By Emily Williams Smartphones and tablets keep the internet almost always within reach, making it easier than ever to shop. But the shift toward e-commerce has drawn consumers away from local small businesses. When sales drop and local businesses close, it isn’t just the owner and employees who suffer; the city loses tax dollars the store would have generated. Those tax … [Read more...]
The Italian Job: Tour Guide Gives Clients an Inside View of His Native Country
By June Mathews When Andrea Traina first came to the United States, starting a business was not part of his plan. A graphic designer by trade, he originally intended to work at a relative’s construction company for a year or two before returning home to Italy. Then he began teaching an Italian language class in Samford University’s evening program, Samford After Sundown, … [Read more...]
Making Connections: Vestavia Hills Chamber Pairs Students with Local Businesses
By Emily Williams While choosing their classes for this fall, Vestavia Hills High School students were given the chance to apply for a brand new program: the City Youth Connection, an initiative of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce that pairs students with local businesses to give them business skills firsthand. According to chamber Executive Director Karen Odle, the … [Read more...]
Reading Aloud: Local Author Gives Voice to his Third Novel
By June Mathews Some of Dr. Stephen Russell’s earliest memories are being read to and hearing bedtime stories told by his father. With a love for spoken stories instilled in him from a young age, it’s only natural that he would enjoy verbally sharing stories with others. In fact, Russell now reads and interprets stories for his kids in the “Dad’s Summer Book Club” he … [Read more...]
Philanthropy Becomes Personal: Corporate Community Supports Kidney Foundation And Fundraising Walk
By Sarah Kuper “Birmingham is a very philanthropic town. We are givers.” That’s according to ARC Realty Chairman Tommy Brigham, this year’s Kidney Walk honorary chair. Brigham has been a fixture in the Birmingham real estate market for decades, and he said he has seen the corporate community unite over common causes. “I think we understand as a community that we all have to … [Read more...]