Nikeard Bruce Smithey

Year Inducted: 2018

Nikeard (Nike) Bruce Smithey was born August 11, 1880.  Although he had little formal education, Smithey was a very well-educated man.  He was an expert on merchandising, an excellent banker, and had a wide knowledge of tax law.  He was also a good stonemason.

N.B. Smithey was familiarly known as Nike Smithey. As a young man, he started out in the business world selling beef to the people of the Wilkesboro community from door to door. Later, he operated a small store in or near the Chronicle newspaper building. N.B. and his father, Isaac Smithey, bought the Wilkesboro Hotel from W.S. Welborn for the sum of $3,800.  The money was borrowed, but this was the last time N.B. Smithey ever bought anything on credit.

Smithey opened a store on the first floor of the hotel, which was known as “Smithey’s, The Great Bargain Givers.”  A few years after opening this store, Smithey decided to expand his business and bought a store in North Wilkesboro.  His business grew, and eventually he owned a chain of seventeen stores in northwestern North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. During the 1930’s Great Depression, N. B. Smithey was the subject of a study by Harvard University’s School of Business because of his merchandising methods and success.

Smithey was actively involved in his county, serving as chairman of the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners for many years and was also chairman of the Wilkes County Republican party.  In addition, he was a board member of the Deposit and Savings Bank and was instrumental in the consolidation which created Northwestern Bank.

N.B. Smithey was a compassionate man who helped numbers of people in material ways.  He was generous to churches. Smithey looked after his own business and did not attend to that of others. He was known for his humility and never broadcast his good deeds.

In 1906, Smithey married Hattie Little and they had two daughters, Marie S. Kirkpatrick and Margaret S. Hayes. Margaret Smithey married Kyle Hayes. Marie Smithey married George Marvin Kirkpatrick. They had one daughter, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick. Elizabeth married George Arndt and they had two daughters Tamra Arndt and Karen Arndt McClure. Karen married Daniel McClure and they have two children, Tyler Kirkpatrick McClure and Megan Marie McClure.