Legacies of love and labor: A spotlight on West Virginia small businesses

On a more local scale, Marmet Mayor David Fontalbert recently expressed excitement at more businesses coming to his town.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the nation, so we’re happy to have them,� Fontalbert said.

What are you supporting when you shop at small business in the Kanawha Valley?

Mountain women’s grace, grit

Debbie Samples thinks of her grandmother fondly whenever she looks around her business, Elk River Baking Co., 12 Main St., Clendenin. Glimpses of her upbringing are featured throughout the shop. For example, her grandmother’s unique take on French toast is exclusively served there, and a giving tree supporting efforts to keep Clendenin Elementary students warm sits prominently in the front of the shop.

She said she feels like the gathering of round wooden tables, a pink self-serve coffee bar and mix of decor complete the “eating at Grandma’s house� aesthetic.

Samples’ journey began as a hobbyist baker determined to master a skill. She sat down one day with a goal: Learn to decorate cakes before she turned 50. After completing a cake decorating class, her dreams grew along with her customers’ appetites, and she began her first foray into brick-and-mortar entrepreneurship when she was 55.

Though she said many people told her she couldn’t do it, Samples remembered how her own grandmother persevered raising five young grandchildren and running a farm after her husband died.

As Samples greeted customers at the shop recently, she said her small passions that began in her grandma’s “kitchen garden� are served to guests in the form of cookies, cakes, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings and many other scratch-made dishes.

She said she feels supported by the other small businesses on Main Street in Clendenin — which she noted included many owned by women — as they sell each other’s products in their stores, share each other’s posts online and work together to build a better community for small businesses and friendships to grow.

Samples said, “It’s not like we’re in competition with each other. It’s all about what we want to see, what we want to do, what’s best for Clendenin. We want to see this town grow.�

Fur, fins and family

Bill Turner’s dream of owning a pet store began in 1970 with a fish shop in South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä called Tropical Isle. But maintaining rows of fish tanks and delicate habitats proved to be demanding work. His wife, preferring a more traditional lifestyle, urged him to focus on using his pharmacy degree.

“Happy wife, happy life,� Turner laughed.

But his love for aquatic life never wavered. In the early 2000s, Turner opened Inland Reef Pet Store, 817 Cross Lanes Drive in Cross Lanes. The shop serves pet lovers from the area and beyond with a diverse array of offerings including freshwater and saltwater fish, reptiles, ferrets, hedgehogs and all the supplies needed to care for them.

It was a natural fit for Turner, who raised angelfish since he was 9. Plus, after the Hollywood Video store he once operated became obsolete in the age of streaming media, he was eager to focus on a passion project, adapting like his animals.

Running the shop is a family affair. Turner’s granddaughter, Jessica Sergent, is often found manning the cash register, feeding animals or assisting customers. His daughters, including Tama Staats, and even his great-granddaughter, Delilah McCune, also pitch in.

For Turner, the store is more than a business — it’s a source of cherished memories. The family fondly recalls watching fish tanks together as children, dressing as animals and attending wildlife expos together, and caring for an ark’s worth of diverse creatures.

“He bought me my first fish tank when I was little,� Sergent shared. “Later, he started raising corals, and I’d help him cut them in the basement. I’ve been around it my whole life.�

Turner added with a grin, “I got Tama her first tank when she was about three. She used to stand there and watch the fish and chew on the cord. One day, she chewed all the way through it. I don’t know how she didn’t get shocked.�

While caring for animals comes naturally to Turner, the pet industry has shifted dramatically over the years. Many fish he once sourced domestically now have to be imported from Singapore and China, a change he finds challenging.

The family’s bond extends beyond the store. They take vacations together, often combining leisure with research, seeking out the best pet shops in other areas to gather inspiration. “We’re always looking for ways to learn something new and bring it back home,� Staats said.

Staying true to their roots, the family prioritizes community connections. Regular customers come in to add to their family, and Turner’s family makes sure they understand how to care for their new pets. Sometimes, according to Staats, they will keep animals in the store for customers for a couple of months before they move on to their new homes to ensure the new pet is a good fit for the family.

Regulars stop by to purchase specialty items, like mealworms or crickets, while the shop also proudly showcases local products, such as homemade dog treats from Poochie’s Choice Biscuits in Morgantown.

For Turner, Inland Reef isn’t just a pet store — it’s a legacy of love, adaptability, and family that swims deeper than the tanks lining its walls.

Legacy in every detail

Buck and Bette, 123 Summers St. in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, is more than just a shop — it’s a tribute to family heritage and Appalachian values. Co-owned by Katie Persinger, her husband Cleve Persinger, sister Laura Jewell, and brother-in-law Cass Jewell, the store brings together generations of inspiration and a shared passion for creating community connections.

The shop’s name pays homage to Cleve’s grandparents, Buck and Bette, who lived in Pendleton County. Their photo can be seen hanging behind the counter.

Buck, a hardworking railroad employee, and Bette, who Persinger noted had a flair for sophistication, embodied a balance that shaped the store’s identity. Their influence is woven into the store’s tagline, “fancy and staple goods,� which reflects both Appalachian practicality and timeless elegance.

“This is a way to honor their legacy and who they were. There was never a question of what we would call it or who we would be because my husband’s always been so inspired by Buck and Bette,� Katie explained. “Buck and Bette’s story gives us a foundation for what we do.�

Opened six years ago, the store features a curated selection of gifts and goods, with 50% to 75% of inventory created by local artisans. Katie and Laura, who both balance other careers, describe the shop as an extension of their family values — a way to support the community while celebrating the creativity of West Virginia makers.

“Bette loved hosting and Buck was a steady, reliable force,� Katie says. “We’ve taken that balance and applied it to how we run the shop, blending refined items like locally made candles and glassware with practical staples.�

The store’s origin is also a story of seizing opportunity. When their church, Resurrection Church, purchased the Capitol Center Theater and offered a storefront for rent, the family saw its chance to start a long-dreamed-of business.

“We’ve met so many people — locals who return often and out-of-towners who take a piece of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä home with them,â€� Persinger said.

While the shop serves as a source of income, Persinger emphasizes its deeper purpose: “This isn’t just about what the community gives to us. It’s about what we can give back — offering a space for local artists and makers, and being part of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s narrative.â€�

With roots that stretch back to the West Virginia hills and a name steeped in family history, Buck and Bette is more than a store to the family working inside.