Photos courtesy of Alabama Goods.
Alabama Goods features a variety of locally made merchandise
Alabama Goods features pottery shaped by local hands, and has expanded beyond its successful Homewood location.
In an era when most storefronts look the same from one state to the next, Alabama Goods built its identity on a simple but uncommon premise: everything inside has an Alabama story.
Step through the doors of the Homewood shop and you’ll find shelves lined with pottery shaped by local hands, glass blown in small studios, specialty foods crafted in family kitchens and even coasters cut from reclaimed carpet in the shape of the state itself. But the store’s real inventory isn’t just merchandise — it’s relationships.
Sherry Hartley co-founded Alabama Goods in October 2007 with business partner Beth Staula after the two realized there was no single retail source dedicated exclusively to Alabama-made products. “We believed there would be a demand from retail customers and businesses for items made in Alabama,” Hartley said.
They started with a website, testing the concept online before committing to brick and mortar. The Homewood location came next — a natural fit. With its walkable downtown and loyal support of locally owned businesses, the neighborhood offered exactly the kind of environment where a curated, Alabama-centered store could take root.
Neither Hartley nor Staula came from a retail background. What they shared was a love for their home state and a desire to showcase its talent. That passion became the filter through which every product is evaluated. The team travels to art shows and craft fairs, fields daily inquiries from hopeful makers and carefully vets each item. Only about 10 percent are accepted.
The standard is clear: quality, creativity and authenticity. The goal is to represent the best of Alabama craftsmanship, not simply fill shelf space.
One vendor Hartley often points to is Carpet Chunks, a small company that repurposes leftover commercial carpet into highly absorbent coasters, many cut in the unmistakable outline of Alabama. The product is practical, sustainable and unmistakably local, a small example of how ingenuity across the state finds a platform inside the store.
Over time, Alabama Goods has grown beyond Homewood, adding locations in Huntsville and Hoover. Expansion felt both validating and complex for Hartley. Growth meant new logistics, new staff and broader reach, but it also meant the opportunity to support more makers across the state.
An unexpected evolution came through corporate gifting. Businesses began approaching Alabama Goods looking for curated, locally sourced gifts for clients, employees and board members. What started as occasional requests has become a significant division, complete with a dedicated operations center assembling custom gift boxes filled with Alabama-made products. For Hartley, it’s an extension of the same mission: connecting people through thoughtfully crafted goods.
The typical Alabama Goods customer values originality and craftsmanship. Many are local shoppers looking for meaningful gifts. Others are visitors — sometimes from out of state or even overseas — surprised to discover the depth of creativity concentrated within Alabama’s borders.
At a time when national chains and online marketplaces dominate retail, Hartley believes Alabama Goods stands apart by preserving something increasingly rare: direct connection between maker and buyer.
When a customer walks out with a bag in hand, she hopes they carry more than a purchase. She hopes they leave with a piece of Alabama’s character — its resourcefulness, artistry and hospitality — thoughtfully wrapped and ready to be shared.
