Photo by Jordyn Davis
Brian King is the owner of Mark’s Mart in Vestavia Hills and is the grandson of Otis King, the original owner and founder of Mark’s Mart in Selma, first opened in 1978. This summer marked the official grand opening of the Rocky Ridge Mark’s Mart in Vestavia Hills.
Brian King’s grandparents didn’t take many vacations when they were younger. They would gather at their small-town gourmet shop, the very first Mark’s Mart in the late 1970s, and spend time as a family running the cash register and making friends with countless customers.
“Being with my granddad, sitting at the register, drinking a slushie, eating an ice cream sandwich, being able to go grab anything off the candy aisle — it’s just that family environment I grew up with. It’s really cool to see my kids run around and sit outside eating ice cream while seeing other families come into the shop with their kids. When you live in a small town like Selma, it takes you an hour to get out of the store because you’re having little conversations with guests,” King reminisced.
King is the owner of Mark’s Mart in Vestavia Hills and is the grandson of Otis King, the original owner and founder of Mark’s Mart in Selma, first opened in 1978. In 2019, King’s father and brother, Rodney and Jacob King, opened their Northport location, directly under the well-known Roll Tide Bridge. This summer marked the official grand opening of the Rocky Ridge Mark’s Mart in Vestavia Hills.
“My wife and I have lived here in Vestavia for 10 years and have had four children, who all go to elementary schools here. I’ve always helped my dad and little brother with the stores and I thought it would be cool to be able to bring that family element here. I just wanted to bring that same family atmosphere I had growing up,” King said.
Those special family traditions made opening up shop in Vestavia Hills all the more special, according to King. He continues to carry his family’s legacy by selecting the highest-quality meats, dinner combinations, desserts and other goodies that make family dinners all the more special. One menu item in particular, the chicken swirl, is extremely popular among customers. This popular item is a seasoned chicken breast wrapped in hickory-smoked bacon.
“The chicken swirl is our top item and it’s a proprietary product that my dad created. Everyone who has been to a Mark’s Mart, the first thing they talk about is the chicken swirl. We also have unbelievable steak, sides and seasonings. It’s really a perfect meal,” King said.
The Vestavia Hills location was formerly known as Rocky Ridge Grocery and was the very first market to open in Vestavia Hills in the 1940s. The original owners’ family recently visited the new store and were delighted to see King carrying on the tradition of small-town markets.
Although a small family market, Mark’s Mart is gaining recognition and becoming a tradition for other families, including some you might not expect.
“There was a recent interview with Ty Simpson, the quarterback for Alabama, said his two favorite things are grilling and building Legos. They asked him how he grills, and he said ‘Well, first you save up some money and you go to Mark’s Mart and buy some steaks.’ I thought that was definitely cool. My granddad was a huge Alabama fan, and seeing coaches and players with their families hits that spot,” King said.
Mark’s Mart is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit the website — chickenswirl.com — for more information on gourmet meals, butcher requests and homemade desserts.
