As the city of Hoover grows, so does our perseverance and dedication. Meet three entrepreneurs who are working for the future of our city.
Photo by Allison Carpenter
George Gilliam, Uncle G’s Pizza
George Gilliam, 36, learned how to make pizza in the midst of the pandemic with no culinary background purely out of boredom. His teacher? YouTube tutorials.
Before 2020, he worked in the live music and entertainment industry. Because of COVID-19, he had to put it all on hold.
The pizzas he made that year received such positive feedback from his family and friends that he decided to begin selling them out of his house. The next thing he knew, he was raising money for a food truck.
“We were able to become creative and productive in ways we didn’t know possible,” Gilliam said. “I think it’s a cool thing that we’re seeing a lot of businesses sort of birthed out of a dark and scary time for a lot of us.”
By 2021, he had one food truck. By 2022, he had two. By March 2024, he had a storefront.
“I just felt like there was, and still is, room in Birmingham for another down to Earth, real-life pizzeria,” Gilliam said.
Uncle G’s specializes in Detroit-style pizza, which is thicker than traditional pizza but light and fluffy on the inside. Recently, they started selling New York-style pizza, which is thin and crispy. To Gilliam, these are essential comfort foods.
Don’t forget to check out their daily lunch specials and deals. There is something for everyone at Uncle G’s Pizza.
Photo by Kari Marsh
Emile Hughes, RideBHM
Emile Hughes, 36, founded RideBHM in hopes of making Birmingham a place where everyone wants to be.
RideBHM is a mountain biking park for riders of all ages. When launching this business in 2022, Hughes made history. RideBHM is the first and only dedicated downhill mountain biking park in Alabama. It is also Alabama’s first benefit LLC.
“When I started working on the concept a year prior, it was really in the thick of COVID,” Hughes said. “And, you know, there were a lot of things you couldn’t do. But what you could do was mountain biking.”
The park has 20 different trails to choose from and 76 different jumps. You can choose to purchase a day pass or a membership, which will grant you access to the park during operational hours.
Hughes wants RideBHM to be like an engine, drawing visitors to the city and branding Birmingham as a place where people can have a great experience.
“We’re not here to make a profit,” Hughes said. “We’re here to make an impact.”
RideBHM is not just for experienced riders - it’s for anyone who wants to have fun. Grab your friends and head to the park, but don’t forget to wear your helmet!
Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Umoh
Emmanuel Umoh, KrillPay
Emmanuel Umoh, 48, founded KrillPay because he was tired of encountering the same problems when attempting to send money to his family members in Africa.
Umoh has been in Birmingham since 2006, when he began school at UAB. Before, he resided in Nigeria with his mother. It was through the kindness of his neighbor that he was able to afford secondary school in Nigeria, and through a stranger he met during a bartending job, he ended up in America.
“If you have a goal, if you have a dream, you have a desire, if there is something that keeps you awake at night that you’re passionate about if I can do it, anybody else can do it,” Umoh said.
KrillPay is a mobile payment app designed to help migrants in America, from Africa or otherwise, send money to people and family members residing outside the U.S. Umoh designed Krillpay after he became frustrated at the need to use different services for domestic and international transfers..
KrillPay went live on Dec. 3, 2024, and will have its full public launch in March 2025. Although Umoh was ultimately successful in creating his business, it wasn’t always easy.
“You have this thing that is pushing you; you have a desire to create something that can benefit a whole lot of people,” Umoh said.
Umoh has plans to expand his business to Canada before the year is over.