Alto Commerce

Shiloh Ridge is simply the best of the best. With approximately 1000 acres (yes, literally that big), it's a premier off-road vehicle park... perhaps THE premier ORV park. There's a huge variety of terrain, from sand flats to steep inclines to lakes and marshes. And, there's every accomodation you'll need to cover your needs for as long as you wish to stay. Check their website for the calendar of special events--awesome and spectacular things that you won't see anywhere else. Special events attract thousands, but the staff at the Ridge will gladly answer your questions and point you in the right direction. Give Kelly a call anytime.

FOOTNOTE: Shiloh Ridge is by far the area's biggest tourist draw. Our hats off to founder and owner Tommy Perdue! He had a dream, and it certainly came true.

If you're planning an extended stay at the Ridge and you aren't going to camp, then give Margaret Helen a call. She operates The Little Lodge, the only public lodging house in the village. It's conveniently located and is equipped with virtually any ammenity you'd ever need. Ms. Little has a poetic soul and has diverse interests, ranging from practicing law to caring for her named pets, as well as mothering the homeless strays when the need arises... and she's successful with all her endeavors.

Forrest Phifer also practices law. However, all his animals have names. He strikes a perfect balance between being a real decent guy, but also doing some really good lawyering and taking good care of his clients. Forrest has a reputation for being extremely effective in the courtroom, but in real (his other) life he's got a zaney sense of humor. He's fun and way, way easy to talk to. His office is on the courthouse square, so if you need quick help...

Our town's newest sleeping place is technically not in the village, but in the beautiful, bucolic setting of Cold Springs. Grandmaw's House is a vintage farm house that's not been restored, but has been very well maintained and updated when necessary, by each generation that's called it home. Grandmaw's House is on the original Cold Springs Church Road, within a moderate walk or short bicycle ride of the church. The only route to Grandmaw's House is through the woods... the deep woods, where the tree tops stretch across the road to form a high canopy of shade, even at high noon. However, the road to Grandmaw's House is paved and will get you there in less than five minutes if you're driving there from the Red Light.

Annie Walker wears many hats. In cyber circles, she's known as the Magic Elf. She's the designer and webmaster of many of the websites listed here. She represents the best of both spheres--a technical mind that easily manipulates the bits and bytes to get your internet identity up and going, as well as an artist's eye to make you look your best on the screen. Annie is on the city council and isn't afraid to assert herself. Given some of the lunacy that, more often than not, shows up in the meetings, her presence is a very good thing. Annie's office is in one of Alto's finest historic homes.

The Pearman brothers, Bob and JD at Pearman Motor Company, operate the five-star DaimlerChrysler dealership that's just up the hill from the Red Light. The Pearman brothers aren't really acting in those TV commercials; they're every bit as colorful in 3D as they are on the screen. They sell a lot of cars, and it's because they do honest, straight-forward dealing. And their service people are simply the best of the best. Side note: The Pearman brothers were literally the first to reference our town as "beautiful downtown Alto."

Bob Pearman's wife, Liz, owns and operates Tin Lizzie's. Like Bob, Liz has more than her share of wit and personality, and it's certainly reflected in her store. She's got all sorts of things for gifts or personal use... and nothing in her store is stodgy or without color. A really good inventory that reflects the very latest trends. Liz has tremendous energy and is able to run the store AND keep up with what's hot and what's not. You won't find any non-hot items in her store!

Bonnie and Sue own and operate The Gift Shop downtown on Main Street. They have everything from live flower arrangements to windmills. Most of what they sell is hand-crafted. While that in itself is not a unique concept, it turns out that they are the artists themselves... and their work is quite good. Bonnie and Sue are civic minded and will be heading up the Pecan Festival this fall. They're both pretty busy creatures, so it's generally better to catch them in the afternoon. They're open Monday through Saturday. Here's their number: 936-858-3637.

Like Bonnie and Sue, Donna and Charlie at Cedar Dust in the Wind sell only their own creations. The Cedar elves build and sell a wide variety of hand-crafted wood pieces, mostly furniture and large pieces. Yes, indeed they do a brisk cedar business, but in reality they build stuff from all sorts of rare native woods. Their designs are truly spectacular. They spend most of their time locating wood and building furniture so they rely on their cyber showcase. Check them out and you'll see a small sampling of what they do. If you don't see a picture of what you need, just let them know. They can build pretty much anything you need. Just give them your specifications... and Voila!

If you want to visit a no-frill old style antique shop, then check out The Antique Store. It's the real thing. There's everything from architechtural antiques to cut crystal to furniture and accessories. Virtually everything in the store is ready to go. If the stuff needs work, then you won't find it in the inventory. The store is generally open Monday through Saturday, but it doesn't hurt to phone ahead. The number is 936-560-0937. If the answering machine answers and you're in a hurry, it's perfectly ok to phone the home number (936-858-4768) or the cell number (936-371-0885). If you need to shop after or before regular store hours, just phone ahead.

This site is privately owned and maintained. The information on this page and other is provided as a courteously only. The businesses listed above are listed as a community service. This site has no affiliation with any organization; it's not an official chamber of commerce site. Your ideas and suggestions have been a tremendous influence in the direction this site has taken. Please continue to contact us with your questions or recommendations.