𝐌𝐀𝐗 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐞

The MAX Round Table made its way to Tallassee Tuesday, broadcasting live from 1220 Cafe for the first stop of a three-day tour across Elmore County. Hosted by Doug Amos and presented by the Elmore County Economic Development Authority, the broadcast brought together local leaders, business owners and community voices for conversations about what is happening in Tallassee and across the county.

From the expectations surrounding Tallassee football to new quality-of-life projects, activity downtown and the continued growth of a longtime local business, the conversations offered a look at a community with plenty happening and even more ahead. Tallassee High School Head Football Coach and Director of Athletics Eric Folmar joined Amos to talk about taking over a program with a long history and a fan base known for its support of the Tigers.

Amos pointed out that all five public school systems in Elmore County have strong communities behind their athletic programs, but the passion surrounding Tallassee football is hard to miss. For Folmar, that support was part of the appeal of coming to Tallassee. “I think you want to be at a place with some high expectations where you have a lot of support from the town,” Folmar said. “Nobody has higher expectations for our program than I do.”

Folmar said those expectations, paired with the resources and support surrounding the program, create an environment where coaches and players can work toward the goals they have for Tallassee football. Taking over any program comes with challenges, but Folmar said Tallassee was an opportunity that stood on its own. “This is not a job that you turn down because of the shape of where the program is at,” Folmar said. “It’s a great place and a storied program.”

The pride and expectations Folmar described surrounding Tallassee athletics carried naturally into Amos’ conversation with Tallassee Mayor Joey Wigginton and Elmore County Commissioner Brad Davis, where the focus shifted to what is happening throughout the city. One of the largest projects moving forward is Tallassee’s new recreation and community center. The former facility was recently demolished to make way for the new center, something Davis said has been discussed in the community for decades. “For as long as I can remember, there’s been talk about needing a new rec center,” Davis said. “There was a very slim chance that was going to happen without partnership.” That partnership between the City of Tallassee and Elmore County is reaching beyond the community center. Wigginton discussed continued cleanup efforts around the city, work surrounding Tallassee’s wooden bridge and his vision for the historic mill along the Tallapoosa River. Eight months into his first term as mayor, Wigginton said his years as a business owner have influenced the way he approaches the job. “This is just like a business,” Wigginton said. “Let’s go after this instead of being reactive. Let’s be proactive.”

Davis said Wigginton continues to bring ideas to the table, while the county can help determine how resources, services and potential funding opportunities can be used to move some of those ideas forward. Among those conversations are approximately six miles of walking trails the city and county are working to develop in phases. Davis recalled taking a Tallassee resident in her 70s to an area along the riverbank that she had never seen despite living in the community for years. “She had no idea this existed,” Davis said.

Finding ways to open areas like that to the public is part of a larger focus on quality of life and making better use of the natural and historic resources already found within Tallassee. “If you’re not dreaming, what are you doing?” Davis said.

Some of that vision is already taking shape downtown. Wigginton and his family’s work to restore the historic Talisi Theatre has helped create a destination for live music, comedians, movies and other entertainment. Wigginton told Amos about a recent Elvis tribute performance that brought approximately 300 people to the theater, along with plans to continue expanding its lineup. “What we did to the theater, we want to do to the town,” Wigginton said.

The activity created by places like the theater gives residents more to enjoy close to home while also bringing visitors into Tallassee, where their time in the community can extend to its restaurants, shops and other local businesses. One of those businesses served as the backdrop for Tuesday’s entire conversation.

1220 Cafe owner Noah Griggs joined Amos to talk about the restaurant’s beginnings in Tallassee and where the company is headed next. After living in six states and spending years in the corporate restaurant industry, Griggs made the decision to return home and build something of his own. “We came home to try to make a difference in Tallassee, Alabama,” Griggs said. “It’s home. We love it.”

1220 Cafe opened 14 years ago with a concept centered around soups and sandwiches before quickly expanding its menu to meet what customers wanted. Since then, the restaurant has grown into a Tallassee staple while developing a catering operation that serves communities throughout the region. Now, the company is preparing to take the 1220 Cafe name to another part of Elmore County.

Griggs spoke about the plans for a second 1220 Cafe location at The Marketplace at 17 Springs in Millbrook. The company is currently completing another restaurant project in Clanton before turning its attention toward construction at 17 Springs.

Griggs credited the partnerships surrounding the project with helping a locally owned Tallassee business take that next step. “I can’t thank the economic development folks enough for helping us put this together, because without them, we can’t pull this off,” Griggs said. “We need help along the way, and they’ve been tremendous.”

The expansion also reflects a priority Griggs said has remained important since his family first returned to Tallassee, creating a better quality of life in the place they call home. That has become particularly meaningful as his daughter prepares to move back to Alabama. “What I’m hoping and praying for is we continue to create success for the community and provide variety and options,” Griggs said. “Bringing her back to where she’s going to say, ‘You know what? I’m near family, it’s a great place to live. I’m going to stick.’”

That idea brought many of Tuesday’s conversations full circle. The support behind a local football program, investment in recreation and public spaces, new activity downtown and the growth of a hometown business may look like separate stories, but each plays a role in what makes a community a place people want to call home. For Tallassee, the pride is already there. The work now underway is building on it.