Hazel, Ravines and Downtown Pushing For End-of-October Open Day

Hazel, Ravines and Downtown, Birmingham’s forthcoming casual restaurant and bar is on track for a fall opening and are pushing to launch by the end of October, Eater has learned.

Owners Beth Hussey and chef Emmele Herrold are now in the midst of hiring a team to fill out the massive 10,000-square-foot space at 34977 Woodward Ave. Suite 100, which will feature a marketplace for grab-and-go items and retail beers and wines, as well as a 120-seat dining room, horseshoe bar and private event space.

On at the top of the women-led eatery’s priorities for hiring, ensuring that the staff can enjoy a quality of life when they’re not working.

“We’re breaking the mold that is so typical in this industry,” said Hussey in a written statement. “Working in restaurants typically means working long hours, late nights and on every holiday.”

It’s not uncommon for restaurant workers to spend 60-70 hours on the job every week, and they may not have more than a day off.

The owners say that won’t be the case at Hazel, Ravines and Downtown.

“We’re placing our employees’ quality of life above all else,” said Herrold, co-owner and executive chef.

That means salaried employees won’t be expected to work above 40 hours a week, but if they do go above that, they will be fairly compensated, the release says. On top of keeping to reasonable work hours, all management personnel (and hopefully regular employees at some point) will be provided with insurance benefits.

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