Clover + Bee in Cahaba Heights has been named Alabama’s Gold Retailer of the Year in the Annual Sales $1 Million to $5 Million category.
The Alabama Retail Association presented 11 Retailers of the Year awards this year in different categories.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition and a privilege to be one of the many small businesses in Alabama faithfully serving our communities,” Bryson Kessler, owner of Clover + Bee, was quoted as saying in a statement from the association.
Located at 3150 Heights Village, Clover + Bee started out 17 years ago as The Swanky Stork, a maternity boutique, and later expanded to include a “beyond the bump” clothing section. A rebrand to Cradle + Bee followed with the addition of a custom baby bedding line. In 2021, the company phased out maternity clothing and the bedding line and rebranded to Clover + Bee. It sells a curated collection of clothing, accessories and gifts.
Clover + Bee has been “extremely adaptable and evolved with their customers,” one of the Retailer of the Year judges said, according to the statement. “They are using a lot of tools to build their team and their customer base, and those efforts have resulted in increased sales.”
Kessler said, “We prioritize developing and fostering the strengths of each team member and are strategic about placing them in a role that highlights and utilizes their unique skills.”
As part of her commitment to customer service, she hired 12 high schoolers to rotate through the store on Saturdays to greet customers and assist with fitting rooms.
“This strategy has proven to be very successful, not only with increased sales, but also to ensure we provide excellent service to each customer who walks through our door,” she said.
Clover + Bee’s marketing includes several special events, including discounts for teachers at the start of the school year and a focus on mothers in May.
“The colors and the happiness of this store (are) amazing,” Tracy Thornton, membership and marketing director of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, wrote in her nomination of Kessler.
Late last year, Kessler launched a podcast called Honey for Your Heart to share lessons she learned from her customers.
“My desire for C+B has always been so much bigger than just a retail store,” Kessler said. “I want this to be a store that truly changes lives and ministers to others. That has always been my ‘why’ behind owning this store.”
Kessler also is actively involved in her retail community. She serves with the Cahaba Heights Merchants Association and said she had partnered with other business owners to offer an entrepreneur workshop.
The Alabama Retailer of the Year awards, started in 1999, honor retailers who have demonstrated growth, innovation and a commitment to their respective communities. This year’s winners were selected from 42 entries submitted from a pool of 55 nominees.
