Congratulations to the Pinhoti Outdoor Center for being awarded the 2023 Alabama Small Business of the Year Award! The Pinhoti Outdoor Center has been supporting hikers since January of 2019, and their main goal is to get people outside. They provide planning, support, shuttle, and hostel services to hikers, bikers, runners, and paddlers looking to explore the outdoors around the Pinhoti Trail corridor and east Alabama region.
Owners Kimm and Nathan Wright are long standing members of the outdoor recreation community with many years of experience on long-distance trails. Their mission is to encourage, educate, empower, and facilitate people of all skill levels to enjoy Alabama’s outdoor spaces with confidence. The Pinhoti Outdoor Center promotes the benefits of outdoor recreation by attracting tourism, supporting local businesses, and creating awareness and appreciation for the region’s natural resources.
The Pinhoti Outdoor Center is located in Coosa County near the city of Sylacauga, Alabama. Check out more information here.
Featured Photo: Alabama Lieutenant Governor, Will Ainsworth, Grant Bruner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, BCA President and CEO, Helena Duncan, and CCAA President and CEO, Paige Hutto award the Small Business of the Year Award to Kimm and Nathan Wright, owners of Pinhoti Outdoor Center. Photo Courtesy of the Business Council of Alabama.
New Hiker-Owned Business
Coddiwomple Hiker Trash and Treasures is an outdoor recreation outfitter located in Piedmont, Alabama. They will be celebrating one year of operation in early February. The owner, Bethany Deakyne, put a lot of thought into naming her business. “Coddiwomple” is a verb meaning to travel with great purpose in a vague direction; something many adventurers are familiar with. Bethany is a seasoned hiker and has hiked many miles on the Pinhoti Trail. She has a keen eye for what hikers and bikers need because she is one herself. She provides a hiker box inside the store, a place to refill water bottles, as well as offering used gear at discounted prices.
Learn more about Coddiwomple Hiker Trash and Treasures here.
Photo Courtesy of the Anniston Star.
Coming Soon to the Pinhoti & Cheif Ladiga Trails
Pinhoti Pizza Company is a new restaurant coming soon to Piedmont, Alabama. The owners, Kevin and Maggie Cunningham have deep roots in Piedmont and the northeast Alabama region. Their goal is to create a place for tourists and locals alike to enjoy delicious pizza while learning about all of the outdoor recreation opportunities the region has to offer. The pizza dough will be hand-made, and pizzas will be cooked in an authentic Woodstone brick oven. The inside of the restaurant will feature trail maps, kayaks, bikes, and backpacking equipment as décor to spark conversation about local outdoor recreation. Pinhoti Pizza Company is located steps away from the Chief Ladiga Rail Trail. The restaurant will be a great addition to the events Kevin and Maggie already host throughout the year in Optimist Park directly behind their building.
Keep up to date with Pinhoti Pizza Company news here.
Photo courtesy of Pinhoti Pizza Company.
Highlighted here are a longstanding business, a new business, and a business opening soon, but these are just a few of the many businesses located along the Pinhoti Trail! Each business provides a unique service for locals and tourists, and all are contributing to the development of a robust outdoor recreation economy in Alabama.