Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
5 biggest stories of last week, including the NEW Homewood location of Freddy’s Wine Bar
Reading time: 4 minutes
Happy Monday, Birmingham! Let’s kick off the week right with stories you might have missed, including a second Freddy’s Brasserie and Wine Bar location coming to Homewood and Birmingham Water Works to begin major repairs on Hwy. 280. Read on for details.
1. Highlands College opens new residential hall—a $20M gift from Hobby Lobby CEO
What’s happening: Thanks to a $20M gift from Hobby Lobby CEO David Green, Highlands College has opened a new residence hall. It includes 126 spacious rooms and bathrooms with a capacity for 252 students. The space also features multiple different gathering spaces inside and outside. Students moved into the facility this month.
Why it matters: This is the first on-campus living space for Highlands College and they have plans to build a second residential building in the future.
“Our team intentionally designed every inch of this facility to bring students together in an environment of excellence. We are confident that they will build meaningful friendships in this space that will continue through a lifetime of impact.”
Mark Pettus, President, Highlands College
2. Freddy’s to open 2nd location in Homewood
What’s happening: Freddy’s—a popular restaurant and wine bar in Birmingham’s Highland Park neighborhood—is opening its second location in Homewood. The eatery, set to open in summer of 2023, will be replacing the former Nabeel’s Cafe and Market at 1706 Oxmoor Rd, Homewood, AL 35209.
Why it matters: Freddy’s Highland Park location recently celebrated its 5th anniversary. Starting out as a wine bar, Freddy’s has since evolved into a restaurant with a full menu and a wide variety of wines and cocktails. The new location will feature “Grab and Go” goods, as well as charcuterie boards, Italian meals and wines.
3. KS Boutique + 2 other openings in Birmingham
Grab your shopping bags and bring your appetite, there are some hot new openings around town you don’t want to miss.
Now Open:
- KS Boutique is now open with a stylish selection of tops, pants, dresses, jewelry and more in Gardendale.
- Fast food joint Krystal has opened up a brand new concept restaurant in Center Point, featuring double-lane pickup, a walk-up window and more.
Coming Soon:
- Baja California Cantina is taking its delicious Mexican food to a new location, opening up in Irondale by the end of January.
4. CASTING ALERT: New movie filming in Birmingham this month seeking extras
What’s happening: Lights, camera, action. Beginning in late January, a new sci-fi film titled The Shift will be filming in various locations in the Birmingham area. The film is being produced by Ken Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment, based in Franklin, Tennessee. It will be released by Angel Studios, the studio behind the 2017 hit streaming series “The Chosen”.
Why it matters: It’s always fun to see Birmingham in the spotlight. Plus, this movie is hiring for featured extras, extras, photo doubles and crowd extras. Want to apply? Just fill out this form online and follow Extras Casting Birmingham page for updates.
“Birmingham offers so much that makes shooting the film here a natural choice. The visual textures of the city are ideal, it’s perfectly located between additional resources in Nashville and Atlanta, and the community has been very welcoming. We’re grateful to be working here.”
Producer Ken Carpenter
5. Birmingham Water Works to conduct major repair project on Hwy 280, tentatively starting Feb. 1st
What’s happening: Tentatively starting February 1st, the Birmingham Water Works (BWW) will be conducting a major repair project on Highway 280 near the Shades Mountain Filtration Treatment Plant. According to BWW, a 36-inch main infrastructure pipe has leaks in two sections passing through the Highway 280 right-of-way.
Why it matters: BWW is working closely with ALDOT to resolve the issue, but there will be various delays and road closures. Here is what to expect:
- The repair project is expected to take up to 20 days
- The project will require one to two lanes of commuter traffic to be closed on Highway 280 eastbound adjacent to Rocky Ridge Road
- Work will begin daily at 9 a.m. and end around 3:30 p.m. each day during the construction period.
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