From Blue Ridge Christian News
Article Volume 2, Number 5 January,2008
Lloyd and Howard Burleson were born and raised in the Boonford community of Yancey County with their eight brothers and sisters. At age 6, their Father had put them to work on the farm he owned in Burleson Holler. He was a hard worker and he taught his boys to work hard too.
That lesson would pay off when Lloyd and Howard returned home from World War II. After working for a time with Lindsey Gouge and Gouge Plumbing in Spruce Pine, the brothers began to talk about starting their own business. In 1948, 22 year old Lloyd turned in his notice and left to venture out on his own. Older brother Howard had initially planned to join him, but was lured back by Lindsey's offer of a 50 cents raise, bringing his hourly wage to $1.25. But after Howard saw that Lloyd was not having any trouble getting work, he went to join him. The two would go on to build one of Mitchell County's most stable and successful businesses.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Burleson Plumbing & Heating Company Inc. The company was started in 1948 on Lower Street in Spruce Pine and later expanded to include a building on upper street. In 1959, they moved to the present location on the corner of Highland Avenue and Summit Avenue. In 1980, they acquired the adjoining lot and built this location. An addition was built onto the same building in 1983.
At one point the company, with brother-in-law Eugene Young, brothers Lawrence and Claude Burleson, along with many other employees, were able to build houses from the ground up. Today, there are several homes in the tri-county area that were built by "The Burlesons" in this era.
Concentrating on plumbing and heating primarily, this is still the backbone of the company today.
Burleson Plumbing & Heating Company also has appliance sales, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and counter tops, all types of plumbing fixtures, tubs, whirlpools and faucets. We have backhoe services to install water lines, septic tanks and all types of digging projects. We also carry all types of pipe and fittings, metal and plastic road culvert, cement tiles, plastic reservoirs, and plastic septic tanks.
Today, Burleson Plumbing & Heating employs 40 men and women including the office personnel, inside sales and plumbing and heating installers in the field. Lloyd Burleson remains a co-owner of the company but is not able to be as active within the company. Howard Burleson's untimely death of a heart attack in April 1988 left a void in the business as well as in the lives of many that knew him. Since that time, the business has continued under the direction of Lloyd and Kenny Burleson with the help of many great employees. Today there are nine employees that have worked for the Burleson Plumbing & Heating Company Inc. for twenty or more years of service.
