By Sam Prickett It took a once-in-a-generation event to convince him, but Smith’s Variety owner Jim Glazner has decided against selling the iconic Mountain Brook toy store. Aug. 21’s solar eclipse was the deciding factor for Glazner, who had been planning to sell the store after his mother, Mary Anne, passed away in April. Mary Anne had run the store since the death of her … [Read more...]
Back For More: Volleyball Coach Returns to Re-Establish Her Legacy
By Blake Ells Mandy Burgess returned to Vestavia Hills for her second stint as the head coach of the girls volleyball team last year. She led the team from 1999 to 2012 before hanging up her whistle to focus on her family. When the position opened back up in 2016, she couldn't fight off the itch to return. "The opportunity came back up and I was approached,” she said. “There … [Read more...]
OTM Students Named National Merit Semifinalists
On Sept. 13, 16,000 students were named semifinalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Corp. competition, which awards approximately 7,500 scholarships each year. The list included a number of Over the Mountain students, each recognized as being among the highest-scoring students out of the 1.6 million high school juniors who took the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit … [Read more...]
The Art of Design: Katherine Bramlett Combines Youthful Perspective and Traditional Taste
By Donna Cornelius Like many young Birmingham professionals, Katherine Bramlett leads a lively existence. The 26-year-old recently opened her own interior design business, Katherine Bramlett Design, in Mountain Brook Village. She runs for exercise and competes in half-marathons. She grew up riding horses – and still loves riding. The Mountain Brook High School and Vanderbilt … [Read more...]
West Coast-Bound: Spartans Headed to Compete Against Runners from Around the Country
By Blake Ells Mountain Brook’s cross-country teams will travel to Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 30 to compete in the Nike Portland XC Invite. A trip to a far-away meet has become a tradition over the past two decades, with the team rotating years flying and bussing. This time they’ll be in a field of about 60 teams at one of the premier events in the country. “Mountain Brook … [Read more...]