Hoover Restaurant Alliance creates sense
of community for residents and owners
BY LAUREN DOWDLE
their sundae, asking how their son’s game went,
and waving when they see them again at the
grocery store are comforts people can only enjoy
from shopping with locally owned businesses.
“I hear people say, ‘I can’t wait until you
recognize me and call out my name.’ It’s like
the old ‘Cheers’ feeling. I think Hoover, even at
nearly 90,000 people, still
craves that local, smalltown
feeling,” says David
Cohen, owner of The
our shopping center is like.
of their shops and say,
‘Hello.’”
Helping to build that
sense of community for
both residents and business
owners is the Hoover
Restaurant Alliance (HRA),
which Cohen organized. He
says the HRA is a loosely
knit group of independent
restaurant owners.
“They’re your neighbor.
Their kids go to school with
your kids,” he says of local
community.”
Restaurant Week similar to what Birmingham
has done, the HRA had to change their plans due
Edition where people got a game card stamped
whenever they ordered curbside from one of
the 33 participating restaurants. The Top 6
participants who earned the most stamps won gift
cards from local businesses.
20 Bham Family August 2020
BUSINESS PROFILE
and communicate a cohesive message to help a
lot of us,” Cohen said. “None of the restaurants
in our Curbside Edition closed down.”
especially good job with their curbside services.
neighborhoods to deliver meals, and Tre Luna
offered growlers to go.
The HRA may hold a Restaurant Week in the
fall if things improve, and
Cohen says they would
also like to do something
during the holidays to
give away gift cards from
local businesses. He posts
updates from restaurants on
the HRA Facebook page,
giving locals a one-stop
shop for information, as
well.
The HRA has helped
restaurant owners
connect with contacts
at the Jefferson County
Department of Health and
the state legislature, holding
Zoom calls with them to
answer questions and get
guidance for restaurants
during this unprecedented
time.
for all of them to operate
David Cohen, the organizer of the
Hoover Restaurant Alliance
at 50-percent capacity, the upcoming cooler
temperatures should help make outdoor seating a
more practical and comfortable option for guests.
Restaurants like LaBrisa, Jubilee Joe’s, and Johnny
Brusco’s have already created good outdoor
seating areas in their shopping center, he adds.
But no matter the weather or changing times,
Cohen hopes residents will continue to be
supportive of local businesses because they are
the ones investing back into the city.
“We believe in our community,” he says.