Main Street Alabama Announces Statewide Bright Ideas Pitch Winner

Nedra Moore credit Calera Main Street

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mary Helmer Wirth, President & State Coordinator (205) 910-8819
mary@mainstreetalabama.org

Jasper, Ala. (August 22, 2025) — Main Street Alabama recently announced Creations Galore and Moore, a bakery and ice cream shop, in Calera as its first-ever Alabama Bright Ideas Pitch Winner during the final day of its 2025 aLABama Conference, this year held in Jasper, Alabama. Creations Galore and Moore receives a $25,000 grant after being selected over four other regional winning businesses who also made their respective “Bright Ideas” pitch on how to best expand and grow their small businesses.

Creations Galore and Moore owner Nedra Moore explained that the $25,000 would be used to convert the business’s courtyard into a multi-use space with a greenhouse, adding a trailer for mobile units, buying a flour mill, publishing a baking curriculum, and enhancing branding and marketing to expand educational and farm-to-table experiences.

During its inaugural year, Bright Ideas has served designated Main Street Alabama communities throughout the state by awarding grant funds to support each district’s small business communities, while also selecting one exceptional business to represent the district in Main Street Alabama’s regional competition. To qualify, each interested business completed an online business course through AL Spark and subsequently submitted a three-minute “video pitch” on how to best invest the Bright Ideas grant funds to help expand and grow their business.

During this process, five regional winners were selected. The other four finalists were Ulti-Mutt Bakery in Oxford, Trolley on Main in Jasper, Good Company Café in South Huntsville, and Corner Bistro in Enterprise.

  • Ulti-Mutt Bakery and Trolley on Main received Honorable Mentions, each awarded $1,500.
  • Corner Bistro took third place, winning $3,000.
  • Good Company Café earned second place, receiving $6,000.

“It was incredibly heartwarming to hear the stories of how impactful AL SPARK and Bright Ideas have already been for these small businesses,” said Mary Helmer Wirth, President and State Coordinator of Main Street Alabama. “The success they are experiencing demonstrates the power of investing in entrepreneurs at the local level. We are grateful that this opportunity was made possible through a federal appropriation from the U.S. Small Business Administration.”

The annual three-day Main Street Alabama conference provides downtown revitalization professionals with opportunities to network and learn from experts in technology, economic development, community identity and branding, and how to build a future-focused plan for their organizations and communities.

Main Street Alabama is a non-profit organization which stresses public-private partnerships, broad community engagement, and strategies that create jobs, spark new investment, attract visitors, and spur growth in core commercial districts. Main Street builds on the authentic history, culture, and attributes of specific places, to bring sustainable change.

Photos credit @Calera Main Street

Nedra Moore: Pictured with husband, Andre Moore