Q: What made you transition from being an assistant professor at Samford to a restaurant owner/operator?
A: I was an assistant professor of broadcast journalism for six years prior to deciding to open Hoover Steaks & Wines with my husband, Patrick, and our business partners. While I love academia and teaching, I wanted to support my husband’s vision of serving the community through a local business. Our background in education, communication, marketing and PR has helped us to build a business that is centered on friendly, exceptional customer service with knowledgeable expertise for every level of food and wine lover. Our passion for culinary experiences is surpassed only by our love of sharing it with others, so we felt a locally owned restaurant, butcher and wine shop was fulfilling a need for the area [where] we live. Patrick and I both left our traditional careers to start this venture, along with our other three business partners who also own their own financial firm, and we are so thankful we took that leap in order to give back to the Hoover community, which has given so much to us.
Q: How long has the idea of opening a wine and fine meats store been a goal of yours?…