Monday, December 31, 2018

Pete Bikas Greek Restaurant Owner: Struggle and Success


This week featured photograph is looking south down Broad Street from the intersection of Broad and Main streets.  The signs along the building fronts identify long time Brevard businesses including Morris Pharmacy, Jones Newsstand, Crest Five & Dime and Varner’s Drug. 

Snow remained piled in the middle of downtown streets
following a March 1960 snowstorm.
On the north side of Crest is a large sign for Bikas Restaurant—Home of Country Ham.  Although Bikas Restaurant only operated under that name from 1958-1960 owner Pete Bikas was a well-known restaurateur.

Bikas was born in Greece in 1893. He served in the Greek cavalry and in King Constantine’s Royal Bodyguards.  During the revolution in Greece in 1924 Bikas decided it was time to leave though.  He made his way through France, Spain and Cuba before arriving in Macon, Georgia.  Over the next ten years Bikas would purchase a restaurant in Greenville, SC, become a U.S. citizen and send for his wife and son in Greece.  Bikas also helped other relatives, including his three brothers, come to the United States.

By 1942 Bikas had purchased Galloway’s Restaurant on South Broad Street in Brevard. This establishment would later be known as Bikas Restaurant.  

Bikas built a home in Brevard and raised his family here in the mountains that reminded him of his native village in Greece.  For many years he regularly commuted between Brevard and Greenville.  In addition to restaurants in both locations, he also owned and operated two billiard parlors in Greenville. 

Multiple attempts were made to hold-up Bikas at his businesses.  An undated newspaper article reads, “Robbers, and would-be robbers, in Greenville, S.C., should learn to leave Pete Bikas, former Brevard restaurateur, alone. Three times they have attempted to rob him, and each time Pete got the best of them.”

Bikas died in 1978 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident several months earlier.  He is buried at Gillespie-Evergreen Cemetery on Country Club Rd. in Brevard.  To learn more about Bikas’ life visit the NC Room at the Transylvania County Library.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Monday, December 24, 2018

How Reid Furniture Co. Started and Grew


This week’s Picturing the Past photograph features Reid Furniture Company and was taken in 1959. The building where Reid’s was located at the time looks different today.  The best clues in the photo are actually small parts of the buildings on either side.  Can you identify where it was located?

Theodore Reid and W.M. Melton formed Reid-Melton Furniture Company in late 1944.  They held their formal opening on Saturday, February 17, 1945.  They carried living room, dining room and bedroom suites, tables, chairs, rugs and appliances.  Products could be purchased on credit with weekly or monthly payment plans.  Mr. Reid, who had worked in the furniture business for many years, managed the store located at 21 East Main St.

The Reid Furniture Company truck in front of the business at 123 W. Main St.
The business quickly outgrew the small store and in 1947 relocated to the Mull Building on the corner of S. Broad and Jordan streets.  Two-and-a-half years later they again moved to a larger store.  It was shortly after this move that Reid purchased Melton’s share of the business and changed the name to Reid Furniture Company.

In December 1960 Reid announced, “With my lease expiring in January, I have decided to close my furniture store at that time.  Between now and then, I am offering the citizens of Brevard and Transylvania County bargains in furniture that are unheard of.  It has been a real pleasure serving at Reid Furniture Company since 1944, and I cordially invite one and all to come by and see our hundreds of close-out bargains.”

Reid opened an office on Caldwell St. where people could make payments on their accounts.  He continued the business in some fashion until retiring in 1965.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Monday, December 17, 2018

The Day Houston Furniture Nearly Went Up in Smoke

Over the last two weeks Picturing the Past has featured businesses that were located at 55 E. Main during a portion of their existence—B&B Feed & Seed from 1928-1940 and Grover’s Office Supply from 1992-2005.  Houston Furniture was located in the building from 1941-1990.

Flames shot from the front of Houston's Furniture on E. Main St.
as firefighters prepare to fight the early morning fire on October 24, 1953.
This week’s featured photograph was taken on Saturday, October 24, 1953.   A delivery man for the grocery store next door to Houston Furniture reported a fire at 7:15 that morning.  Almost all the merchandise on the main floor was destroyed.  However, thanks to the quick and efficient response of the Brevard Fire Department damage to the structure was limited and stock on the lower level received only minor damage.  Store records were also saved.

The following week Houston Furniture set up business in two available store fronts in the Waltermire (Aethelwold) Hotel building.  They also immediately began repair work on their building.  They would move back into their newly remodeled building just over a month later, on November 30.

The work of the firefighters is also credited for saving the adjoining businesses of Belk’s Department Store and Cash and Carry Super Market.  Belk’s Department Store, located on the east side, had opened a year prior to Houston Furniture, in March 1940.  The Cash and Carry Super Market, owned and operated by Curtis Kelley, was in the adjoining building to the west.  Cash and Carry opened on E. Main St. in April 1943 and remained there until October 1957 when it moved to N. Broad and became affiliated with Piggly Wiggly.

The photograph collection in the Local History Room at the Transylvania County Library does not include a picture of Piggly Wiggly.  If you have one that you would be willing to share please contact the Local History Room staff.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Grover's 40 Years of Business Brought About Many Changes

Grover’s Office Supply was a well-known, long running business in downtown Brevard before it was sold to Hoyle Office Solution in 2016.  The business had been located at 372 S. Broad St. for about 10 years.  Do you remember any of Grover’s three previous locations though?

Grover and Gladys Frisbee began their office supply business in 1976.  In addition to general office supplies they sold desks, chairs, filing cabinets and equipment, including typewriters, adding machines and calculators. 

During their 40 years of business technology brought about many changes.  Fax and copy machine services were added and items like printers and ink cartridges replaced typewriters and typewriter ribbons.  When Grover and Gladys retired they passed the business to their son, Randy and his wife, Sherri.  What did not change through times was their service policy.  They would order any products they did not have in stock, typically with next day service.  They also delivered to businesses in downtown Brevard.

Grover’s first location on W. Jordan Street was small and within a short time they moved to a larger store on the corner of S. Broad and W. Jordan.  After about 12 years they again moved to a larger building, the former Houston Furniture on E. Main St., which the Frisbees purchased.  Grover’s final move to South Broad Street in 2006 offered additional space and parking.
Grover's Office Supply, Phone Mart and B&J Sales and Service
at 100 S. Broad St., 1983

Citizen’s and Comporium telephone books listed Grover’s Office Supply at the following locations through the years—10 W. Jordan 1977-78; 100 S. Broad St. 1979-1991; 55 E. Main St. 1992-2005; and 372 S. Broad St. 2006-2016.

The other two businesses shown in this 1983 photograph are Phone Mart and B&J Sales and Service.  Phone Mart was located at 112 S. Broad St. and apparently was only in business the one year. 

B&J Sales and Service, specializing in appliance repair opened at 212 S. Broad Street in 1979.  They moved to 116 S. Broad a couple of years later and remained there until 1996.  The business is still in operation as B&J Appliance Service.

If you have additional photographs or information about these businesses the staff in the Local History Room would like to hear from you.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Monday, December 3, 2018

B&B Feed & Seed Business Boosted County's Economy

Most people who have lived in Transylvania County for over twenty years are familiar with B&B Feed & Seed, formerly located on Gaston Street.  However did you know that for approximately 40 years the owners also operated Brittain Tractor Company?

The original business opened on East Main St. on January 1, 1928.  Cousins, Willis and Trigg Brittain sold Quaker Dairy Feeds and Full-O-Pep Poultry Feed along with a full line of garden and field seed.  Trigg Brittain sold his interest in the business to Grady and Allen Brittain, brothers of Willis, in July 1931. 

B&B Feed & Seed not only survived the Stock Market Crash and Great Depression but continued to grow.  For a time the “Brittain boys” leased the Breese Mill at Maiden Hair Falls to grind corn meal, graham flour and special orders.  They aided local farmers by buying chickens and eggs for resale to markets and cream for the Biltmore Dairies, boosting Transylvania County’s economy as well.

Brittain Tractor Company on S. Gaston St., 1953.
Sometime between June 1940 and April 1941 the Brittains moved their business around the corner to 12 S. Gaston Street.  In August 1947 they expanded by incorporating the Brittain Tractor Company, an authorized dealership for Ford tractors and Dearborn farm equipment.  The new business also sold parts for tractors and farm equipment and had a small engine repair shop.

For many years Willis and Allen ran the businesses, while Grady farmed the family land in the Mills River area of Henderson County.  Later, Willis also retired to farming.  The Brittains had numerous employees through the years.  Fred Hogsed worked there for 40 years, serving as manager of the Brittain Tractor Company and the small engine repair shop for many of them.  In 1987 the Brittains sold the business to Harold Paxton, who operated it until closing in 1998. 
Interior of Brittain Tractor Company.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.