Modernizing the Past in Prattville, AL
Entrepreneurs build business out of history.
Business owners in Prattville are honoring some of the region’s unique history by making it a part of their business model. These out-of-town entrepreneurs have found ways to share this city’s past with the town they now call home.
In This Article
A Shared Dream
The historic Smith-Byrd House is a Victorian-style home built in the 1880s that now functions as a tea room and bed and breakfast. Beth and David Melling purchased the home in 2007, fulfilling a long-held dream.
“Wouldn’t it be fun to open a tea room somewhere someday?” says Beth Melling.
Beth and David were living in California when a layoff spurred them to pursue their dream. While Beth is an Alabama native, David was born and raised in Northern California. Yet Prattville seemed like the perfect place to start a new life and business.
“We were welcomed into the community,” Melling says. “It didn’t take us long to put down roots.”
The Smith-Byrd House, located in the heart of the Historic District, was the ideal setting for a tea room and bed and breakfast, with its “four over four” room design and dining room capable of holding 20 people.
“I fell in love with Prattville,” Melling says. “It was unique, different than most Southern towns. It had the feel and look of a New England village as opposed to your typical Southern towns that are laid out in a square.”
At the Smith-Byrd House, business is booming. Melling says they have regular visitors from all over the state as well as out-of-town travelers who are on their way to the beach or there to explore the area’s historic sites.
“Once people get off the interstate and head to downtown, they find out what a cool place Prattville is,” Melling says.
Fine Dining
For locals or travelers looking to blend fine dining and history, KimberLia’s provides the perfect setting. Its Sunday Brunch was voted Best of the Best in the River Region, as it features a range of entrees, including seafood and vegetarian fare.
For dinner, freshly made dishes include hearty burgers and steaks as well as specialty seasonal fare.
KimberLia’s historic location heightens the dining experience. Located in Historic Downtown, KimberLia’s is across from the Artesian Fountain at Heritage Park. Owners Lia Muir and Kim Powell opened the restaurant in the restored Prattville Mercantile Building in 2017.
The building was constructed in 1855 by industrialist Daniel Pratt (for whom Prattville is named) and was damaged in the 1900 fire that destroyed 21 other downtown businesses.
Now, the building is a downtown fixture. It is a short walk from a number of other businesses with a view of Autauga Creek. The colorful Let Love Reign mural on the outside of the mercantile building is featured on the Alabama Mural Trail.
Pieces of History
Brenda Englebert, owner of Prattville Pickers, has roots in Prattville dating to 1988, when she moved here from New Jersey. “I’m loving it here in the South,” she says.
She worked as an interior decorator in Prattville for 25 years before retiring. Not quite ready to stop working, Englebert bought Prattville Pickers in 2015. The vintage and maker’s market is housed in a repurposed 1970s sewing factory. Three hundred vendors are packed into 100,000 square feet just off Highway 82.
Part of Englebert’s mission has been to support the local economy.
“We support local makers in the area and give them a place to showcase their wares,” Englebert says. “Especially with the movement for shop local, it’s so important to keep our hometown boosted up.”
Many vendors sell pieces of local history, from recycled industrial pieces to items from farm and estate sales.
“We’re a cool place to find a piece of history,” Englebert says. “You find unique things in our store that you just don’t find in a modern big box store. … We’re trying to preserve local history for future generations.”
Education, Careers & Opportunity
Prattville, AL Saves Old Cotton Gin Mill Buildings
Historic gin factory sale holds promise
Not Run-of-the-Mill
With its slogan “Where History Meets Modern,” The Mill at Prattville is an apartment complex that opened in 2023 in a former cotton gin factory that was remodeled over the past few years. The Mill consists of five historic masonry buildings that now feature 127 modern industrial-style apartments. Overall, the space offers approximately 60 one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom floor plans.
The five buildings were originally constructed in the 1840s and 1850s by Daniel Pratt, who founded Prattville in 1839 and used the buildings to manufacture cotton gins.
The industrial buildings were vacated in 2014 when cotton gin manufacturer Continental Eagle merged with another company and closed the Prattville plant.
Shortly after, plans began to materialize for a $37 million project to transform the complex into a unique residential development. One of the key early projects was to construct a levy that would protect The Mill against potential flooding from Autauga Creek. The levy was completed in 2021, with approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Mill has several original building features that have been retained in the apartment designs, including exposed brick walls, wooden support beams, high ceilings and oversized windows that admit natural light.
Besides modern energy-saving appliances and high-speed internet, amenities include a fitness center, a clubhouse, a picnic area, covered parking, green spaces and pavilions, and elevators.
Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
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