Two retailers with strong ties to Tuscaloosa were honored Tuesday by Alabama Retail Association and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business during an annual retailer recognition and luncheon in Birmingham.
Honored were Shane Spiller, president of Spiller Furniture & Mattress, and Betsy McAtee and the management team of Dreamland Holding Co. LLC
Both were recognized as retailers of the year for businesses with annual sales of $5 million to $20 million.
The Dreamland team received the Gold Award, while Spiller received the Bronze Award.
Dreamland, a popular barbecue restaurant, was started in Tuscaloosa by John “Big Daddy” Bishop 57 years ago. In addition to its restaurants in Tuscaloosa and Northport, it has restaurants in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile and plans to open a restaurant next year in Roswell, Ga.
Spiller Furniture is a family-owned business with stores in Aliceville, Brent, Demopolis, Eutaw, Greensboro, Northport, Prattville, Reform, Selma, Thomasville and Tuscaloosa as well as Columbus and Starkville, Miss., with a total of 117 employees. The company was started in Tuscaloosa by Spiller’s grandfather, James Spiller in 1948.
The two retailers were among 13 state retailers named retailers of the year by the association. Almost 70 retailers from across the state were nominated this year for the honors.