Bells Feed and Seed Fayetteville Nc

How did this business get started? Bell's Seed Store is celebrating 100 years in business this year — the popular lawn and garden center opened in downtown Fayetteville in 1919.

"William M. Bell Sr. founded Bell's Seed Store as a family garden store in a building beside the old courthouse on Gillespie Street," said grandson Stewart Bell, who owns the business with his wife, Gwen.

Stewart's father, William Meeks Bell Jr., managed the store until the late 1980s. Bell has followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and is the third generation to own and operate the business.

"Life was different in Fayetteville 100 years ago when Bell's Seed Store first opened," he said.

The city of Fayetteville was smaller and the area was more rural and had more more farms in 1919, when the store started. World War I had ended the previous year, the television had not been invented yet, women were just about to gain the right to vote and the construction of the newly formed Camp Bragg was completed just as the store was getting up and running.

In 1957, the store relocated to its current location on East Russell Street, where it encompasses four acres with two buildings for retail space and two warehouses, he said.

Jeff Thomson is the lawn and garden store manager. Gwen Bell manages the garden gift shop.

Why did you choose this business? Stewart Bell, like his father, grew up in the business. He started in the family business right out of college. "Bell's Seed store has always been a family operated business, passed down from one generation to the next," Bell said.

How has the business grown or changed? "One of the biggest changes has been the type of products that people buy today compared to what they bought in the early 1900s," said Bell. "Agricultural products were popular items in the early years. We sold molasses, seeds, animal feed, hay, cookware, fertilizers and stove pipes. Today, we still sell seed, fertilizers and feed, but we added construction supplies in the late 1990s, as well as erosion-control materials and a unique selection of home and garden accents in the gift shop," he said.

"We are seeing a younger customer base now, which seems to have increased over the past 10-15 years," Thomson said. More young couples are coming in to visit with their children, he said.

What is unique about the business? Bell's Seed store is one of the oldest locally owned businesses in Fayetteville, Bell said.

"A popular feature at the store is the vegetable seed wall, which was started by Stewart's father, William Meeks Bell Jr., after the move to Russell Street in the 1950s," Thomson said. Rows of Glass jars perched on shelving hold bulk fruit and vegetable seeds that are sold by the ounce.

An additional 7,000 square feet of space was added to the store in 2010, when the owners purchased Ideal Auto Supply, which was located next door. "The space was converted into a garden gift shop, Your Ideal Backyard," Thomson said. The gift shop carries a large selection of garden supplies that include fountains, wind chimes, birdhouses, outdoor furniture and lighting, pottery and a huge selection of flags for every season and occasion.

How has the economy affected business? "Overall, we've seen very little negative impact from economic downturns," Bell said.

"When the economy goes down, people's interest in gardening goes up," Thomson said. "People can grow their own food and save money."

When is it busiest? Bell said, "Springtime is the busiest, but we change our products with the seasons. In the fall, we are busy with pumpkins, garden mums and pansies. At Christmas time we stock Christmas trees, wreaths, Poinsettias and lots of gifts for gardeners. There is never a slow time at Bell's Seed Store."

What is your most popular service or product? "The plants and the garden products are most popular," Bell said. "We carry a good selection of vegetables and herbs regularly."

"We are also a dealer for Big Green Egg Grills. In our opinion, it is the world's best grill," he said.

The garden center has more than 20,000 square feet of outdoor nursery space and 12,000 square feet of indoor retail space. "We make sure that everything stays well stocked," he said.

"The vegetables (seeds and plants) are the most consistent seller year after year," Thomson said.

Who are key staff? "It takes all of us to keep the day-to-day operations working smoothly at Bell's. Our turnover rate is very low," Bell said.

Do you have a business motto? "Good customer service is key," Bell said. "Customer service is the most important thing we do, and I believe we do it well."

What is the best part of owning this business? "Working with people is the best part of this business. We have a fun staff and a great customer base that we have gotten to know over the years. We always look forward to providing service to them," Bell said.

What is most challenging about running it? "We get asked a lot of gardening questions, and we always try to get an answer for our customers. If we don't know the answer, we'll try to get it for you. Most of our staff hold degrees in horticulture," Thomson said.

What else do you want people to know? "Our goal is to have the best products at the lowest prices," said Bell. The store hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more at bellsseedstore.us or on Facebook.

Alison Minard

smithstrooks.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.fayobserver.com/story/business/2019/08/06/business-spotlight-bells-seed-store-celebrates-100-years-in-downtown-fayetteville/4529219007/

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