Dumbwaiter opening in Fairhope

Owner Wes Lambert recently announced the locally celebrated Dumbwaiter restaurant chain is opening its first Baldwin County location, and third overall, this fall in downtown Fairhope.

The new upscale eatery will be located at 108 Section St., housed inside a completely renovated 2,800-square-foot space. The site will seat 75 patrons indoors, plus a private room that can entertain up to 10 and an outdoor patio area that can seat up to 12.

The new restaurant will fill 20 new positions locally and relocate more than 10 employees from its Spring Hill location. David Byars in Spring Hill will oversee the kitchen staff in Fairhope as executive chef. Meagan Cox will be general manager. All training prior to opening will take place at the Spring Hill location.

The Fairhope restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Brunch will be available on Sunday.

According to Spanish Fort-based Realtor Sean Gibbs with BHGRE, who handled the transaction, the property formerly operated as a Circle K and most recently as an antique shop called Antiques and Uniques.

“The developer is Mac Porter of Porter Properties. Mac has a special vision for this project and has paid particular interest in who the tenants will be and how they will contribute to downtown Fairhope,” Gibbs said.

“The project is designed to have patrons visit all day, not just in the evening time. The Dumbwaiter concept is rooted in the history of the area and will bring something unique to the eastern shore.”

Commercial real estate moves
A 170-room former Days Inn built in 1970 was bought by a local developer for $1.75 million. The property, which includes six-story and two-story block stucco buildings, sits on 2.89 acres and has an exterior in-ground pool located in the courtyard.

The investor plans to convert the site into a La Quinta Inn & Suites hotel. The existing structure was in the midst of a renovation by the former owner when foreclosed on by the new owner. It is currently gutted and in shell condition, according to Vallas Realty, which handled the transaction. The property is located off Interstate 65 and near Airport Boulevard.

Hamilton & Co. recently represented a Papa John’s franchisee in leasing a new location in the Historic Malbis area of Daphne. The newly constructed Shoppes at Malbis at 29640 Highway 181 will house the 2,125-square-foot restaurant. Dane Haygood with H Properties worked for the owner. Papa John’s currently has 12 locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

According to Vallas Realty, DR Horton Inc. closed on 12 additional lots in Amelia Lake subdivision on Snow Road in West Mobile. DR Horton has built more than 30 new homes in the lakefront development.

Bay Barbeque has leased a 1,500-square-foot space at 59 N. Florida St., situated directly across from Butch Cassidy’s, per Cameron Weavil, vice president of The Weavil Co.. The eatery will open as a takeout barbecue establishment sometime this June.

Hamilton & Co. represented ESD Truck Driving School with the lease of a new location in Theodore. This will be the company’s third location in Alabama, with a fourth site expected to open later this year.  Bobby Moore with Roberts Brothers worked for the owner.

Grand Hotel hosting job fair
The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa located in Point Clear recently announced it will hold a job fair Monday, April 4, from 3-7 p.m. with the stated goal of hiring 100 new employees as the resort heads into its busiest season.

The hotel has a variety of full-time, part-time and seasonal positions available with flexible scheduling options. The available positions include room attendants (housekeepers), drivers, bellhops, recreation attendants, pool servers, banquet servers, dishwashers, cooks, golf range attendants and others. A few management positions are available.

The job fair will in the Grand Ballroom at One Grand Blvd. in Point Clear, 36564. Per a news release, applicants should park in the event parking lot across the street from the resort on Scenic Highway 98.

Prospective employees must complete an online application at www.tinyurl.com/careers prior to attending the job fair. A full listing of job openings is on the site. Those interested should also bring two forms of identification to expedite the hiring process.

All applicants are subject to pre-employment drug screening and background investigation and should be age 16 and older. Some jobs require applicants to be at least 21 years old.

For more information, contact human resources at the Grand Hotel, at 251-990-6378 or email humanresources@marriottgrandhotel.com. 

Local nonprofit promotes state legislation for homeowners
Per a news release, homeowners in Mobile and Baldwin counties are now eligible to apply for a no-match grant of up to $10,000 to re-roof and/or retrofit primary residences to a higher standard.

The Strengthen Alabama Homes grant program was created by the Alabama Department of Insurance to help homeowners improve qualified properties using specific building methods that have the potential of mitigating property damage caused by the effects of hurricanes. This in turn may allow impacted communities to recover quicker after catastrophic weather events.

In 2011, the Alabama Legislature created the Strengthen Alabama Homes Act, reportedly the first legislation of its kind nationwide. Funding for the grant program came from the insurance industry in Alabama, not from the state’s general budget, and is also not tied to a federally funded program.

By strengthening a home against wind damage under the set guidelines, owners are able to qualify for insurance premium discounts ranging from 35 percent to 50 percent under the new law, according to language in the guidelines.

For more information on the program, visit Smart Home America’s website, www.dontgoof.org, or apply for the grant at www.strengthenalabamahomes.com.

Hardy promoted at Swift Industrial Power
Knoxville, Tennessee-based Swift Industrial Power has announced the promotion of Mike Hardy to branch manager of its Mobile location.

Hardy, who previously served as a customer service representative for the company’s local branch, which coers southern Alabama to the Florida panhandle, will now take over all management responsibilities in the area.

Swift Industrial Power is located at 1125 Corporate Drive N. The company also has offices in Knoxville, Nashville, Birmingham and Dolomite, Alabama; and in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Lakeland, Florida.