Three Vestavia Hills businesses named Alabama Retailer of the Year
Three Vestavia Hills businesses have been announced as winners in the Alabama Retailer of the Year competition.
The businesses — New York Butcher Shoppe, Domino’s Pizza and Leaf and Petal — will find out in October whether they won gold, silver or bronze.
NEW YORK BUTCHER SHOPPE
Jim Moeller, owner of New York Butcher Shoppe, said he didn’t even know they had been nominated until Karen Odle, executive director of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, called and told him. Still, he never thought they’d win.
“It’s just out of the blue,” Moeller said.
The deli has been in Cahaba Heights since 2010, and earlier this year, they opened a location in Greystone. The franchise has 11 total locations, and those on staff have culinary degrees, Moeller said.
“We’ve grown exponentially,” Moeller said. “We’re really fortunate to be able to locate in Vestavia Hills.”
The deli is a “high-end, specialty butcher shoppe” specializing in certified angus beef cut to order, Moeller said, and also makes meals to-go, as well as offering fine wines, catering and smoked meats.
“We like to give back to the community,” Moeller said. “People in Vestavia Hills have been so supportive of us.”
DOMINO’S PIZZA
David Dawoud started at Domino’s as a delivery driver while in college. After working his way up, he purchased a store and now oversees nine locations with about 250 employees.
“It’s all about community support and living the American dream,” Dawoud said.
Being chosen as one of the winners is good for Domino’s and for Vestavia, Dawoud said. He has owned the Cahaba Heights location since 1995 and has grown his franchises into one of the largest in the Birmingham area. The pizza chain, he said, tries to be involved in the community, supporting area schools and churches and hiring people who live in the city.
The stores have changed over the years but have also continued to grow, as Domino’s just opened a store in Liberty Park, their newest location, Dawoud said.
LEAF AND PETAL
Jamie Pursell, owner of Leaf and Petal, which has four locations in the Birmingham area including Cahaba Heights, said it was an honor to be named one of the retailers of the year.
“Being considered is a big honor,” Pursell said.
Leaf and Petal, which offers plants, flowers and other outdoor items, has gone through a lot of change in the past year and a half, Pursell said, having recently opened the Cahaba Heights location, which more than triples the size of the Summit location.
The store started business in 1974 and has been owned by the Pursell family since 2005. Pursell said the city has been “wonderful” in supporting the store.