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The internet’s favorite grocery store manager? Meet Alabama's Barry Dabbs

The internet’s favorite grocery store manager? Meet Alabama's Barry Dabbs
WE THROW A DART AT THE MAP OF ALABAMA AND LET THE STORY FIND US. MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK IN OUR 4:00 HOUR, YOU SAW ROD MITCHELL, THE GARDENDALE CROSSING GUARD THAT WE RECENTLY INTRODUCED YOU TO THROW THE DART FOR US. AND YOU SEE HIM HERE. REMEMBER THAT THE MOONWALKER LANDED IN HUEYTOWN WHEN HE THREW THE DART. SO MY PHOTOGRAPHER, ANDREW AND I, WE HIT THE ROAD AND WE FOUND AN UNLIKELY INTERNET STAR, PROVING THAT ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS A CELL PHONE, SOME ANGUS BEEF, AND A WHOLE LOT OF HEART. I STARTED TIKTOK IN JANUARY THE 7TH. SO YOU’RE PRETTY NEW AT THIS. YOU GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING. IT WAS LIKE A MILLION VIEWS. IT HAD BEEN VIRAL. POWELL NEW SITE. I BET YOU DIDN’T EXPECT TO SEE A CELEBRITY IN THE PRODUCE AISLE. BUT AT THE FOOD GIANT AND HUEYTOWN. GOOD MORNING TIKTOK. GOOD MORNING AMERICA. GOOD MORNING TO THE WORLD. BERRY DABS HAS TURNED A HOMETOWN GROCERY STORE INTO AN UNLIKELY INTERNET SENSATION. THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE PIECE OF MEAT THAT ACTUALLY GOT ME 4.5 MILLION VIEWS ON TIKTOK FOR ONLY $5.99 A POUND. THIS AISLE RIGHT HERE IS MAINLY THE AISLE THAT I DO ALL MY VIDEOS ON. LEESBURG TAYLOR FOR 42 YEARS. AISLE NUMBER FIVE. MOM AND POP GROCERY STORE. EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY ARRIVING MOST MORNINGS AROUND 215. SOMETIMES HE STAYS TILL NINE AT NIGHT. I’M ALWAYS IN A HAPPY MOOD. I’M ALWAYS IN A JOLLY MOOD. AND AFTER ALL THAT, HE STILL FINDS THE ENERGY TO DANCE THROUGH THE STORE. HOW MANY VIDEOS DO YOU HAVE? OH, WHAT? I USUALLY DO 4 OR 5 A DAY. 4 OR 5 A DAY? YEAH. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHARM IS HERE? I HEAR. I JUST SAY THAT I’M AUTHENTIC. YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE I’M A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. AND THAT AUTHENTICITY HAS TURNED THE SMALL TOWN GROCERY MANAGER INTO A SOCIAL MEDIA STAR. WHAT STARTED WITH A FRUIT CAKE? VIDEO TRACKS AND FRUIT CAKES. AND WE’VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT THEM. BONELESS CHICKEN WINGS. JUST A NUGGET. I SAY YES. IT’S GOT LIKE 1.7 MILLION, I THINK AS BRIGHTON FANS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, TEXAS, THREE TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE SOMEBODY FROM OUT OF STATE COME IN AND NOW THERE ARE T SHIRTS. SOMEBODY FROM TIKTOK ACTUALLY DESIGNED THAT. SO MY WIFE PUT IT ON A SHIRT. AND YES, THAT IS MY ORIGINAL SIGNATURE PILLOW CASES WITH BERRY SPACE ON THEM. YOU’RE A PILLOW BERRY. THIS JINGLE IS PRETTY AWESOME. WHERE DID THAT COME ABOUT? IT CAME FROM JACKIE JACK WHITE. HE ACTUALLY HAS WRITTEN SONGS FOR LIKE A MONTH FOR CHARLEY PRIDE IN HUEYTOWN SPECIALS. UP, PRICES DOWN. AND I LOVE YOUR DANCE MOVES, TOO. YEAH, IT’S PRETTY GOOD. IT IS. BOY, DO I LIKE SLIM JIMS. THE VIDEOS, OF COURSE, ARE GREAT ADVERTISING. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR BUSINESS HAS PICKED UP? IT REALLY HAS PICKED UP THIS MORNING WITH TEN PEOPLE WAITING AT 6:00 JUST TO COME IN JUST TO GET THE BREAKFAST. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? OFF DAY? YOU GO TOY SHOPPING FOR GARRETT’S PLACE. BUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE COWBOY HAT AND THE GROUND BEEF SPECIALS, THIS BECAME ABOUT MORE THAN GROCERIES. WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR VIDEOS? THAT THERE IS STILL GOOD IN THIS WORLD, AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT’S WILLING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE? AND MAYBE THAT’S WHY MILLIONS KEEP WATCHING. THIS IS GOOD NEWS. HEY, HE’S FUNNY. HE ALMOST FAIL TO NOT TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, JUST IF I CAN MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH. HEY. THAT’S WONDERFUL. IN OUR WORLD OF FILTERS, HIGHLY PRODUCED VIDEOS, AND PEOPLE TRYING VERY HARD TO GO VIRAL. BABS HAS BUILT A LOYAL AUDIENCE BY DOING SOMETHING MUCH SIMPLER. HAVE A GREAT DAY. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BY JUST BEING GOD. GOD BLESS HIMSELF. I JUST LOVE IT. HIS MESSAGE IS SIMPLE BUT REALLY SPECIAL AND IMPACTFUL TOO. YOU JUST HAVE TO HEAD TO HUEYTOWN, TO THE FOOD GIANT AND MEET BERRY FOR YOURSELF. OR MAYBE HAVE HIM OFFICIATE YOUR WEDDING. HE’S DONE THAT FOR SOME FANS AS WELL. IF YOU’D LIKE TO CATCH UP ON ALL OF OUR STORIES, YOU CAN HEAD TO WVTM 13 DOT COM. WE MADE IT EASY FOR YOU. THESE ARE ALL OF OUR ON THE ROAD SEGMENTS. YOU CAN CLICK ON THE DAR
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Updated: 9:26 PM EDT May 25, 2026
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The internet’s favorite grocery store manager? Meet Alabama's Barry Dabbs
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Updated: 9:26 PM EDT May 25, 2026
Editorial Standards
At the Food Giant grocery store in Hueytown, Alabama, shoppers looking for ground beef or produce specials might also run into a social media celebrity.“Good morning, TikTok! Good morning, America! Good morning to the world!” Barry Dabbs shouts into his phone as he walks through the aisles in cowboy boots, filming another one of the videos that has turned the longtime grocery store manager into an unlikely internet sensation.Dabbs has worked at the hometown grocery store for 42 years. He said he usually arrives around 2:15 a.m. and sometimes stays until 9 p.m. if someone calls out. Despite the long hours, he still finds the energy to dance through the aisles, film four or five videos a day and entertain millions online.“I’m always in a jolly mood,” Dabbs said.What started with simple grocery store videos, including one about fruitcakes, quickly snowballed into viral success. One of his videos about a piece of meat reached 4.5 million views on TikTok.Dabbs believes people connect with his personality because it feels genuine.“I just say that I’m authentic,” he said. “It’s like I’m a breath of fresh air.”That authenticity has helped turn the small-town grocery manager into a recognizable face far beyond Alabama. Dabbs says people now travel from Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas just to meet him.“At least three times a week, I have somebody from out of state that comes in,” he said.Fans have created merchandise featuring Dabbs, including T-shirts and even pillowcases with his face on them. He has also officiated weddings for some of his followers.Part of Dabbs’ online success comes from catchy jingles featured in the videos, including one written by songwriter Jackie Jack White, who has worked with artists like Neal McCoy and Charley Pride.The videos have also helped business at the store.“Do you feel like your business has picked up?” sister station WVTM's Brittany Decker asked.“It really has picked up,” Dabbs responded. But somewhere between the cowboy hats, dance moves and grocery specials, Dabbs said the videos became about something bigger.“That there is still good in this world, and that there are people that’s willing to help other people,” he said when asked what he hopes viewers take away from his videos.In a world filled with filters and highly produced content, Dabbs has built a loyal audience by doing something much simpler — just being himself.“If I make somebody laugh, hey, that’s wonderful,” he said.

At the Food Giant grocery store in Hueytown, Alabama, shoppers looking for ground beef or produce specials might also run into a social media celebrity.

“Good morning, TikTok! Good morning, America! Good morning to the world!” Barry Dabbs shouts into his phone as he walks through the aisles in cowboy boots, filming another one of the videos that has turned the longtime grocery store manager into an unlikely internet sensation.

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Dabbs has worked at the hometown grocery store for 42 years. He said he usually arrives around 2:15 a.m. and sometimes stays until 9 p.m. if someone calls out.

Despite the long hours, he still finds the energy to dance through the aisles, film four or five videos a day and entertain millions online.

“I’m always in a jolly mood,” Dabbs said.

What started with simple grocery store videos, including one about fruitcakes, quickly snowballed into viral success. One of his videos about a piece of meat reached 4.5 million views on TikTok.

Dabbs believes people connect with his personality because it feels genuine.

“I just say that I’m authentic,” he said. “It’s like I’m a breath of fresh air.”

That authenticity has helped turn the small-town grocery manager into a recognizable face far beyond Alabama.

Dabbs says people now travel from Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas just to meet him.

“At least three times a week, I have somebody from out of state that comes in,” he said.

Fans have created merchandise featuring Dabbs, including T-shirts and even pillowcases with his face on them. He has also officiated weddings for some of his followers.

Part of Dabbs’ online success comes from catchy jingles featured in the videos, including one written by songwriter Jackie Jack White, who has worked with artists like Neal McCoy and Charley Pride.

The videos have also helped business at the store.

“Do you feel like your business has picked up?” sister station WVTM's Brittany Decker asked.

“It really has picked up,” Dabbs responded.

But somewhere between the cowboy hats, dance moves and grocery specials, Dabbs said the videos became about something bigger.

“That there is still good in this world, and that there are people that’s willing to help other people,” he said when asked what he hopes viewers take away from his videos.

In a world filled with filters and highly produced content, Dabbs has built a loyal audience by doing something much simpler — just being himself.

“If I make somebody laugh, hey, that’s wonderful,” he said.

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