‘Dynamic duo’ move businesses to Homewood

Sheri Corey and Micheal Meadows’ businesses have shared a wall for five years. So when Corey decided to relocate her business to Homewood, she convinced her neighbor to come with her.

“We are the dynamic duo that enjoy being together,” Corey said.

Corey is the owner of Sew Sheri and Dorm Sweet Dorm, where she creates custom draperies and dorm-room decor, and has been in business 22 years. Meadows owns the five-year-old Balance Personal Training Studio. When both businesses were on Culver Road in Mountain Brook, they got to know each other because Corey didn’t mind when Meadows threw weighted balls against their adjoining wall in group “wall ball” exercises.

That led to several Sew Sheri employees joining fitness classes in Meadows’ gym, then Corey herself started training there. The pair became fast friends and enjoyed their shared bond as business owners.

“We built a big bond over there,” Meadows said.

Corey decided to relocate her business to a suite at 1722 28th Ave. S. Since it was a double suite, she brought Meadows with her to see if he liked it. He didn’t — but one of his trainers did.

“He saw a vision that I didn’t see. Once we built it out, I loved it,” Meadows said.

Meadows made another visit and, rather than re-signing his Mountain Brook lease, decided to make the leap. Both businesses relocated in December.

“After thinking about it … I downsized and moved over and got to stay neighbors with one of my clients,” Meadows said.

Both Sew Sheri and Balance are in smaller spaces than what they had in Mountain Brook. Corey had to change her shop’s layout, and Meadows had to get rid of some extra equipment to make it a good fit. But rather than following the traditional business advice to keep growing, Corey said downsizing made them more financially stable and allowed them to focus on strengthening their businesses instead of expanding.

“We really had to rethink our businesses,” Corey said.

Their new location is a little harder to find, but Corey said they have the advantage of more parking than they had in Mountain Brook.

With their new spaces come some changes — including that Meadows now has clients throw their wall balls on the opposite wall. But the dynamic between this duo has stayed the same.

“I love hearing his music through the walls,” Corey said.

“I still get to come over and visit. It’s a fun shop to visit,” Meadows said.