downtown? Hippies? (Huntsville, Decatur, Madison: transplants, house, buying)

[bamabud29]

Hello everyone. I am from northern Bama and seriously considering relocating to the cullman area to live and open a store. I was just hoping for some information on the types of people that comprise the downtown shopping area and whether or not an alternative "hippie" type store would survive. Anything like that around the area?
thanks for any input,
bamabud

[FranklinsTower]

Do it, brah!

[zenjenn]

In general, yes - not like there are tons of displaced hippies in Huntsville, but quite a few transplants who are accustomed to bigger cities would enjoy a little more funk in their shopping experience. What kind of hippie store? Clothing? Food? Gifts? Artwork? For example, I would be happy to shop at a place that had some artsy clothing, jewelry, and items for the house (dishes, etc), but it's just a style thing not lifestyle thing.. I'm wouldn't really be interested in paying top dollar for organic union-made all-natural cotton items or buying wheat grass shots, and I think it's fair to say that's fairly typical of the demographic.

[Southlander]

We have ZeroGravity in Decatur...I thought it also had a store in Huntsville, but I don't really know.
A store in Cullman? I kind of doubt it.

[Twiseman8688]

I dont really know, I havent lived in AL long...i'm originally from CA..big sur to be exact...anyways...its full of hippies. we live about 20 minutes south of cullman and i love it up there. its growing and some say its small, but compared to where we live know and where i grew up its huge. i say probly. it seems to be growing and they seem to have a lil something for everyone. except for beer stores that is...ugh.

[Keeper]

I don't live in Cullman but I am not sure the store you are thinking of opening would generate much business there. They do have a nice little downtown which they are still working on from what I have read. There are a lot of farmers in the area along with your your average worker. Not exactly new age types or hippies. You might want to open a booth at the flea market one weekend to test the waters so to speak

[VJ86]

I think you would have more success opening such a store in Huntsville even though you'd have some competition. I don't think it would be much of a hit in Cullman but ya never know.

[33458]

Originally Posted by VJ86

I think you would have more success opening such a store in Huntsville even though you'd have some competition. I don't think it would be much of a hit in Cullman but ya never know.

Not to rudely diminish anyone's previous efforts at counterculture in Huntsville, but I see very little in the way of real competition.

[ionlife]

I doubt an alternative store would succeed in Cullman --it's dry!

[VJ86]

Originally Posted by 33458

Not to rudely diminish anyone's previous efforts at counterculture in Huntsville, but I see very little in the way of real competition.

Maybe you should get around in Huntsville more? I know of at least Crossroads in Madison and a shop off Pratt Ave that are both the sort of shop the OP describes. Then you have places like the Flying Monkey Arts Center where there is always something different going on. Huntsville is no NYC, but it's got a lot to offer for the "counterculture" crowd considering its size. You just have to look.