LOCATION:
Four major cities and nine smaller towns within 1,425 square miles of two northwest Alabama Counties; Colbert and Lauderdale

• We are 100 miles northwest of Birmingham, Alabama.
• We are 60 miles west of Huntsville, Alabama.
• We are 120 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee.
• We are 120 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee.
• The altitude of Colbert County is 620 feet
• The altitude of Lauderdale County is 522 feet

PEOPLE:

• The population of our four major cities is more than 65,000.
• Our Metropolitan Statistical Area includes 143,000 people.
• We serve a regional trade area of 410,000 people.
• We are in the geographic center of over three million people, and are within a day's drive of over 55% of U.S. markets.

POPULATION:
Colbert County
Year Total Population
2000 54,984
1990 51,666
1980 54,519
Lauderdale County
Year Total Population
2000 87,966
1990 79,661
1980 80,546
HOUSEHOLDS (2000 Census):
Florence MSA: 58,549
Colbert County: 22,461
Lauderdale County: 36,088

TIME ZONE: Central

LATTITUDE and LONGITUDE: 34° 48' N 87° 40' W

INCOME:
MSA Median Family Income:  $51,983 (2009)
MSA Per Capita Income:  $21,429 (2009) 

ACCRA Cost of Living Index:
Second  Quarter 2010:  90.4

RETAILING:
Total Sales in 2004: $1,472,000,000
Total Sales in 2003: $1,433,000,000

PRINCIPAL SHOPPING AREAS:
Florence: 8 blocks on Court Street; 7 blocks on Tennessee Street; 3 blocks on Mobile Street; 2 blocks on Tombigbee Street, 4 miles on Florence Boulevard 4 miles on Cox Creek Parkway, 1.5 miles on Cloverdale Road.

Muscle Shoals: 3 miles on Woodward Avenue; 2.5 miles on Avalon Avenue.

Sheffield: 6 blocks on Montgomery Avenue; 1.5 miles on Second Street; 2 blocks on Raleigh Avenue; 2 blocks on Third Street, 2 blocks on Nashville Avenue; 2 blocks on Fourth Street.

Tuscumbia: 3 blocks on Main Street, 3 blocks on Sixth Street; 3 blocks on Fifth Street.

Malls: Regency Square, Florence; Southgate, Muscle Shoals.

Department Stores: Dillards, JC Penney, Martins, Parisian, Rogers, Sears, TJ Maxx, Target, Old Navy, Toys-R-Us, Hobby Lobby, Linen & Things, Dick's Sporting Goods, Hibbett Sports, Books-A-Million, Best Buy, Kohls.

Discount Stores: Rite Aid Drugs (3), Big Lots (2), Bill's, Dollar General (14), Family Dollar (19), K-Mart (2), Sam's Club, Wal-Mart SuperCenter (2), Goody's, Best Buy, Lowes Supercenter (2), Fred's (3), Home Depot, Walgreens (2), CVS Pharmacy (3).

Chain Supermarkets: Southern Family Market , Foodland/ShopRite,  Big Star , Wilson's, Piggly Wiggly

TRANSPORTATION:

• We are served by the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals Alabama and by the Huntsville International Airport.
  
• We are strategically located on several major four-lane highways. Highway 72 runs east and west and connects us to Memphis and Huntsville. Highway 43 runs north and south and connects us to Nashville and Tuscaloosa. Interstate 65 is 40 miles to our east.

WEATHER:
In the Shoals Area, we enjoy four distinct but gentle seasons. We rarely experience weather problems that interfere with business or recreation. Here's a look at a typical year in the Shoals:

Month: Average Average Average
temperature (F): rainfall (inches): Humidity (%):
January 48º 5.17" 72%
February 53º 7.87" 68%
March 63º 6.62" 65%
April 73º 4.93" 63%
May 79º 5.08" 69%
June 87º 4.13" 70%
July 89º 4.85" 74%
August 89º 3.47" 74%
September 82º 4.08" 74%
October 73º 3.25" 70%
November 62º 4.86" 71%
December 53º 5.87" 72%

Mean Average Temperature is 60.7 degrees F. 
Highest recorded temperature is 108 degrees F. 
Lowest recorded temperature is -13 degrees F. 
Average rainfall 51.58 inches. 
Average snowfall 4.6 inches.