By JERRY LANKFORD
Editor
The Wilkes Record
After nearly 70 years, Vannoy & Lankford Plumbing Co. has closed. The last day of business was Wednesday, July 31.
Randy Lankford, 62, the secretary and treasurer of the company, who worked for this family-owned business since 1989, officially retired on the last day as did his brother, Keith Lankford, 59, who had worked there since 1990. Their other brothers, Mack and Rick, had previously retired in 2023 and 2016 respectively. Mack also started working for the business in 1989, while Rick’s employment there began in 1977.
Randy’s son-in-law and daughter, Dylan and Adrienne Griffith, also worked there until the end.
The business was started by Wayne Vannoy and his son-in-law, Burl Lankford in 1955. At one time the business was located on A Street in Downtown North Wilkesboro — now the Central Business District Loop. It was later located at the top of Second Street Hill, until it relocated to its final home on Suncrest Orchard Road in in the Millers Creek/Cricket Community in December 1994.
With the September 2023 death of business patriarch, Burl Lankford, along with the fact that all the brothers had either reached or neared retirement age, the decision was made earlier this year to close the company.
Service calls were suspended at the end of May, with June and July being used to plan the closure and an auction of tools, parts and equipment.
Hendrix & Bush Auction Co. of Wilkesboro conducted the auction on Saturday, July 27. Everything was sold except the property, which includes a 4,500-square-foot office/warehouse; a 1,600-square-foot three bedroom, two bath house; and 12 acres of land.
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Holding the auction was Kendall Hendrix and Barry Bush of Hendrix & Bush Auction Co. Shown behind Hendrix is his wife, Derry, who kept the books during the event. Wilkes Record photo by Ken Welborn. |
After the auction, Keith Lankford was outside the warehouse, watching as a pickup loaded up to leave. “We sold all of it,” he said, referring to the contents of the business building.
As for the brothers’ future, Randy now serves as pastor of Union United Methodist Church and is working to complete the educational requirements of that position.
Randy said that Keith plans to work as an assistant football coach and a substitute teacher at their alma mater West Wilkes High School.
Rick and Mack, the elder two brothers, plan to enjoy retirement.
Randy said his son-in-law, Dylan Griffith, is pursuing a career in the field of cyber security.
Vannoy and Lankford Plumbing Co. was a well-known and a highly respected business, known for quality work.
“From the inside looking at things, I wasn’t that aware of how respected we were,” Randy said. “If any of that is what people thought, it was because of Wayne Vannoy, J.T. Vannoy and Burl Lankford. They set a precedent for a service-oriented business. Whether it’s good or bad it was a life more than it was a job.”
