For 30 years, Big Boy’s Truckstop has provided hospitality to professional drivers and local customers in Kenly, North Carolina. Located off I-95 in Kenly, Big Boy’s uses its Southern hospitality to make everyone feel welcome.
“We’re here on 95, but we feel like a small-town store. Everyone that comes in the store, we know them, and they know us,” said Wendi Powell, owner of Big Boy’s Truckstop.
Big Boy’s Truckstop got started with Powell’s father-in-law, Big Boy, who started the business “years and years ago,” Powell said.
She explained that her father-in-law got started in the service station business, and then the bank came to him and asked him if he’d like to take over a truckstop that had gone under. “Big Boy told them he would definitely take a chance,” she said. “It is amazing that he was able to do this.”
Today, Big Boy is 82 years old and still works at the location. “People believed in him, and it has helped us make this place a great success,” Powell said, adding that the goal is to make every customer who comes in the door a personal acquaintance.
Powell joined the business 20 years ago and she said it is a true family affair with cousins, nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren working at the location.
“My husband and I are able to work together every day. Our kids worked here, and we have one daughter still here with us at this time,” she said, adding that the location has been fortunate to have dependable, longterm employees. “We had several people retire recently, but we have had a good longevity of our employees, which makes a big difference when you’re in a personable relationship with people in your community and the drivers.”
The business had changed over the years, and Powell recalled that when her children were little, each booth had a telephone in it so drivers could sit, relax and call loved ones. Today, drivers are focused on hours of service and maintaining e-logs, she said. “Guys that would love to be here can’t really be here. They have to go by their logs, and it is disappointing that we’re taking away people’s freedom that way,” she said.
Big Boy’s has spent the last five years refurbishing the truckstop, and upgrades are ongoing. Powell said they are currently adding onto the parking lot and looking at creat- ing a drop lot where drivers could drop loads in a secure area.
“We’re very hands-on, whatever-needs-to-be-done kind of people,” she said. “We realize we’re not a fancy chain and we don’t have the latest bells and whistles, but we try to make up for that with concern and the consideration of what our customers’ needs are giving them the very best experience.”
Part of that experience is food, and Big Boy’s focuses on everything from hand-made hamburger patties to on-the-go wraps.
One of Powell’s major concerns is government regulations. “There is always a trickle-down effect for independent business with every government regulation,” she said.
Big Boy’s took time to celebrate its recent anniversary with several events, including a celebration with apple pie and ice cream, a driver appreciation event and a family fun day.
// In celebration of their anniversary, Big Boys Truckstop was a guest on NATSO’s podcast. Listen to the episode below.
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