It's been a long time since I fooled around with bees cz nut would like to start a couple of hives here on the farm. A guy was going to give me a hive or two but his hives all crashed last winter.
We used to buy hives and supplys from Sears Farm Store. I have no idea where to start now.

I had an ad from Tractor Supply a while back advertising their bee supplies. You might check them on-line.

Foxhound bee company in B'ham has them

Not sure where you located in Alabama. A Amish man in Lawrenceburg TN makes them.
It’s a good day trip outing. Visit all the Amish. All types of items for sale. If you go I’ll send you info on a woodworker makes amazing rockers, chairs, turned bowls, etc.

A lot depends on where you. Guess you need bees and hives. Do you want to start with nucs or packages? This late in the year and flow over or almost over in Alabama would be hard to get a hive thriving before Fall with a package. Can receive catalogs from Mann Lake, Pigeon Mtn., or Ohio Bee Company and others with free shipping and good prices on hives. Also after honey extraction - June or July - you might have some folks willing to sell a hive or two at a good price. Need to know a bit more about what you want and how far you are willing to travel to pickup bees. Lowest prices are now on queens and nucs from most dealers, supply and demand.

Good info above.

First, I would PM Furflyin on here and see if he has a hive or nuc for sale. He got banged up in the tornado early this year and may sale a hive. Worth checking in to. That would be my first and probably best idea. Second, google Foxhound Bee Supply in Hoover or Greenbeehive in Trussville. They have good hives at a good price. Foxhound has Acorn foundation that Fur turned me on to and my bees really like it. Worth a little extra travel if you can make it. For bees, you can order packages online and have them delivered. Like Groundhawg said, the main flow will be over by the time you get bees installed so order a top feeder and plan on feeding until the goldenrod blooms to build up the hive. I would suggest starting with 2 hives. Hard to explain until you have been there but you will learn more, quicker with 2 hives.

If you like woodworking buy one hive and download Langstroth bee hive plans on the internet and build your own. I have fun building bee stuff. I like the building and hate the painting.

You can google Keith Delaplane UGA videos for new hives and installation. Lots of how to videos out there. Go to beesource.com too for info.