Shelby County development hoping to be a ‘playground’ of Birmingham area restaurants opening soon
Article written by William Thornton of AL.com
A new Shelby County development looking to open in the latter part of this year has its creators promising it will be an area “playground.” Valley Post, at the northwest corner of U.S. 280 and Dunnavant Valley Road in Chelsea, is coming together now on six acres.
Designed in collaboration with Chambless King Architects and Rives Construction, Valley Post will be the home of four brands with the Pihakis Restaurant Group - Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Little Donkey and Luca & Lucy.
Nick Pihakis, the group’s founder, said the company wants to “enhance” what is already taking shape in Shelby County.
“PRG wants to place our ‘home-grown’ brands in the great communities that are outside of the immediate Birmingham area,” he said. The development takes its name from its location at the lip of the valley, with the idea of being a point of reference - a place to “post up.”
Part of the plan for the development is that each restaurant has indoor dining and large outdoor patios, facing out into a common greenspace. Plantings and winding paths lead from restaurants through the common area, with a large viewing screen at one end of the green to provide a focal point.
All of the restaurants have well-known names and pedigrees, but the four have more in common just than their relationship with PRG. Rodney Scott, Hero and Little Donkey are all located at 1722 28th Ave. South in Homewood, along with Luca Lagotto.