmingham’s West End
What’s happening: Popular local food truck A-Train Station has officially opened its new brick-and-mortar location in West End. Trust us, you don’t want to miss out on their Philly Cheesesteaks, loaded fries, wings and more.
“It’s been a long time coming. We’re really excited. A lot of people have been coming in to let us know they have our back. It’s been a wonderful experience.”
Anthony Harris, Co-owner, A-Train Station
Why it matters: A-Train Station is a valuable addition to the West End community. It’s great to see local businesses succeed. Plus, their menu is expanding to offer delicious eats like catfish and shrimp baskets.
New Miss Fancy statue revealed at Avondale Park
What’s happening: The long-awaited statue of Miss Fancy, an elephant who roamed the neighborhoods of Avondale, Woodlawn and Forest Park between 1913 and 1934, was revealed on Saturday, December 10 at the entrance of Avondale Park. Local artist Nelson Grice has been working on the magnificent statue for over a year.
Why it matters: Dedicated to the late Ron Council, the new Miss Fancy statue is a heartfelt new landmark for our community. The statue wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of Nelson Grice, Martha and Bryan Council, the Friends of Avondale Park and generous volunteers.
“This was a vision that my husband had before he passed away in 2014. It was a part of his vision for Avondale Park to have a large statue that resembled the original Miss Fancy. We decided to pursue that so it could be a part of his legacy. It’s been more than 10 years in the making, and to see this beautiful idea of a statue finally coming to fruition is just wonderful.”
Martha Council
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