The Dart: More than a market

SURE YOU CAN BUY TERRIFIC PRODUCE AT B AND S - BUT THERE'S ALSO A SENSE OF HISTORY AND COMMUNITY HERE, TOO

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

MORGANTON -- The sign painted on the building's outside wall has weathered and faded from years of exposure, but the letters - U.S.B. Dale's - are still visible.

For more than 106 years, the grocery that Grant Dale started just off Enola Road has flourished in a single-story, red-brick building that made the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

The three-aisle market is stuffed with jars of pickled eggs, honey from a local beekeeper and vegetables.
In the early 1900s, items were stacked high in shelves, and customers would point out the items they needed so store employees could fetch the goods. Credit accounts would allow regulars to go shopping and carry a balance until payday.

"When Old Man Grant was in here, it was just like what you saw in the movies," said owner Tim Buff. "It's a thing of the past."

When he was just a kid, Buff would wander into Dale's while his mother washed bedding at the Laundromat next door. He'd splurge on a piece of candy or two, wait for the laundry to finish and head back to the family farm.

"I would have never dreamed I'd even work in the grocery business," he said, eyeing the shelves stocked with canned goods, vegetables and spices.

Buff bought the business in 1980 and renamed it B and S Discount Foods - B for Buff and S for Shuffler, his wife's maiden name. Together the couple would chat with customers and stock shelves while their young daughters curled up for naps on cardboard boxes.

Last week, a longtime neighbor and customer pulled up to the store on his lawn mower to pick up a few items and joke with the staff.

Gone are the days of credit at the store, but Buff has worked hard to hang onto the things that make the vintage store special - great deals and a sense of community.

"That's the biggest accomplishment," he said. "We've been able to make money and save people money."

Last week, asparagus sold for a dollar a bunch - far below the $4-plus asking price at local chains. The week before, it was strawberries at $5 for two cases. Shoppers have come to expect great deals, becoming regulars and cultivating the sense of community.

Over the years, Buff has made contacts in the grocery business and has learned that larger chains will often pass over quality produce if a shipment is late by even a few hours.

By snapping up the fruits and vegetables at discount prices, Buff has been able to pass the savings on to his customers.

"Some people come by just to connect and visit," Buff said. "This is the kind of place where everybody is somebody."

When Buff's girls got older, they joined their parents in the store, serving customers, sweeping the floor and doing whatever they could to make the store succeed. Now, Buff is excited to see his grandchildren starting to learn the family business.

"We've raised our family in here," he said, watching his 4-year-old grandson carry large stalks of celery. "We're trying to train another generation."

Mike Dale, the great-grandson of the store's founder, has worked beside Buff for 23 years and says the tight community Buff has cultivated is the most appealing thing about the business.

"It's just a family business," he said. "I know all the customers, and I know how we want it done."

A few years ago, Buff, who serves on the Burke County Board of Education, had an offer to sell to business. It was a substantial offer, he said, and he gave it a long thought. But, in the end, Buff decided the loss far outweighed the gain.

"What would I do if I lost that family?" he said.


The Point of the Dart

The idea behind the Dart is simple: We're looking for the kind of news the media don't usually report. We throw a dart at a map of one of the counties in the Catawba Valley, and we'll write about what's happening at that spot. We hope this feature will bring out stories that too often are ignored and will help you meet some of your neighbors in the region.




All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
and may not be republished without permission.