Family Owned Business 2020

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 | 1

Sunday, October 25, 2020 Suffolk News-Herald

Family Owned Business

www.suffolksheetmetal.com

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“We Take Pride In Your Family’s Comfort”

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Contents

Serving people right....................................... 3

www.arzillorecycling.com

Home Sweet Home Care continues on....... 4 Rillco Inc. prepares to grow.......................... 5

Office: (757) 539-2259

Fax: (757) 539-8699

www.lawrencetrailer.com

Soaring with the best..................................... 6

1036 Carolina Rd. Suffolk, VA 23434

Brinkley’s Wrecker Service keeps on tow trucking............................................................ 8 Three ways to stay connected with customers while social distancing.............. 9 How to support small businesses this holiday season.............................................. 10

A SUFFOLK TRADITION

CELEBRATING OVER 37 YEARS OF DENTAL HEALTH

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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 | 3

Serving people right

BY RACHEL WARTIAN STAFF WRITER

The Cobb family is celebrating 50 years of keeping Suffolk families comfortable with Suffolk Sheet Metal.

Cola Cobb bought Suffolk Sheet Metal in 1970. He now runs the business with help from his son Ray who joined him in 1991.

“Suffolk Sheet Metal is one of the oldest business names in Suffolk,” said Cobb. “We didn’t change the name so we could keep the integrity that already existed.”

At that time, the company focused on heating, roofing, electrical, and gutters. According to Ray Cobb, Cola Cobb’s son, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, central air conditioning units were starting to be put into houses. Before then, homes would have heating and window units.

“Right now, we are actually starting to replace the A/C units that [Cola] installed in homes the 70s,” said Ray Cobb.

Suffolk Sheet Metal eventually dropped roofing and gutters and switched to only heating, air conditioning, and electrical. The main focus is on small commercial and residential.

According to Cola, they do the projects most do not want to mess with and have only turned down a handful of jobs.

The company tries to live by the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated.

“When you serve people right they keep coming back to you,” said Cobb. “It has been our great clients that have kept us in business.”

Suffolk Sheet Metal celebrated 50 years on March 1. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a stop to the 50-year celebration party.

“We are hoping to have a 51-year party instead if all goes well,” said Stacie Cobb, Ray’s wife. “Right now we’ve put ads out to thank our clients for supporting us throughout the years.”

During these 50 years, the company has experienced many changes

in the business. Cola recalled a time when the outside air conditioning unit cost as much as the replacement engine today. Those also would work at a level 3 efficiency compared to the present level of 24.

“Things are constantly changing,” said Cola.

“They’re constantly getting more efficient and computerized.”

Ray has three sons that one day may take over the business too. Two of them are teenagers and already work during the summer.

“Passing it down is the game plan,” said Ray Cobb. “It’s whatever they want to do, but I hope at least one of the three will.”

“If not all three,” added Cola.

Suffolk Sheet Metal hopes to serve the RACHEL WARTIAN/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD Hampton Roads and Ray and Stacie joined the family business started by Cola and Peggy Cobb to provide 50 years of service Northeastern North to Suffolk and surrounding areas.

Carolina for another 50 years.

“If you want to stay hot or cool you call Suffolk Sheet Metal,” said Cola.

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4 | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

Home Sweet Home Care continues on

FROM STAFF REPORTS SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Sixteen years ago, Shirley McGee started Home Sweet Home Care, because she wanted families to have a better experience than she and her mother had.

Everyone eventually needs assistance. When Shirley’s mother needed help, the additional demands were tough to manage. Like so many caring for an older adult, Shirley also worked a full-time job and had children at home. Eventually,

both she and her mother agreed that moving Mom into a nursing home was necessary.

However, McGee was devastated when she witnessed how quickly her mother lost spirit and died after moving into assisted living.

McGee was convinced there had to be a better choice for families, and she was determined to find it. Soon she discovered the then-cottage industry of companion care and personal care.

When McGee opened her doors in October 2004, she was one of the first

in-home care companies in Hampton Roads.

This was what she and her mother had needed.

McGee was determined that Tidewater families would have in-home care as an option. No longer would the elderly have to move out of their homes just because they needed help with the daily tasks of living.

Since that date, Shirley has worked diligently to ensure that family members of her elderly clients have confidence their parents are in good hands.

McGee insists on using

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

the employee method rather than the contract method used by some home care agencies.

McGee says, “I want to be sure that I would send this person to care for my own mother.

Having employees versus contractors means I can set and maintain training requirements, performance reviews, supervisory visits, and ensure that required federal and state taxes are paid. You can’t do that with indeSUBMITTED PHOTO pendent contractors.”

Shirley McGee, the founder of Home Sweet Home Care, recently passed the reins to her daughter, Stephanie Jensen, upon her retireSee HOME, 7 ment.

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LEDBETTER SEPTIC TANK

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 | 5

Certified Residential & Commercial Septic Tank & Grease Trap Inspections Plus Excavating & Concrete INSTALLATION • PUMPING • REPAIRS CLASS “A” GENERAL CONTRACTOR & MASTER ELECTRICIAN

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539-2003 RACHEL WARTIAN/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Rosalind Lacy runs Rillco Inc. with her father Ronie Ledbetter at 122 Bell St.

Rillco Inc. prepares to grow

BY RACHEL WARTIAN STAFF WRITER

Rillco Inc. was started

by Romie and Costellar Ledbetter as Ledbetter’s Septic Tank in 1972.

Today, the business is run

by Romie Ledbetter and his daughter, Rosalind Lacy.

This father-anddaughter business has plans to keep serving the Tidewater area for a long time.

Rillco Inc. is a Class A environmental septic contractor environmental service drainage. They are for people who are not hooked up to city sewage and need one onsite. Their work can be seen all over Tidewater, as they work

in a 100-mile radius.

“Our mission is to provide good workmanship at reasonable prices, and we stand by our work,” said Lacy.

Rillco Inc. started when Romie Ledbetter felt it was time to leave the shipyard and became the first African American in the area to create a sewage business. He started with doing electrical, too, since he is a master electrician. He later renamed his company to Rillco in the 1980s, consisting of his initials R.L.L. and the first two letters of Costellar’s name.

“My daddy has always been a hard worker,” said Lacy. “He’s always worn many hats.”

Ledbetter spent time doing electric work at the shipyard, the Hampton Roads Bridge, Burger King on North Main Street, and residential homes. He is well known throughout his community, as he has done work on many homes.

“He always tells me stories as we drive of what houses he’s done work on,” said Lacy. “It seems he’s done some sort of work just about everywhere. He believes in treating people fairly and not jiving them.”

In 2006, Lacy came to help expand the business.

Even though septic tends to be a man’s business, See RILLCO, 7

R.L. Ledbetter Locally Owned Since 1961

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OUR FAMILY SERVING YOUR FAMILY

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MODEL AIRPLANES, RADIO CONTROL, CONTROL LINE & PLASTIC MODELS RACHEL WARTIAN/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Tom Atkins, the owner of Eagle Hobby Shop, stands in front of only a fraction of the airplane products he offers at his shop off Godwin Boulevard.

Soaring with the best

BY RACHEL WARTIAN STAFF WRITER

The Eagle Hobby Shop has been soaring in Suffolk since 2002.

Tom Atkins, now 83, started in the hobby business in 1973 with his shop, Maple Hill Hobby, that started in his garage.

Now he’s located off Godwin Boulevard and still supplying Suffolk’s hobby needs. The store sells radio control and plastic airplane models and radio control cars and boats.

“I just ordered some spray for your glasses to help them not fog up while wearing a mask,” said Atkins. “Once they come in, I’ll sell them at the retail price to help the

public.”

Atkins served in the Marines for nine years before working as a pipe fitter for Union Camp Corporation in Franklin.

There, he injured his back after 40 years of work and realized he needed to slow down. At that time, he decided to focus on his love of model airplanes and do exclusively the Maple Hill Hobby shop.

“It gives me something to do and helps keep the kids out of trouble,” said Atkins.

It was in 2002 that Atkins moved from Maple Hill to Chuckatuck after marrying Mary Grace Garner. With her doll collection and his airplanes, they opened their own business for

others who share their interests. Atkins talked to the city of Suffolk to get the right permits to build his hobby shop at his new home.

Mary Grace Atkins had named her home the Eagle Point Homestead, thus producing the new shop’s name, Eagle Hobby Shop.

Unfortunately, due to her health, Mary Grace Atkins has not been as active in the hobby shop as she would like to.

Tom Atkins has seen many changes as he manages his hobby shop. One big difference is in the technology that runs the airplanes, cars and boats he sells. Everything now has advanced from radio See EAGLE, 7

44 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

“I

was

really

surprised,

See QUEEN, 15

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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

Home: Helping families Continued from page 4

“It’s also important to have the right people caring for you because it’s not easy getting older.

Things change, and those caring for you must have a well-rounded knowledge of the physical and mental changes that can happen.”

Today, after 16 years of providing quality care to the families of Hampton Roads, it is time for

Shirley to retire. Not to worry, though — Shirley is passing the reins to her daughter, Stephanie Jensen. Stephanie joined the business, after college, in 2008.

She has 7 am - 11 am been involved and instrumental in the operation of Home Sweet Home Care for 12 years. Jensen is determined to continue delivering quality care to Hampton Roads

families through qualified employees.

“Home Sweet Home Care intends to be the home care company of choice in the area for several decades,” Jensen said. “We care about our clients and our employees. Mom has made a real contribution to the community over the years, and I look forward to carrying on that tradition.”

WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS...

Our Hours:

Walk-Ins Welcome Rillco: Plans for the future 110 Kensington Continued from page 5

Lacy brings a different perspective.

“Women are mostly designers and operators, but not installers,” said Lacy. “We have good guys working for us, though, that know what they are doing. We work as a team here.”

Lacy hopes that her daughter, who has shown interest, will take over one day as the third generation in the family to work there. If not, some nephews may take up the

Boulevard, Suffolk (Next to YMCA) torch.

“As long as there are people, there will always be a need for this business,” said Lacy. “This is an essential business for the community to keep down diseases.”

Lacy has spent time in Africa reviewing their sewage and water treatment and hoping to update their systems.

Lacy has bright plans for the future. Rillco Inc. works with builders, real estate agents and home-

owners.

“What we do now is about 85 percent residential and 15 percent commercial,” said Lacy. “I hope to grow to do more commercial in the future but still do residential.”

The company has four full-time employees, but Lacy is looking to grow to have two different teams in the near future.

“I want the business to continue long after I’m gone,” said Lacy.

Eagle: Ships orders all over Continued from page 6

to electronic. One thing that has not changed is the loyal customers who know where to go for their hobbies.

“My motto is, I don’t have customers — I have friends,” said Atkins. “I tell that to all the people who come in.”

Customers from all

over come to enjoy the shop. Some are as far as Elizabeth City, N.C., to Maryland, and even some mail orders to Alaska. One customer lives on the West Coast and will call in orders to pick up while on the East Coast for business.

Atkins has a smile,

joke, and any airplane information you need at the ready to help “soar with the best” at his onestop shop.

Eagle Hobby shop is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays at 4832 Godwin Blvd.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 | 7

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Brinkley’s Wrecker Service keeps on tow trucking

BY RACHEL WARTIAN STAFF WRITER

John and Tracy Brinkley are the owners of Brinkley’s Wrecker Service at 108 Dill Road, which has served Suffolk for the past 15 years. The business offers many services, including light, medium, and heavy-duty towing, tire repair, auto repair and emergency services.

The Brinkleys started the business in the summer of 2005 from scratch. John had previ-

ously worked with his grandfather doing light duty towing. Once his grandfather closed the doors, the question arose of what to do next.

“John always wanted to open his own wrecker business, and it was really all he knew,” said Tracy Brinkley. “We were freshly married with a newborn, so there were plenty of risks.”

The business started with a home office, a storage unit at their curSee BRINKLEY'S, 10

RACHEL WARTIAN/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

John and Tracy Brinkley are the proud owners of Brinkley’s Wrecker Services that has helped Suffolk and surrounding areas since 2005.

Proud To Serve Area Business and It’s Citizens

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 | 9

Proudly Serving The Families of South Hampton Roads & Northeastern North Carolina!

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Three ways to stay connected with customers while social distancing

Social distancing guidelines forced many businesses to change the way they interact with their customers. Businesses deemed non-essential may not have been forced to shutter, but many were no longer allowed to welcome customers into their facilities.

Maintaining relationships with customers is a foundation for many small businesses.

According to the global management consulting firm Bain & Company, the average repeat customer spends 67% more between months 31 and 36 with a business than they do between months zero and six. That highlights how vital it is for small businesses to maintain long-term relation-

ships with repeat customers. That can be more challenging while social distancing, but the following are three ways for small businesses to stay connected with their customers even when those customers are not allowed to enter their facilities.

1. Keep lines of communication open.

A recent 4A Research survey of 1,000 consumers found that 43 percent of respondents said it’s reassuring to hear from brands they know and trust during the pandemic. Small business owners can keep in touch with customers via email, sending weekly updates thanking customers for Commercial

their business and even sharing tips to make social distancing more pleasant. For example, restaurants can email customers suggestions on pairing wines.

Face-to-face interactions with customers drive many small business owners to keep doing what they’re doing. Such interactions may not be possible while social distancing, but small business owners who get creative can still interact with their customers. For example, fitness center owners can create how-to workout videos for members and See CONNECTED, 10

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How to support small businesses this holiday season The holiday season is an important one for small businesses every year, and it figures to take on heightened importance in 2020. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in late 2019 and early 2020 hit small businesses especially hard, with many being forced to close their facilities to customers in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading.

Estimates regarding the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on small businesses varied, but many small business owners were forced to let go employees as they confronted steep declines in revenue. A ZenBusiness survey of more than 1,000 small business founders, senior managers and decision makers found that 37% of small businesses that employ between 11 and 25 people were considering laying off more than one-fifth of their workforce.

As small businesses face difficult challenges, it’s no surprise that many consumers want to support locally owned small

businesses this holiday season. Such support not only can help small businesses, but also can help to revitalize local communities.

4Shop online. Online shopping has traditionally been dominated by big box retailers. However, many small businesses increased their e-commerce capabilities to generate revenue. Shoppers concerned about shopping in person this holiday season should explore the delivery and curbside pickup options available at locally owned small businesses. Even businesses that have not traditionally been allowed to deliver, such as breweries and wineries, have been able to do so during the outbreak, giving consumers unlimited online shopping options.

4Purchase gift cards.

Gift cards take the guesswork out of holiday shopping, and such cards are easily shipped or even emailed to loved ones.

That’s a significant benefit during the 2020 holiday season, when delivery times are expected to

be lengthy. Gift cards to local businesses simplify holiday shopping, support small businesses and help shoppers avoid potential delivery delays.

4Share your experience. Word-of-mouth is vital to small businesses at any time, and can be especially valuable as these companies try to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Holiday shoppers can share their experiences with local businesses via social media.

Share information about the lengths local small businesses have gone to in regard to safety measures, order fulfillment and their delivery and pickup efforts. Such sharing may compel neighbors and friends to follow your lead and provide vital support to local businesses in need this holiday season.

Small businesses are the backbone of many communities, and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to support such firms as they look to recover from a difficult year.

Stainless Steel Fabrication • Ron Davis • Jay Davis • Chance Davis Family Owned Since 1980

Office: 757-934-0042

P.O. Box 1837, 602 Carolina Road, Suffolk, VA 23434

Since 1991

BENNETT’S CREEK WRECKER SERVICE

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Connected: Find time to volunteer Continued from page 9

post them to their social media pages. Garden center owners can create how-to gardening videos and post them to their websites, social media pages or even create their own YouTube channels.

3. Volunteer in your community.

Small business owners may have extra time on their hands until business returns to normal. In the meantime, volunteering in the community can be a great way to continue serving your neighbors.

Sew masks for aging customers and neighbors who may not be able to do so on their own. Or

organize an effort by local small businesses to provide meals for first responders. Volunteering is a great way for small business owners to make use of their extra free time and show their customers that they’re committed to the community even in the most difficult circumstances.

Brinkley's: 15 years strong

ALL BREEDS OF DOGS

Continued from page 8

rent location, two wreckers, and one employee.

Over the years, the company has been able to grow into a more wellrounded wrecker service. Brinkley’s now owns its office building as well as the building next door and has 10 wreckers, eight employees, and a complete auto service garage.

Brinkley’s Wrecker Service also has a rotator. This can pick up overturned tractor-trailers or cars that have flipped into difficult areas. The rotator allows the wrecker to retrieve the vehicles while closing minimal lanes with faster recovery time. It is also used for loading and unloading trucks.

TING CELEBRA RS! 51 YEA

“Always have to keep up with what is going on within the industry,” said Tracy Brinkley.

Safety regulations have also changed throughout the years.

Reflective clothing is now required, as a move over law is in place.

According to AAA, it is a state law in Virginia that drivers approaching an emergency vehicle with flashing lights, including tow trucks, move over or slow down if they cannot move over. Tow truck drivers are among the most dangerous jobs due to inconsiderate drivers.

“Unfortunately, many drivers do not follow this rule,” said Tracy Brinkley. “The light is

not blue or red, so they look over amber.”

The Brinkleys have two sons and a daughter that have shown interest in taking on the family business one day.

“I would love if they wanted to work here, but I want them to be happy,” said Tracy Brinkley. “I want them to follow their dreams and not feel like they are stuck in ours.”

For the future, Brinkley’s plans on keeping on the same path of providing the best service with persistence and hard work.

“If it weren’t for such great customers, we wouldn’t be here,” said Tracy Brinkley.

SEE US FOR YOU LUBE & OIL CHANGE • Front End Alignment • Wrecker Service • Brake Repairs • State Inspection • Custom Exhaust • Engine Analysis

Micheal & Jessica Weaver • Phone: 657-6390

Family Owned & Operated Since 2010

12 | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020

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