On any given morning in Cullman, you might find Ryne Ashley at The Busy Bee, having breakfast while greeting the familiar faces that drift through the door. It’s a ritual that reminds him why he’s never wanted to live anywhere else. “It can be easy to take for granted what we have here,” he said, “but as the world gets crazier, it’s easy to see the greatness we get to live in every day.”
Ashley is a lifelong Cullman native and owner of Ashley Mercantile in the Cullman Warehouse District. He and his wife, Heather, opened the business, a sort of “modern-day general store,” in 2018 when their daughter, Cora‑Lee, was 4 and their son, Major, was still toddling. Since then, the shop has grown into a beloved local staple, and so have the kids. “It’s been fun watching them grow up and have their skills develop,” Ashley said. “Cora‑Lee was my first little helper at the register when she was 4. Now she can complete transactions all by herself.”
Family first, always
Being a dad isn’t just part of Ashley’s life — it shapes the way he runs his business. He’s intentional about balance, about protecting time, about being present. “My kids are growing up faster than I want,” he admitted with a laugh. “If I’m lucky, I’ll have both of them under one roof for maybe eight more years. Time is precious.”
That urgency has changed the way he works. Some days he’s at the store before the kids wake up; other days he strolls in late after a slow morning at home. What matters is that he’s “where his feet are,” fully present wherever he is. And lately, there’s been an added motivation: Cora‑Lee has started expressing interest in the family business. “Hearing that will make you proud,” he said. “She sees what’s being done at Ashley Mercantile and thinks it’s good for her long term.”
The hardest days — and the push to keep going
Running a small business is never simple, but Ashley remembers one moment that tested him more than most: the first year Cullman’s Christkindlmarkt expanded into a weeks‑long event. Ashley Mercantile kept its storefront open while also operating a booth at the market — a grueling stretch of 10–12 hour days stacked back to back.
“I thought to myself, ‘What in the crap have we gotten ourselves into?’” he said, laughing at the memory. “Workload‑wise, I had never been in a situation that demanding.” But he pushed through — with seasonal staff, grit and a lot of showing up. “Throughout those days it was fun and rewarding as ever. It was mainly at the end of the day when all those questions would start to show up.” Now, with experience under their belt, the team knows how to prepare.
A store with a soul — and a name that means something
Cullman is a tight‑knit place, and Ashley doesn’t take lightly the fact that his family name hangs above the door. “My last name is on that sign and on every hand‑stamped bag that leaves the store,” he said. “People see it, and I want them to associate quality with that logo.”
Inside Ashley Mercantile, the pace slows. Glass‑bottle Cokes, enamelware like your grandmother used and shelves of curated gifts create a sense of nostalgia — a reminder of simpler times. It’s intentional. “As the world becomes more fast‑paced, my hope is that people can find a little slower pace inside our place,” he said. “I want my kids to be proud of what we’ve built.”
Advice for the next generation
If he could sit down with young men in Cullman who are trying to find their way, Ashley told us, his message would be simple: be patient, and choose your circle wisely. “Surround yourself with people who have experienced life — the good, the bad, the highs, the lows,” he said. “A business or job is part of who you are, but not your sole identity.”
He said he’s seen how easy it is to let priorities slip, to chase success at the expense of the people waiting at home. “When you come home at the end of the day, do you want it to be to a wife and kids who are elated to see you, or did your priorities get out of line and it’s just you?” he asked. “Keep the main thing the main thing — why and who you do it for.”
For Ashley, that “why” is clear: his family, his community and the legacy he’s building one customer, one conversation, one hand‑stamped bag at a time.
A word on that tractor (pictured left):
“My great-great grandfather Walker Ashley bought this tractor new in 1957. My grandfather ended up working for him and using the tractor on the farm. This was one of the first ones that came out. Before then, they were using a mule and plow. It has been in our family ever since, and my son Major is the sixth generation to drive the tractor. I’m very hopeful that Ashley Mercantile can continue for many more years to come – and the legacy continue to grow and be just as reliable as that tractor has been for our family.”
Ashley Mercantile | www.ashleymercantile.com | 256-747-5508
“…My hope is that people can find a little slower pace inside our place. I want my kids to be proud of what we’ve built.”