MOBILE — A membership warehouse club is coming to Foley, a Saraland park and boat launch is in line for a multimillion-dollar overhaul, and a string of hires, leases and ribbon-cuttings are reshaping the commercial landscape across Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Here is a look at the moves, openings and grants announced across the two-county region.
Retail and Restaurants
BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. is opening at 3275 Palm Beach Way in Foley. The retailer operates a membership warehouse model with savings on a range of grocery items, along with home decor, small appliances, apparel and more.
Membership clubs are a meaningful addition to a retail market because they draw from a wide radius rather than a neighborhood trade area. In south Baldwin County, where the year-round population is supplemented by a large seasonal visitor base, that radius includes both permanent residents and the rental-property economy that stocks up in volume.
Also in Foley, a ribbon-cutting was held at Waffles R Wild – The Speakeasy, 217 N. McKenzie St. It is the restaurant’s second location in the area, joining its original spot at Downtown OWA. The restaurant grew from a food truck into a 1930s-themed brick-and-mortar location serving gourmet waffles and craft cocktails.
In Bay Minette, a ribbon-cutting was set for 2 p.m. Sept. 4 at Billings Barbershop, 108 N. Hoyle Ave.
Commercial Real Estate
Burnham’s VitalCare, a medical infusion services company, leased approximately 8,000 square feet of specialty office and lab space in Gateway Center West at 1201 Montlimar Drive in Mobile. Adam and Brian Metcalfe with Metcalfe & Company Inc. represented the owner of the property.
Specialty office and lab space is a distinct segment of the commercial market. It requires infrastructure that standard office suites do not — power capacity, ventilation, plumbing and finishes suited to clinical use — which makes an 8,000-square-foot lease of that type a more substantial commitment than the square footage alone suggests.
Health Care
USA Health will host Partners in Healing, a fundraising event bringing together first responders, health care professionals, community leaders and philanthropic supporters, on Nov. 12 at Crown Hall in Mobile. All proceeds support renovations to the Arnold Luterman Regional Burn Center at USA Health University Hospital.
Regional burn centers are specialized facilities that serve a wide geographic area, because the equipment, staffing and expertise burn care requires cannot be maintained at every hospital. Investment in one facility therefore affects care access well beyond the city where it sits.
Troy M. Sofinowski, M.D., has joined USA Health, which is expanding access to advanced treatment for kidney stone disease and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Sofinowski is a fellowship-trained endourologist who specializes in minimally invasive surgical procedures.
OsteoStrong Midtown Mobile held a ribbon-cutting for its location at 2724 Old Shell Road, Suite D. The business focuses on skeletal strength conditioning designed to help clients improve strength, balance, agility and overall physical wellness.
A Youth Mental Health First Aid Training is set for Sept. 16 at Bryant Bank, 1801 U.S. Highway 98 in Daphne. The training equips adults who interact with young people to recognize and support adolescents experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.
Legal
Seasoned litigation attorney Doug McCoy joined Adams & Reese as counsel in its Mobile office. McCoy brings more than four decades of commercial litigation experience representing businesses and individuals in high-stakes disputes across a broad range of industries, with extensive trial experience in both federal and state courts throughout Alabama, Mississippi and New York.
Banking and Finance
SmartBank was selected for a 2026 national Best Medium Workplaces list compiled by a workplace culture research organization. The bank was previously recognized on a best workplaces in financial services and insurance list, but this marks its first appearance on the Best Medium Workplaces list, at No. 37. SmartBank has locations at 3701 Dauphin St. in Mobile and 106 Ecor Rouge Place Shopping Center in Fairhope.
Ryan Vann was promoted to chief lending officer at PenAir Credit Union. Vann previously served as vice president of consumer lending. PenAir has branches in Mobile, Spanish Fort, Robertsdale and Foley.
Parks and Public Investment
The city of Saraland was awarded $2.5 million in Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act funds to improve Walter Cofield Park and Boat Launch at 414 Ruben Ave., which provides access to Bayou Sara.
Planned improvements include an expanded boat launch and pier, a fish-cleaning station, improved parking and lighting, an enclosed playground, new restrooms, covered picnic areas, a weigh-in pavilion, and upgrades to the park’s boardwalks and sidewalks. Phase I is expected to be completed in 2027. Phase II would bring the park’s total renovation investment to about $4 million.
GOMESA distributes a share of federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue to Gulf states for coastal conservation, restoration and related projects. The inclusion of a weigh-in pavilion in the plans points at the practical use case: a boat launch with tournament-capable facilities draws anglers from outside the immediate area, which is the kind of activity that turns a neighborhood park into a regional destination.
Philanthropy
The United Bank Charitable Foundation made a $5,000 donation in support of the Baldwin County Education Coalition’s Palm Project. Mingledorff’s HVAC suppliers and Baldwin EMC are also contributors to the project, which helps keep schools’ care closets stocked with essentials for students — school supplies, clothing, snacks, hygiene products and similar items.
School care closets have become a common fixture in districts across the country. They exist to remove small, immediate barriers to attendance and participation, and because they run on donated supplies, sustained corporate contributions are what keep them stocked through a full academic year rather than only at the start of one.