Family Businesses Thriving in Rocky Mount
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Taking care of business is a family affair for many successful Rocky Mount companies. From furniture to fast food‚ relatives have put their heads together to create nationally recognized businesses that have stood the test of time.
Brothers Nick and Mayo Boddie found their recipe for success 40 years ago when they created Boddie-Noell Enterprises with their late uncle Carlton Noell and became the country’s largest privately owned Hardee’s franchisee‚ with 320 restaurants in four states. They say their Uncle Carleton Noell was a great business partner‚ working until he died at age 83‚ but it was their Aunt Annie Lou (Mayo) Noell who inspired them to succeed.
“She had a lot to do with it‚” says Nick Boddie. “She didn’t have any children. When my mother died‚ she almost became our mother. She always pushed us to be in business for ourselves‚ and she’s the one who helped us get started in the Hardee’s business‚ because she helped finance the first Hardee’s for us.”
Since opening their first Hardee’s in 1962‚ the Boddie brothers have built their business to include a land development company and several other restaurant chains‚ including more than 30 Texas Steakhouse and Saloon restaurants‚ and a new fresh-Mex chain called Moe’s Southwest Grill.
“We’ve been very fortunate‚” Mayo says.
Nick‚ 76‚ and Mayo‚ 74‚ say they learned early in life that hard work and perseverance pay off and that families stick together.
“We were close‚” Nick says of himself and his brother.
“Of course‚ as kids‚ we’d fight. He was bigger than I was‚ and I always had to chase him with a hammer or a brick or something‚” he adds‚ laughing. “But we’ve gotten along fine in business. There’s never been any disagreements with us.”
Mayo agrees: “I think our mother and daddy brought us up that way.”
Close family ties also are at the heart of other successful Rocky Mount businesses.
Two brothers and a sister own MBM Corp.‚ one of the nation’s largest privately owned custom food service distributors. MBM was founded 50 years ago by J.R. Wordsworth. His children‚ Jerry and Steve Wordsworth and sister Debbie Daughtridge‚ bought the company in the 1970s. MBM now supplies food to major national restaurant chains throughout the nation.
In another instance‚ three brothers – Bill‚ John and Robert Kincheloe – built on the success of their grandfather‚ W.A. Bulluck‚ who founded Bulluck’s Furniture more than 100 years ago. Bill Kincheloe‚ the oldest of seven children‚ began working in the family business as a child.
“I used to ride the delivery truck when I was 6 years old‚” Kincheloe says‚ “and I worked on the delivery truck when I was in high school. When I finished college‚ I came home and went to work at the store and ultimately took it over from my father‚ who was married to Mr. Bulluck’s daughter.”
That was in the early 1960s. Since then‚ Bulluck’s Furniture has expanded to include Wildwood Lamp & Accents‚ a wholesale manufacturing company that handcrafts custom lamps and accessories for retail stores across the United States‚ Canada and parts of Europe. Bill now oversees that part of the business with the help of his son-in-law and one of his daughters‚ while his younger brother‚ John‚ has taken over the retail furniture business. Their brother Robert works alongside them.
Kincheloe says his grandfather would be proud to see the company today.
“It was a hometown furniture store selling cookstoves and linoleum rugs‚ and now it’s a designer-oriented furniture business with an incredible gift shop.”
He also says his grandfather would be happy to know the business is still in the family. “If it hadn’t been family-owned‚ it probably would have been sold to a larger company or it might have gone out of business‚” he says.
It appears Boddie-Noell Enterprises is destined for a long family history as well.
“I have three boys‚” Mayo Boddie says. “They’re all in the business. All of them wanted to come with the company. It’s unbelievable how good they get along.”
And Nick Boddie believes the way families relate is a key to success.
“So often it goes back to your genes‚ it really does. Ain’t no doubt about it. We had a good mama and a good daddy. Just do a whole lot of agreeing and very little fighting. Life’s too short. Get along with people.”
Story by Karen Stone
Photo by Stephen Cherry
