We live in Jacksonville, Alabama, a little college town nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Even though the town is small, there's quite a bit of flavor to be had.
Local Businesses
Dentists
Dr. Eric Lafayette (Avoid At All Costs)
Aaron went to Dr. Lafayette for a six-month checkup, where he was advised to have some "preventative" fillings to repair the worn down enamel on two teeth (two teeth that had never given problems... ever). After the fillings, one of those teeth began to ache non-stop, and Dr. Lafayette's attitude was "wait and see". After more than a week of painful waiting, we found a new dentist. Upon discussions with others in town, it seems that Dr. Lafayette is very keen on preventative dentistry (read: convince you to have unnecessary work done to make money off of you, even if he botches the job).
Dr. Bruce Young (Highly Recommended)
After our horrible experience at Dr. Eric Lafayette's office, I found Dr. Young online. It was late at night, therefore I called the emergency number for Aaron to get some assistance. He saw us 10 minutes later (despite his office being closed). He has been very helpful and professional. The staff there has been nothing less than exceptional. The only downside is that Dr. Young also has a practice in Birmingham, so he splits his days up.
Doctors
Dr. Braden Richmond (Highly Recommended)
Aaron and I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Richmond and his staff. Not only has Dr. Richmond delivered our baby, but he has also become my general doctor. He is so very sweet and quite funny. Summer is the main nurse on staff there, and she is wonderful. Most of our appointments were kept on time with the rare exception being when Dr. Richmond had to deliver a baby during the day. He has made Aaron feel very comfortable with the entire experience. He only delivers at Jacksonville Medical Center, which may be a down side for some people. However, Aaron and I had a good experience with the entire process.
Restaurants
Java Jolt Coffeehouse (Highly Recommended)
Java Jolt uses 100% Fair Trade Coffees. Though sometimes my latte is less than perfect, overall my experiences are good. It is a nice place to get away and relax. They have a free wireless hotspot set up for customers to browse the Web. They offer an assortment of freshly baked pastries. My personal favorite is their cinnamon roll. During the early morning and mid-day, the customer base mainly consists of professionals. In the evening, you will find local college students hanging out and studying. Please note that their website is not kept up-to-date.
Services
Jerrod Brown Photography (Recommended)
Shops
Smith and Hardwick (Highly Recommended)
I love this store. I originally found this store when I lived in Birmingham. The owner decided to downsize and move to a smaller town. He is located on the Square here in Jacksonville. This store carries a variety of gifts from all parts of the world. I have found many unique children's books, jewelry, holiday decorations, and much more. The store is closed on Sunday and Monday. Free gift wrapping.