By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – After a soft opening on Friday, June 17, the owners of Montevallo’s new yogurt shop, Lula B’s, have been working nonstop to serve citizens from Montevallo, Calera, Alabaster, Wilton and other communities.

“We’ve been working early mornings to late nights because no one wants us to close,” said Darla Knoll, who runs the business with Mike Browning. “We don’t care if it’s last minute; give us a call and we’ll keep the store open.”

Knoll said she was very surprised how strongly the city of Montevallo has supported the business.

“It’s becoming a new hot spot in Montevallo,” Knoll said. “People just come in and chill out. Some people have come back every day. It’s been amazing.”

Owner Mike Browning named the business after his mother, Lula Agnes Browning of Brierfield. He kept the name of the business a secret from his mother until the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, June 24.

“She is the sweetest lady,” Knoll said. “Everyone here knows her, and no one’s ever said a bad thing about her. We were trying to come up with a good name. She’s the sweetest person, and we’re opening a sweet shop. It just rolls off the tongue.”

Mike Browning picked his mother up from her nursing home in Hoover to bring her to the opening.

“It was a great surprise; I’m still stuttering,” Agnes Browning said. “I didn’t know what to expect. The samples were great.”

Mike Browning said students from the University of Montevallo have been spending large amounts of time in the shop.

“When all of the students get here in the fall, we’ve been told we’ll be so overwhelmed, but we’ll handle it,” he said. “People have been so receptive. It’s been fun.

“It’s a place to bring the family, and a place for neighbors to see neighbors,” he added. “It’s a place for people to come together, and kids love it.”

Lula B’s is located at 728 Main Street in Montevallo. It’s open Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information, call Lula B’s at 665-1010.