In April of 1975, our founders Phil and Edna Mullins opened our doors as Mullins Five Points Rentals. In 1982, their daughter Phyllis built on the existing inventory of event rentals and expanded the business to create what you now know as Mullins Special Occasions. As we celebrate our 50th year in business and look fondly on the 4 generations of family that have made it all possible, we want to highlight some other family-operated small businesses that have been serving Huntsville and the surrounding areas for generations.

Brooks & Collier

Brooks & Collier opened its doors to downtown Huntsville in 1946. Run by founders T.E. Brooks and Ernest Collier, Brooks & Collier began as a feed and seed store, bringing Purina brand feed to the city. T.E.’s son, Billy Brooks, took over in 1968, and in 1985 the store was moved to where it sits now at 813 Meridian Street. The stock was expanded to turn the feed and seed store into a garden center, and now, nearly 80 years since opening, you can visit Brooks & Collier to find everything from flowers, shrubs, and trees to indoor and outdoor furniture, grills, and even a selection of sauces and rubs.

Burleson Pool Company

Burleson Pool Company is the oldest continuously operating swimming pool construction company in Alabama, founded by James B. Burleson Jr. in 1965. The Huntsville YMCA and members of Warner Von Braun’s science team were among Burleson’s first customers, and by 1968 the company had already outgrown its original location. Today, 60 years since first opening, Burleson Pool Co. boasts 45 full-time employees, including 4 generations of the Burleson family, and they continue to craft beautiful and functional pools for residential and commercial customers alike.

Wilson Lumber

Wilson Lumber was founded by logger and farmer Clyde Wilson in 1949. Clyde worked to provide “good, clean business practices” to his customers while also striving to instill a legacy of working hard upon his 3 sons, a legacy that was later passed on to their own sons. Now run by cousins Robb, Russ, and Mark Wilson, over 75 years since first opening, Wilson Lumber continues to grow and change to meet the needs of builders and remodelers all across the Huntsville area.

Big Ed’s Pizza

Big Ed’s Pizza was founded in 1961 by “Big Ed” Neusel, and 2 years later he hired on 17-year-old Steve Denton. When Neusel moved to Tennessee in 1969, Steve took ownership of the pizza joint. He held the position until his death in 2011, at which point his three children took up the mantel. Now nearly 65 years after opening their doors, Big Ed’s still makes all their pizza dough and sauce from scratch, and their pizzas are still fired in the original seasoned gas oven that Ed Neusal used in the ‘60s. 

Stanlieo’s Sub Villa

Stanlieo’s Sub Villa was founded in Huntsville by Glenn Watson in 1971 after discovering the growing city had no sub shops. He opened his first location on Jordan Lane, and he found early success with the help of the late Alessandro’s Bakery, Halsey Foodservice, and a group of hungry Oakwood University students. To this day, over 50 years later, Stanlieo’s Sub Villa is run by members of the Watson family, and customers can find consistently delicious subs (including several vegetarian options!) at one of two locations on Jordan Lane and Governors Drive.