Dunkin’/Baumhower’s expected to open in October

Fans of college football, wings and coffee, rejoice.

The new Baumhower’s Victory Grille, along with adjacent business Dunkin’ (formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts), are expected to open Oct. 1 or shortly before or after, a few weeks after college football season gets started.

“We’re very excited about the way the site looks and feels,” said Jordy Henson, owner of GENREV Properties, which is developing the site between the Walmart Neighborhood Market and Wald Park on U.S. 31.

In January, the city closed on the property, formerly a public works facility, and sold it to the developers, City Manager Jeff Downes said, for about $1.8 million.

Downes said having the businesses next to the newly-renovated Wald Park, currently under construction, creates “synergy” in the city, with public and private amenities located within walking distance from each other.

Henson said he’s hopeful the businesses will be a “blessing” to the city.

The Baumhower’s development is a new prototype, operating as a freestanding restaurant as opposed to an inline location, like the one at the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, which sits at the end of a shopping strip, Henson said.

The freestanding approach allows for more parking and easier access into the restaurant, which will be “modern, hip and appealing,” Henson said.

Bob Baumhower, founder of Baumhower’s Victory Grille, said his relationship with Vestavia goes back 15 years, when he owned a business in the city and made connections in town. Baumhower owned the Calypso Joe’s restaurant at the city center.

Baumhower said when he found out what was happening with Wald Park and other nearby work related to the Community Spaces plan, he wanted Baumhower’s to be a part of it. Vestavia has “great people,” and is a good fit for the business as both Baumhower’s and the city are “family-friendly,” he said.

Spencer Baumhower, Bob’s son, said the Vestavia restaurant will be the new prototype for the chain going forward, with a more open floor plan and a “vibrant, high-energy spot.” Between 75 and 80 televisions are expected to be at the restaurant. Baumhower’s is expected to employ more than 100 people, Baumhower said.

The 2,000-square-foot Dunkin’ restaurant is also a “modern prototype,” Henson said, and will include a drive-thru lane. That building is designed for dual tenants, and there is still 1,500 square feet of space available.

“We’ve been very pleased with our relationship with the city,” Henson said.

John Styron, chief development officer of Bluemont Group, which operates the Dunkin’ franchises, said the group is excited to be a part of Vestavia Hills as it undergoes major redevelopment.

“This will not be like any other Dunkin’ that’s in Birmingham,” Styron said.

The coffee shop will be a “next-generation” store, Styron said, and will include the latest technologies giving it a sleeker, “more millennial” look, he said. Features will include an order kiosk with a tap system for cold beverages, which will do everything from cold-brewed coffee to Dunkin’ nitro coffee. The location will be “state-of-the-art,” Styron said.

It’s unknown who the other tenant in the location will be, both Styron and Downes said. Whoever takes the space will join two businesses excited to join Vestavia.

“We are just really excited and think this is going to be a flagship store,” Styron said.