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.