Since July of 2000, Rumors Deli has been a prominent restaurant in Cullman, all thanks to its inviting atmosphere, amiable crew, and mouthwatering meals. Rumors has recently expanded to accommodate the new Hank’s Sports Bar. We interviewed one of the owners, Aaron Coombs, to ask about Rumors and its newest modifications.
How long has Rumors been around? Who currently owns Rumors?
“Rumors Deli was founded in the year 2000 by the Harris Family. It was purchased by the Coombs Family in March of 2021. The previous owner, Annette Harris, made the transition super smooth and trained the Coombs family for six weeks. We are still very good friends with Annette and still look to her for advice. We even have a plaque on one of the barstools that say ‘Reserved for Annette Harris.’ She was part of a lot of our taste-testing for the night menu.”
Especially with the addition of Hank’s Sports Bar, what is something new and exciting that Rumors is bringing to Cullman?
“On May the 5th we are having authentic jambalaya! And in June we are having a comedy night.”
What brought you guys to Cullman out of all places? And what inspired you to buy Rumors?
“My parents decided that Smith Lake was where they wanted to retire. I came out here with them when they purchased their home and instantly fell in love with the area. All of my siblings live twelve or more hours away from here, so I also wanted to be close to my parents as they grow older. We always dreamed of having our own family sports bar, and when the opportunity with Rumors came about, we went for it... and we are so glad that we did! We love it here, and the deli and sports bar theme go so well together. We absolutely love every single day at the deli. It’s been an amazing experience with my parents and our staff. We love it here and we are saving as much of Cullman’s history within the deli as we can.”
In your opinion, what is the best thing about Cullman?
“One of my favorite things about Cullman is how people are big on supporting local businesses. We work with many of the other restaurants in town and actually trade with and help each other out. If someone is out of utensils or anything, and they don’t have a shipment for a few days, we’ll trade and help each other. And it’s always kind words and support towards each other.”
I hear your parents live on Smith Lake. What is your favorite thing to do there?
“I love to spend time with family, friends, and neighbors on the lake. We like to go on boat rides too.”
Can you share any fun details about the staff at Rumors? Any staff members with interesting stories or hobbies?
“The staff at Rumors is so family-oriented. We call each other our work family and we like to celebrate holidays at the deli. We had an awesome Halloween party and everyone had a great time. We feel the employees deserve to let loose after working so hard. They’ve been so patient with us throughout the whole process. Our assistant manager— my best friend and brother Kendrick— and his brother Ramsey moved up here with me and they both also work at the deli. A few of our Cajun recipes actually came from their mom and Mawmaw.”
What are your new hours?
“Our new hours are 10 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Saturday! We are hoping to eventually be open on Sundays for NFL games.”
Which nights will feature live music?
“We will mostly be doing music on Fridays, Saturdays, and some Thursdays.”
Tell us about Hank’s Sports Bar!
“The bar was taken out of a city pub in Ireland, and then was sent down to us after being restored in Philadelphia. There are even cigarette burns on the countertop that are decades old, and give the countertop its beautiful color! Our foot rail was a twenty-foot pipe found in the basement of our restaurant. It is a very, very old piece, original to the building. We re-purposed it!”
Be sure to go and check out Rumors and Hank’s Sports Bar at their new location!
601 4th Street SW,
Cullman - Alabama 35055