‘Slowly but surely’: Bunce Buildings to celebrate 30 years in business
Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 27, 2019
Bunce Buildings will celebrate their 30th anniversary at their 3711 Statesville Blvd. location this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Terrence Jefferies / Salisbury Post)
D.L. Bunce (pictured above) D.L., Betty, and Graham Bunce started Bunce Buildings over 30 years ago. (Submitted Photo)
Bunce Buildings will celebrate their 30th anniversary at their 3711 Statesville Blvd. location this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Terrence Jefferies / Salisbury Post)
Bunce Buildings will celebrate their 30th anniversary at their 3711 Statesville Blvd. location this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Terrence Jefferies / Salisbury Post)
(L to R) Austin Bunce-Rivas, Bunce Buildings Operations Manager, Bunce Buildings Salisbury Lot Manager Rusty Miller, and President and CEO of Bunce Buildings Beth Bunce pose for photo. (Terrence Jefferies / Salisbury Post)
SALISBURY — Bunce Buildings will celebrate its 30th anniversary at its 3711 Statesville Blvd. location Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event will be home to a chili cook-off, hotdogs, balloon artists, bounce house, door prizes and more. And Bunce Buildings Salisbury Lot Manager Rusty Miller coined the 30th anniversary as “the company’s way of giving back to those that have helped them become successful.”
“A little over 30 years ago, my father D.L. Bunce and my mother Betty Bunce along with my brother Graham Bunce, who is Austin’s father, started Bunce buildings in Lexington,” said President and CEO of Bunce Buildings Beth Bunce.
The business has 12 separate sites, with locations in cities that include Lexington, Mocksville, Albermarle, Greensboro, Concord and more.
“Initially we were selling other people’s buildings. We would buy from other people and sell storage buildings. It took several months to sell the first building. It was an 8 by 12. They were elated. Slowly but surely, the business took off,” Beth said. “The second lot we opened was in Salisbury and that was on Innes Street. We appreciated so much the welcoming of residents. We did so well. Then we had the opportunity to buy the property here on Statesville Boulevard and create a ‘supercenter.’”
Beth said that the size of their Statesville Boulevard site provided the Bunces space to showcase garages and storage buildings that they have available for purchase. About 10 years into the company’s history, Bunce Buildings began to makes its own structures to sell.
The business offers sunrooms, awnings, carports and garages, cabins, front porches, horsebarns, chicken coops, doggie condos, gazebos and playsets. It also offers options such as customizing storage buildings, selecting and choosing from different colors, roofing options and the overall design. Many of the storage buildings also come with installed workbenches, partition walls and shelving.
And Miller, a Salisbury native, said that Bunce Buildings isn’t just a job for him.
It’s become a career and a lifestyle, he said.
“Bunce has an amazing name in this community. Thirty years is a long time for business in one location, to survive all of that and come out strong is something to celebrate,” he said.
Bunce Buildings are made from materials such as metal, wood, vinyl and more. The floors and walls of many Bunce storage buildings are also insulated.
People treasure their belongings and, with a storage building, they don’t have to worry about things being ruined, Beth said.
“I enjoy finding what works best for those who purchase our products,” said Austin Bunce-Rivas, Bunce buildings operations manager.
Bunce-Rivas said helping those torn about what to purchase “meet in the middle” is one of her most favorite parts of working in the business.
“My husband wants this, but I want this,” she used as an example.
Beth said “dealing with the weather” and having to rearrange appointments and scheduled deliveries are the most difficult parts of working the business.
And having to get a building delivered in uncooperative weather was something they all agreed was one of the most challenging parts.
According to the Bunce Buildings staff, storage buildings normally take about a week to be delivered after purchase, and their products are manufactured by Outback Buildings, based in Lexington.
Bunce Buildings’ 30th anniversary celebration will be kid-friendly and will be offered at no cost to the public. It will feature a live broadcast from WSAT Radio. For more information, visit www.buncebuildings.com.
