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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

If you are on your way to Lake Mitchell this summer and are looking for a gift shop, vintage store and boat service all in one, then The Landing is your spot. Bo Warren and Jennifer Driver have opened the store at 7281 County Road 28, Clanton and will have everything someone may need for a day on the lake.

Home items, lake items such as sunscreen and pool floats, books, tools, antiques and collectibles are all some of the things The Landing will have on hand. They will also have camping gear and rentals available for pressure washers and other items for lake house cleanup.

Warren’s great, great grandfather fought in one of the Alabama regiments in the Civil War, and then moved to southern Alabama after the war and opened a store. Then, he moved to Birmingham and formed a sporting goods store and even traded with some of the hardware stores in Chilton County in the early 1900s.

Warren himself spent 20 years in The United States Marines Corps and when he returned he owned a marina for 30 years before selling it.

“I still had a desire to have a little store. I got out of the marina business, but I still wanted to do the boat repairs up here,” Warren said.

This is where The Landing comes in. Warren and Driver began construction of the building around two years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the process down. However, the process is nearing its end now.

The Landing will not be a grocery store, but a home goods store with survival items that he picked up during his time in the Marines that would come in handy if something were to happen. He is still a broker at Lake Mitchell Realty, so he could assist someone in finding a lake house at The Landing as well.

The store will also operate as a concierge service where people can contact them for any needs such as suggestions, repairs or who to contact for any specific thing or question they may have.

“Jennifer has spent her whole life in Chilton County and knows everyone,” Warren said. “I grew up working the peach fields and construction jobs, so we can guide people to who to call, and who to not call. Anything they need, we are going to try to fill that need.”

Survival foods, solar chargers for cell phones and other survival items are in the plans to expand in the store over the summer. Warren said the hardest thing has been getting items to stock the store such as antiques, tools, tents, sailing items and other lake items.

“It is convenient to just call someone and have everything fixed for you, and make sure it gets done right,” Driver said. “If you are on your way to the lake and you forgot your sunscreen, we are right here. It is just convenient.”

The Landing can be reached at 205-258-5214.