Of Your Favorite People, Places, Events and Things
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It’s celebrating the vast REGIONS SMALL BUSINESS and rich history. It’s cre- ative and vibrant people living and working in the Name: place they believe in and call home. It’s the city of Company: Birmingham, and it’s the city we love most. Location: 2013 Bestof BhamMethodology During the month of June, Birmingham maga- zine readers cast more than 16,000 votes for their favorite things in 99 INNOVATION AND PERSONAL COMMITMENT – TWO WAYS REGIONS KEEPS THE WHEELS OF PROGRESS TURNING FOR SMALL BUSINESS. categories. These are the Employment Screening Services, Inc., has come a long way since its inception in 1994 as a small division of what was actually a title top three vote getters in company. In fact, this thriving business now employs 55 people and currently completes more than 1 million background checks every each category, with ties year. Recently, Sheila Benson and her company started a relationship with Regions to purchase a new state-of-the-art 10,000-square-foot noted where appropriate. facility. “People love coming to work in such a creative space,” says Sheila. “ Regions convinced me that even though it is a large bank, it could have a community bank feel. The closing 99 of your favorite people, on our building was the easiest I’ve ever experienced.” places, events and things After fi nancing the building, the relationship with Regions expanded to include many services, such as Treasury Management and Regions Commercial Cards. She has even switched some of her personal accounts to Regions Private Wealth Management. “I feel extremely confi dent now that Regions can take care of all our banking needs. It’s about feeling that they’re my partner,” says Sheila. To learn more about Employment Screening Services, Inc., and how Regions can help your business, visit regions.com/success. By Melody Kitchens Loans | Checking | Savings | Treasury Management | Wealth Management Photos by Cary Norton, Caleb Chancey, Kelly Cummings of Spindle Photography, Art Meripol and Birmingham News File Photos © 2013 Regions Bank. All loans and lines subject to credit approval. Best Annual Event For three years in a row, Bir- Barber Vintage Motorsports Honda Indy Grand Prix mingham voters have recognized Museum | 6030 Barber Motors- 6040 Barber Motorsports that Naked Art isn’t your typical ports Parkway | 205-699-7275 | 28 gallery — in the best way pos- barbermuseum.org ) Parkway | April | 877-332-7804 | barbermotorsports.com sible. Full of life and color, Naked As a race full of excitement and Art is a meant to be enjoyed by Best Kids’ Dance Classes adrenaline, including Bo Jackson everyone. Children’s Dance Foundation -21 as last year’s Grand Marshal, the Finalists | Birmingham Museum 1715 27th Court S., Homewood | % Grand Prix might just keep you of Art | 2000 Rev. Abraham 205-870-0073 | sitting on the edge of your seat. Woods Jr. Blvd. | 205-254-2565 childrensdancefoundation.org 68 Finalists | Magic City Brewfest | | artsbma.org | Monty Stabler Serving more than 2,000 stu- ) June | Sloss Furnaces, 20 32nd Galleries | 1811 29th Ave. S., dents each week, CDF is nothing St. N. | magiccitybrewfest.com | Homewood | 205-879-9888 | short of extraordinary to locals. SEC Baseball Tournament | May | montystablergalleries.com And classes aren’t just for kids — adults can find instruction )28 Regions Park, 100 Ben Chapman Drive, Hoover | 205-988-3200 | Best Charity Event here, too. The Garage Giveaway | Steeple Arts Acad- & secsports.com Finalists thegaragegiveaway.com emy of Dance | 36 Church St., Best Art Festival Described by its founders as Mountain Brook, 205-871-5893 | Bluff Park Art Show “trying to make sacrifices in our steepleartsdance.com | Dale Ser- 517 Cloudland Drive, Hoover | lives to help meet the needs of rano Dance Studio | 2121 Arbor %687 Oct. 5 | our neighbors,” it’s no surprise Hill Parkway, Hoover | 205-682- bluffparkartassociation.org Garage Giveaway has made such 0800 | daleserranodance.com It started as an effort to expand an impact in the Birmingham the Bluff Park Elementary community since its launch in Best Kids’ Music Lessons School’s library, and it has since 2009. Every year on the first Mason Music grown into the popular art show weekend of December, more 3187 Cahaba Heights Road, that it is today. The winning than 1,000 items are given away Vestavia Hills | 205-908-7059 | work of art is added to Bluff for free. masonmusicstudios.com Park’s permanent collection, Finalists | Race 4 Grace | July Whether it’s from reading their which rotates display through | race4grace.org | Do Dah Day | story on their website or hearing schools, libraries and other May | dodahday.org from word-of-mouth how much institutions. Proceeds from this people love Mason Music, it’s annual event go toward sup- Best Cultural Institution clear that owners Will and Sarah porting the arts in the greater Birmingham Museum of Art Mason are doing something right Birmingham community. 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. in the community. They offer Finalists | BBVA Compass Blvd. | 205-254-2565 | lessons in guitar, voice, drums, Magic City Art Connection | artsbma.org piano and group performance for April | magiccityart.com | With a collection of more than all ages. ArtWalk | Sept. 6-7 | 24,000 works of art — some even Finalists | Music Opportunity birminghamartwalk.org dating back to 3000 B.C. — the Program | 2316 Seventh Ave. N. Birmingham Museum of Art | 205-231-9509 | musicop.org Best Art Gallery never ceases to amaze. | Homewood School of Music Naked Art Finalists | Birmingham Civil | 1736 Oxmoor Road Suite 207, 3831 Clairmont Ave., Forest Park | Rights Institute | 520 16th St. Homewood | 205-701-2144 | N. | 205-328-9696 | bcri.org | homewoodschoolofmusic.com 205-595-3553 | nakedartusa.com Best Cultural Institution: Birmingham Museum of Art Best Annual Event: Best Charity Event: Honda Indy Grand Prix The Garage Giveaway 94 | Birmingham | SEPT 13 Best Adult Artistic Pursuit Sips n Strokes Multiple locations | sipsnstrokes.com Sips n Strokes makes it easy to have a carefree craft night. They supply the paint and canvases, and you just bring the drinks. Finalists | Art Play | 1530 Third Ave. S. | 205-975-4769 | artplayasc.org | Gardendale Music | 528 Decatur Highway, Best Art Festival: Gardendale | 205-914-7175 | Bluff Park Art Show gardendalemusic.com SEPT 13 | Birmingham | 95 Best Local Artist With Nashville and Atlanta votes suggest they deserve it. With blackjacketsymphony.com | Out- Carrie Beth Taylor nearby, you think it’d be easy for a mellow and layered sound, the Shine | facebook.com/outshine.al musicians to skip over Birming- band’s latest single “Dark Star” 28 carriebethtaylor.com ham on tours. But thanks in part is an exciting glimpse into their Best Local Music Festival ) Carrie Beth Taylor is an illustrator and watercolor artist to Bottletree, Birmingham has upcoming album, set for release Schaeffer Eye Center specializing in fashion, bridal, been established as a place not to this fall. Crawfish Boil homes and pets. Oh, and she’s be missed. Finalists | St. Paul and the May | schaeffercrawfishboil.com -21 a contributing illustrator for Finalists | WorkPlay | 500 Broken Bones | stpaulandthe It started about 30 years ago as % laurenconrad.com, a fashion and 23rd St. S., Southside | 205- brokenbones.bandcamp.com | Ben a crawfish boil in a backyard, beauty site founded by “Laguna 879-4773 | workplay.com | Iron Nelson | myspace.com/ and now it’s one of the most 68 Beach” and “The Hills” star Lau- City Birmingham | 513 22nd St. bennelson successful music festivals in ) ren Conrad. What can’t she do? S., Southside | 205-202-5483 | the city. The Crawfish Boil has Finalists | Nick Thomas ironcitybham.com Best Local Cover Band raised nearly $500,000 for local Designs | nickthomasdesigns. Gentleman Zero non-profits, and that’s something Best Local Band to celebrate. )28 com | Erin Edwards | gentlemanzero.com behance.net/erine1288 (original music) Covering artists from Prince to Finalists| Secret Stages | The Great Book of John August | secretstages.net | Jazz & Tom Petty to Outkast, you can’t Best Live Music Venue thegreatbookofjohn.com go wrong with the funky Gentle- in the Park | Summer | The Bottletree Café The Great Book of John just keeps man Zero. Catch them at Tin magiccitysmoothjazz.com 3719 Third Ave. S., Avondale | getting bigger and better — recent- Roof and Café Firenze or book 205-533-6288 | ly named one of the “12 Alabama them for weddings and parties. Best Dance Club %687 thebottletree.com bands you should listen to now” Finalists | Black Jacket The Quest Club There’s no place like Bottletree. by Paste Magazine — and reader Symphony | 416 24th St. S., Lakeview | Best Theater Company: Red Mountain Theatre Company 96 | Birmingham | SEPT 13 205-251-4313 | quest-club.com Barber is the largest motorcycle Valleydale Road, Hoover | 205- provides applaud-worthy perfor- Anything can happen at Quest, museum in the world. 444-7780 mances of productions such as and that’s why people love it. The Finalists | Vulcan Park and “Les Miserables” and “Grease,” club offers drag shows, a packed Museum | 1701 Valley View Drive | Best Radio Station but they also offer workshops dance floor and the music never 205-933-1409 | visitvulcan.com | Birmingham Mountain Radio and scholarships. stops — it’s open 24/7. Regions Field | 1401 First Ave. bhammountainradio.com Finalists | Terrific New Theatre | Finalists | Nana Funk’s | 708 S., Southside | 205-988-3200 | Birmingham Mountain Radio 2821 Second Ave. S. | 205-328- 29th St. S., Lakeview | 205-250- barons.com recently took a big step: Now 0868 | terrificnewtheatre.com | 8003 | facebook.com/nanafunks | they’re on the airwaves at 107.3 Virginia Samford Theatre | 1116 Bacchus Dance Club | 1928 11th Best Place to FM. We couldn’t be more excited 26th St. S. | 205-251-1206 | Ave. S., Five Points South | 205- Watch a Movie for another way to listen to the virginiasamfordtheatre.org 731-2582 | bacchusbham.com Carmike Theaters station voted Birmingham’s best Multiple locations | carmike.com for three consecutive years.