Category Archives: Business

The rates went up, the birds are gone

Posted on October 8, 2008 | 3 comments

Here’s to hoping that Alabama Power‘s long time spokesbirds, Ben and Mickey, enjoy their permanent trip south for the winter. The state’s Public Service Commission asked that the public utility reduce the amount of advertising they do and focus any new ones on encouraging energy efficiency and conservation. Those will be words that many more APCO customers will embrace as the PSC approved a base connection fee that will raise the average customer bill by $15/month starting in January. That’s after an 8.3% rate increase starting with your next bill raising bills an average of $9.30/month. The good news is that we won’t see another rate increase until 2010.

Photo: Electric Meter on the Back of the House, MRBECK/Flickr

3 Comments

Posted in Business

Tagged advertising, Alabama Power, Ben and Mickey, changes, connection fee, increase, rates

Change of plans: Wells Fargo’s buying Wachovia

Posted on October 3, 2008 | Leave a comment

A press release early this morning announced that Wells Fargo was purchasing Wachovia as an intact entity, and avoiding the need for government assistance in the buyout. This is a major change from the word received earlier this week that would have had Wachovia’s retail banking operations purchased by New York-based Citigroup. The new deal is worth $15.1 billion. We’ll update as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: Reports that Citigroup purchases Wachovia

Posted on September 29, 2008 | 3 comments

The New York Times is reporting that Citigroup has agreed to purchase the banking operations of Charlotte, NC-based Wachovia (portions of which are formerly Birmingham based AmSouth Bank sorry, SouthTrust Bank) for $1 a share. We’ll see if we can’t get more information for you as it becomes available today.

So how are you dealing with the financial crisis? Let us know as you answer today’s Magic City Question!

3 Comments

Posted in Business, News

Tagged Alabama, Banking, Birmingham, citigroup, crisis, Wachovia

SmartCars arrive in metro Birmingham

Posted on September 17, 2008 | 6 comments

Photo: SmartCar invasion begins. acnatta/Flickr.

If you haven’t seen a SmartCar yet (the one above was on Morris Avenue about a month ago), be prepared to see many more in the coming months and years cruising around town. The car first made an appearance in town last year as part of a cross-country promotional tour. Now, one of the 72 SmartCar dealerships in the country is located in Hoover. They received one of their first car shipments about two weeks ago (I didn’t have a camera – doh). Anyone out there own one of these yet?

6 Comments

Posted in Business

Tagged Birmingham, Business, dealership, Hoover, opening, smartcar

A cleaner online bookstore

Posted on August 14, 2008 | 2 comments

Screenshot of Books-A-Million

Birmingham-based bookseller Books-A-Million has gotten their website redesigned by Zeldman and Happy Cog Studios.

That’s all, unless you want to go and take a look at it that is…

2 Comments

Posted in Business, Online

Tagged Books-A-Million, bookstore, change, new website, Online

Sweet Bones Alabama to open in The Summit

Posted on August 12, 2008 | Leave a comment

acnatta/bhamterminal.com

I really can’t be sure if the guys on the trailer were up here working preparing to work on the restaurant (I actually think some patch work was being done to their truck). I can be sure of the fact that it was just ironic timing based on what ran in today’s Birmingham News about Bonedaddy’s – sorry, soon to be Sweet Bones Alabama.

That’s right – according to today’s News’ business section the restaurant located in the Village at Lee Branch will be changing it’s name, relocating to larger space at The Summit (the former On the Border location pictured above) and working on plans to open locations outside of Alabama.

Viridian brings EnergyKey construction to Vestavia Hills

Posted on August 8, 2008 | Leave a comment

Bob Farley/f8Photo

The oldest known house on Shades Mountain will soon make way for one of the area’s first residential communities to be certified with eco-friendly building practices. NOTE: Click on the image above to see photos from the press conference and images of the house.

Yesterday Mike Wedgworth of Wedgworth Construction, Inc. and Dudley Reynolds of Alagasco spoke about the new 20-home residential development, to be known as Viridian, and a partnership between to the two companies for the project. The 10-acre property located in Vestavia Hills off Tyler Road is the site of a log cabin that dates back to 1819. Brick, stones, logs, flooring and doors from that structure will be salvaged and used in the new home construction. Natural gas service will be available for home heating, water heating and cooking. Vestavia Hills Mayor Scotty McCallum also attended the 2 p.m. news conference.

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