News for November 24th 2010

Alabama Tourism releases Civil War Trail brochure

Alabama’s Civil War sites, attractions and battle re-enactments are showcased in a new brochure created by the state tourism department. Forty-seven attractions and sites along with the history, location and contact information for each are listed in the publication. A few of the sites include the state capitol and First White House of the Confederacy in Montgomery, Popes Tavern in Florence, Old Live Oak Cemetery in Selma, Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan in Gulf Shores. Fourteen battles are listed including the Battle of Selma, Battle of Mobile Bay, Siege of Bridgeport and the Tannehill Skirmish. The brochure also provides details of Alabama’s 18 largest Civil War battles that include dates of the 14 annual reenactments. The sites and reenactment events appear as numbered icons on a state map on the back to make it easy for visitors to plan a trip along the trail.

An actor portraying a Confederate soldier on horseback during the re-enactment of the Battle of Selma appears on the front cover, while the First White House of the Confederacy is featured on the back of the brochure.“The brochure is ready for next year’s 150th anniversary of the Civil War,” said director Lee Sentell. “This brochure really tells the story of Alabama’s Civil War history and packages it so that visitors can easily create their own experiences.” The Civil War Trail brochure shows and tells the story of each of the five historic flags of the Confederacy on display at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery. It also contains dozens of photos from reenactments to homes and battle sites. The sesquicentennial of the Civil War is one of three historical periods in state history being observed 2011 through 2015 under the “Becoming Alabama” campaign. Under this banner, the state is also promoting the bicentennial of the Creek Indian War and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement. The brochures are available at the eight welcome centers across Alabama, at the Alabama Tourism Department office at 401 Adams Ave., Montgomery or by calling 1.800.ALABAMA (252.2262).

The brochure is available as a PDF download at http://www.800alabama.com/media/media_room/Brochure/civil_war_trail.pdf.
 

Bottletree in Birmingham named one of the “10 Greatest New Music Venues”
From the article “Bottletree named one of the 10 Greatest New Music Venues of the 21st Century” by Matt Cuthbert on al.com:

Just in time for its 4th anniversary, Bottletree has been named among the “10 Greatest New Music Venues of the 21st Century.”  The list from Flovorwire ranked the Birmingham venue alongside spots in New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Seattle, and Atlanta.

Here’s what they had to say about it…
This is the venue that gave independent music a home in Birmingham, much to the delight of the locals, so perhaps the hometown band Wild Sweet Orange describes it best: “They wanted to make the perfect place for bands; there are massage chairs and vegan food. They have this old Airstream trailer from the ’70s. It’s a fancy hangout, and not the typical bar you roll up to where nobody cares who you are.” Sounds good to us! The stellar schedule through the end of the year includes Azure Ray, The Low Anthem, and a New Years Eve blowout starring Man… or Astroman? Of course, those of us who live here already know how great the place is — both for concerts and food — but that’s some nice recognition.

For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/nightlife/2010/11/bottletree_named_one_of_the_10.html#incart_hbx.
Tuscaloosa prepares for tourism dollar showdown on Black Friday
“Crimson Friday, Black Saturday” will be the theme for Thanksgiving Weekend as shoppers and football fans meet on a collision course in Tuscaloosa, Nov.26. Tuscaloosa’s Black Friday, traditionally the retail industry’s most celebrated shopping day, has an additional 100,000 person “bonus” as people converge on the city to witness one of college football’s favorite annual rivalries, creating the most interesting retail story in the state. The game kick off is 1:30 p.m. but to lure shoppers, area malls are “kicking-off” with big box retailer openings at University Mall starting at 3:30 a.m. at JC Penney and 4:00 a.m. for Belk and Sears, all University Mall doors open at 4 a.m. Friday, Best Buy at Midtown Village opens at 5:00 a.m. Saturday University Mall Sears opens at 7 a.m., Belk and JC Penney following at 8:00 a.m. Various door buster discount incentives are available throughout the morning to shoppers willing to venture out in the early hours which could prove safer than navigating Game Day traffic just prior to kick off.
 

Lower condo prices bringing buyers back to the Alabama Gulf Coast
From the article “Lower condo prices bring buyers back to Alabama shores” by Kathy Jumper in the Press-Register:

A young Louisiana couple plan to spend their first Thanksgiving in a three-bedroom cottage one block off the beach, a bargain purchased for $174,000 compared to a previous $300,000 sales price. “They had always wanted a place at the Gulf, but couldn’t afford it before,” said David Swiger of Swiger & Company Realtors in Gulf Shores. “A lot of buyers who have been coming here for years and renting now realize it’s at a price point that makes sense for them.” Deals at the beach are bringing buyers back this fall, Realtors said. Condominium units listed for $250,000 can be bought for under $200,000, agents said. Buyers who plan to use the units for second homes or vacations are scooping up units that once they only dreamed of owning, agents said. It’s not just lower-priced units that are selling. Condos with a boat slip at Vista Bella on Old River in Orange Beach that three years ago sold for $1.2 million are moving at prices in the $450s, according to Bob Shallow of REMAX Paradise.

“Everybody we’re seeing is looking for the deal of the century,” said Larry Powell of Century 21 Meyer Real Estate on Fort Morgan. “That used to give everybody a bad feeling, but now it’s about the only thing going and people are not too disappointed in it.”  “We’re moving stuff, but we are very careful on how we price things,” said Pete Vakakes of REMAX of Gulf Shores. Sellers are asked if they want to be “in the market or on the market,” he said, adding, “There’s a big difference.” Some owners are taking low prices just to get out of the market, Vakakes said. He sold two condo units at Three C’s in Gulf Shores, both short-sale transactions, for $100,000 each when they originally sold from $275,000 to $325,000. Two-bedroom condo units that are priced right are selling quickly, said Tina Maynard of RealtySouth in Orange Beach. She sold two, two-bedroom, two-bath units in Phoenix IV in Gulf Shores for $240,000 each. One was a short sale. In the past, similar units sold in the $300s or more. “Even if people have a budget of half a million, they want to get the very best deal,” Maynard said. “If a buyer knows that people paid $240,000 for a two-bedroom unit, even if the deals were unusual, they want a deal at least as good or better. That can get tough.”

Sellers today are competing with short sales and foreclosures, and many properties are not appraising for the sales price, Maynard said. “I’ve lost a couple of deals lately because they didn’t appraise. The buyer was willing to pay that amount, but we couldn’t get the lending on it.” On Dauphin Island, “We’re beginning to see people buy because they want the house, not because it’s a deal,” said Toni Knox of ACP Real Estate. “But compared to 2005 or 2004 prices, they are good deals.” Interior lots or wooded lots on Dauphin Island are selling well, with some foreclosure lots selling for $22,000, she said. In 2005, those lots sold for as high as $189,000, she said. The prices have opened up the market again for average buyers, Knox said. “When thing were going wild and property was selling like crazy, it was exciting to a point. Then it became kind of scary because we knew the buyers were limited and the market was shrinking.”

For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2010/11/beach_property_deals_out_there.html. 
Alabama-based clothing designer Billy Reid wins Vogue award
Clothing designer Billy Reid won the 2010 CFDA/ Vogue Award last week at an awards dinner last week in New York City. Billy Reid is based out of Florence, Alabama where his flagship store is located on North Court Street. Reid also has store locations in Nashville, Charleston, Dallas, Houston, and New York. Earlier this year GQ magazine named Reid the 2010 Best New Menswear Designer in America. To purchase Billy Reid fashions online please see www.billyreid.com.
From the article “Billy Reid Wins 2010 CFDA/ Vogue Award” on the Vogue magazine website:

When Billy Reid, the Alabama-based fashion designer who is taking home the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s top prize tonight, was asked on his way into the awards dinner held in New York City this evening what he thought of his chances, he offered up a humble response: “I have to say – and I mean it – I am just so excited to be here at all.”  What? No butterflies? “Oh,” he laughed as his wife smiled at him, “there are definitely some butterflies.” The prestigious prize, now in its seventh year, was established by Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to mentor emerging American design talent, and it awards the winner this year not only $300,000 for his business but a one-year mentorship with a leading industry professional to help provide a sustainable path to success.

Edited: November 24th, 2010