EDITOR’S NOTE: Everyone has a story — some more well-known than others. Across Western North Carolina, so much history is buried below the surface. Six feet under. With this series, we introduce you to some of the people who have left marks big and small on this special place we call home.
Today, Western North Carolina is a haven for small businesses, but it was not always like that. Few local companies survived both of the two major recessions since World War II. Just down the mountain stands a shining beacon of a resilient family business, known throughout the Southeastern United States for their furniture.
Alfred Forbes “Bub” Tyson Jr. (1913-1992) and Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Meyers Tyson (1914-2009) owned and operated the Tyson Furniture Company in Black Mountain, North Carolina from 1946-1992.
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Alfred Tyson Jr.’s Early Life
Alfred Forbes Tyson Jr., nicknamed “Bub,” was born in an upstairs room of the Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain on Jun. 3, 1913. Then called the Doughtery Heights Inn, the hotel, which remains open today under different ownership, was built by Tyson’s father, Alfred Tyson Sr.
Tyson attended schools in Black Mountain in his childhood years, Biltmore Junior College, now known as UNC Asheville, the Marion Military Institute in Alabama and completed his education at North Carolina State University, achieving a bachelor’s in accounting.
After World War II, Tyson returned to his birthplace to open a business, although he did not immediately know what to sell.
Mary Meyers’ Early Life
Betty, as Mary was nicknamed, was born in St. Louis, Missouri on Sep. 6, 1914. She moved several times during her childhood, eventually graduating from high school in Orlando, Florida.
Meyers then moved to Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee, attaining a bachelor’s in foreign language.
In 1936, Betty moved to Montreat for a summer conference and took up a waitress job at the Tyson’s inn where she and Alfred met.
Tyson Furniture Company
After the war, Bub Tyson was looking to open a business in Black Mountain. Realizing the town lacked a furniture retailer, he settled on that.
In the years following World War II, furniture was in short supply. To solve this issue, Tyson traded half of the ownership of his company to his cousin and her husband in exchange for inventory for his new store. The Sossamon’s owned a furniture store in Bryson City with an established network of suppliers.
In May 1946, the Sossamon-Tyson Furniture Company opened its doors to the residents of the Swannanoa Valley. Standing at 109 Broadway Avenue in the Black Mountain town center, the store’s central location has proved advantageous over the years. Beginning as a 5,000 square foot store, it has since grown to 70,000 square feet and an offsite warehouse.
From its inception, Bub Tyson filled his store with a complete catalog of home furnishings, from the obvious pieces like couches and beds, to more specialized equipment like pianos and all manner of appliances including the television, a new technology for the time.
By selling underutilized store space early on, Tyson gained enough funds to buy out the Sossamon’s. By the end of 1950, Black Mountain’s sole furniture retailer was renamed Tyson Furniture Company.
Tyson Furniture During the 1970’s Recession
In the 1970’s, Black Mountain was taking the economic recession poorly. Tyson Furniture was struggling alongside their neighboring businesses.
Bub Tyson decided to call in help to save his company. He called his son.
Joseph Tyson, along with his wife Carol, moved back to Black Mountain in 1974, bringing a business plan with them.
His father’s tactic had always been to sell a wide variety of products. Joe thought the opposite. He cut back the selection they were known for to focus “on what Tyson’s did best – furniture and floor covering,” Joe Tyson told the Black Mountain News on May 19, 2011.
Despite the changes he made, the Black Mountain News reported, “’We still offer what dad started out with,’ Joe said. ‘Good furniture at a good value.’”
Bub Tyson passed the role of president to his son in 1980, although he retained his position as chairman of the board until his death.
Bub and Betty in Their Final Years
More than a furniture salesman, Bub Tyson served his community as an alderman in Black Mountain until his death, totaling 21 years of public service. He also served as president of the Black Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
Tyson also had an interest in local higher education, serving on the boards of Warren Wilson College and Montreat-Anderson College, now renamed to Montreat College. He also served on the board of the Black Mountain Public Library for 25 years.
Betty was known for her service to the library as well, along with her association with the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
The Tyson’s were committed members of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church where they each served in various leadership and serving roles.
Alfred Forbes “Bub” Tyson Jr. died on Jun. 3, 1992. Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Meyers Tyson died on Oct. 13, 2009. They are buried in the Tabernacle United Methodist Church Cemetery in Black Mountain.
Tyson Furniture Company Legacy
According to their website, “Tyson Furniture sells most of America’s best brands of furniture at a considerable discount from suggested retail prices.” The more than 80-year-old retailer personally delivers their more than 300 brands of furniture by truck to North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.
Joe Tyson continues to run the business in much the same way he and his father pioneered.
“Because of our small town location and high volume we keep our overhead to a minimum,” the Tyson Furniture Company website explains. “We minimize freight cost and damage by picking up most furniture shipments on our own trucks and use our own experienced crews for deliveries throughout the Southeast. These operating efficiencies translate into savings for our customers.”
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