All the Best - Records & Refreshments
Text by Judy Hood, Photos by Katie D'Arienzo
Judy Hood is a writer, marketing consultant, and unwavering ambassador for the Muscle Shoals Music industry. The wife of legendary Swamper bassist David Hood, she owns and operates “Swampette Music Tours” and has led thousands of national and international visitors on tours of Muscle Shoals recording studios and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
Easily the coolest hang in downtown Florence, All The Best is a modern take on the traditional downtown corner store: part record shop, part snack bar, and part newsstand. It’s also a dream come true.
Husband and wife duo Ben Tanner and Kristy Bevis opened the shop to create a “sense of place” where locals can grab homemade bodega-style snacks, visitors can gather information about the area, and UNA students can enjoy a beverage while listening to a record spinning on the turntable.
“Our little shop is shaping up to be the place we dreamt it could be,” says Bevis. “We kicked this idea around for a long time. There have been various iterations of it, but we kind of let this space, once it became available, dictate the idea of what we wanted to do.”
Tanner, who is a partner in Single Lock Records, is an accomplished musician, engineer, and producer who has recorded and toured with various artists, including the Alabama Shakes. Bevis has worked in and developed restaurants across the Southeast and returned to Florence in 2009 to assist at the 360 Grille at the Shoals Marriott. She was also part of the opening team of the popular Odette restaurant in downtown Florence.
All The Best offers a music gear section, making it a popular hang for local musicians who enjoy drinking coffee and comparing notes on equipment. The store puts a strong emphasis on recorded music and offers a private listening station as well as a curated collection of new and used records ranging from indie labels to classic rock and, of course, a large section dedicated to the iconic Muscle Shoals music legacy. It’s a favorite spot for launch parties for local indie artists.
The little store is also full of surprises, with frequent pop-up shops featuring vintage clothing, flowers, or pizza created by local artisans and chefs. “We love to host pop-up shops to show off the talents of other people in our area,” says Bevis. “We’re basically a curated convenience shop and I like the versatility of the space and that we can continue to bring new things in.”
