The number 3075 John Hawkins Parkway served plates of Jamaican beef patties, slow-cooked collards and coco bread for a decade. This summer that same address got a walk-in clinic and an independent pharmacy. Riverchase Pharmacy and Clinic opened there July 8. About five weeks later, on Aug. 16, Jake's Soul Food Café served its last meal.
That one address sums up the whole parkway in 2026. The stretch between Lake Crest Plaza and Sam's Club Plaza lost several long-running businesses with broad menus and inventories. The places that replaced them are smaller and do one thing. The big, destination-scale building is happening at the I-459 interchange, where Stadium Trace Village is clearing ground for its next phases.
The Middle Stretch, Address by Address
Here is how the AL-150 lineup changed between June and October 2026, based on the Hoover Sun's monthly business roundups and other local coverage.
| Address | What changed in 2026 | Status as of mid-October |
|---|---|---|
| 2341, Lake Crest Plaza | Oak & Ale opened; Whiskey Foxtrot moved out | Oak & Ale open |
| 2760, Suite 112 | Zad Mediterranean Cuisine opened | Open |
| 2801, near Tortugas | Whiskey Foxtrot's new home | Open |
| 2933, next to Saltgrass | Applebee's closed this summer | No new tenant named in coverage we found |
| 3049, Sam's Club Plaza | Southern Steer Butcher announced | Last reported as coming soon |
| 3075 | Riverchase Pharmacy and Clinic opened; Jake's Soul Food Café closed | Pharmacy and clinic open |
| 124 Mars Hill Road, off the parkway | Andy's Farm Market and Garden Center closed | No new tenant named in coverage we found |
Three closings stand out. Jake's had been open 10 years and had served more than 1 million meals. Applebee's served a broad American menu of burgers, salads, chicken and riblets. Andy's Farm Market had sold plants and outdoor supplies just off the parkway for 15 years. The coverage didn't say why any of them closed, and this post won't guess.
What Opened Instead Does One Thing Well
The places that opened this year have narrower menus and a clearer purpose than the ones that closed.
Zad Mediterranean Cuisine at 2760 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 112, serves Middle Eastern food with homemade Yemeni dishes alongside kabobs, lamb, falafel, shawarma and hummus. On weekdays it runs lunch specials from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday it stays open until 11 p.m.
Oak & Ale opened in Lake Crest Plaza at 2341 as a neighborhood pub with daily drink specials, live music and food. It's open until midnight Monday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. WBRC lists its space as Suite 103.
Riverchase Pharmacy and Clinic at 3075 offers walk-in visits and same-day appointments at its express clinic, plus an independent pharmacy that delivers free anywhere in Hoover. The clinic is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The pharmacy is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays until 2:30 p.m.
Southern Steer Butcher is the most specialized of the group. It's announced for 3049 John Hawkins Parkway in the Sam's Club Plaza. The shop is a locally owned and operated franchise of a Florida-based butcher known for marinated cuts, especially steak tips. The company plans to have 26 locations in 15 states by the end of 2026. The latest Hoover Sun update, from August, still listed it as coming soon with no opening date.
Whiskey Foxtrot Moved Down the Parkway
Not every change on the list was an opening or a closing. Whiskey Foxtrot, the burger spot owned by brothers Ben and Zac Williams, moved from 2341 John Hawkins Parkway in Lake Crest Plaza to 2801, near Tortugas Homemade Pizza. It first opened in Hoover in 2021 and also has a location in Homewood. The Wagyu burgers, hot dogs, craft beer and house-made sauces made the move too.
If you used to go to Lake Crest Plaza for it, head to the new address. The hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's closed Mondays. Oak & Ale now has the same 2341 street number, but the coverage doesn't say whether it took Whiskey Foxtrot's old suite.
How Jake's Said Goodbye
Jake's handled its closing the way a family business would. According to AL.com, the restaurant announced the closing on Aug. 6 and gave regulars 10 days of what it called "The Final Serve." During that time it took 20 percent off featured plates like curry chicken, whiting, chicken and waffles, and salmon croquettes.
AL.com quoted the family's farewell post:
"For the past 10 years, Jake's Soulfood Cafe has proudly served families across Hoover, Birmingham, McCalla, Bessemer, Tuscaloosa, and surrounding communities. From everyday lunches to birthdays, catering, and even the challenges of COVID, you've supported us through it all."
The list of towns in that post shows Jake's drew diners from well beyond its own block. Before Hoover, the owners ran the restaurant on U.S. 31 in Pelham. No coverage so far says Jake's will reopen somewhere else.
The Big Projects Are Going Up at I-459
The new places in the middle of the parkway are small. Stadium Trace Village, at the corner of Interstate 459 and John Hawkins Parkway off Exit 10, is the opposite. Bham Now's overview lists Phase I tenants including ALDI, Culver's, Walk-On's, two Hilton hotels, Med West Surgical Center and an amphitheater. Urban Cookhouse opened there Jan. 19. The Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites opened together at 540 Emery Drive W.
On July 13, the Hoover City Council unanimously approved a $23 million incentive package for Phases II and III, according to the Hoover Sun. By the time that story ran in early August, trees were being cleared for Phase II. The developer, Broad Metro, says it has already invested $150 million and plans to spend $200 million more on Phase II. The remaining 147 acres used to be a coal mine. City Manager Brian Muenger estimated it will take about $42 million in site work before the land is buildable.
Here's what the Phase II plans include:
- Chasing Aces, a golf and entertainment center with practice and game bays, par-3 holes, a putting green and baseball batting cages
- South Haven Surgical Plaza, a planned four-story, 80,000-square-foot medical office building with a 25-bed outpatient surgery center
- A 200-room hotel, senior living, and more restaurant and retail sites
Phase III plans call for 27 acres of high-end housing or housing for people 55 and older, 10 acres of mixed-use space and room for another hotel or other commercial buildings.
Phase II also includes work beyond the buildings. Broad Metro has committed to building a series of stormwater ponds and paying to dredge Scout Lake. The Hoover Sun reported that runoff has put 14,000 cubic yards of sediment into the lake.
Several pieces still need city approval. The proposed extension of Peridot Place to Brock's Gap Parkway will require future zoning applications for the road's design and approval. We haven't found a report of a later vote on it. For now, the clearing is real and the final layout isn't settled.
Three Empty Spots Worth Watching
Three places in the middle of the parkway could change the picture again.
- 2933 John Hawkins Parkway, the former Applebee's next to Saltgrass Steak House. We haven't found a report naming a new tenant.
- 124 Mars Hill Road, the former Andy's Farm Market. We haven't found a report naming a new tenant here either. Andy's location in Vestavia Hills is still open.
- 3049 John Hawkins Parkway, where the Southern Steer sign is the next one expected to go up.
Over the summer, Councilman Steve McClinton said Mayor Nick Derzis would likely have news about the Riverchase Galleria and Patton Creek by the third quarter or early fourth quarter of this year. We haven't found a public announcement yet. Until there is one, those two big retail sites near the parkway are still open questions.
If you'd like to sample a range of Hoover restaurants in one evening, Taste of Hoover is Oct. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Aldridge Gardens. The city's lineup includes Walk-On's, Big Whiskey's, City Bowls, Nori Hibachi, SAW's BBQ, Baba Java Coffee and Brock's Gap Brewing.
At Team Sparkman, we follow changes like these because nearby businesses shape how a home feels to live in, and how it shows to buyers. If you own near John Hawkins Parkway or Stadium Trace and wonder how this year's changes might affect your home's value, let's talk it through. Request your free home valuation, and we'll walk you through what we find, family to family.
