Meet 15 local businesses that have been defining our Raleigh community and investing in our city for generations.
by WALTER staff
Raleigh may be starting to feel like a big city, but at its heart, it’s the locally owned businesses that have been here for decades that created its foundation. These companies have contributed to our growth and stability by doing things like investing in their community, staying right-sized to connect with their clients and passing responsibilities on to their own families and longtime staff as they grow. Here, we’re high 15 companies that have been consciously establishing legacies that are rooted in Raleigh.
WALTER’s The Legacy Edit is made possible through sponsors from our local business community.
Byrd Tile Distributors
Byrd Tile Distributors is a third-generation supplier of porcelain, ceramic, glass and natural stone in central and eastern North Carolina. Founded in 1975 in the Warehouse District, Herbert “Herb” Byrd opened up his own shop after 25 years as a tile installer. His son Greg took over day-to-day operations in 1982 and has continued to grow the company’s footprint with additional locations in Winterville and Wake Forest. Greg’s son Will joined in 2017 to usher in the third generation of leadership into the family business. Together, Greg and Will have led Byrd Tile to be the industry leader in service, style and selection.
One of the driving forces behind the company’s generational success is the culture. “It all starts with our people,” says Greg. “Half our staff has been with us for over 10 years. Some of my managers have been with me for over 20 — that kind of experience is really hard to duplicate.” That experience has benefited clients with comprehensive selection appointments, covering every aspect of the design to ensure no detail is missed. With access to over 75 vendors domestically and internationally, they continue to provide the latest trends to help turn their clients’ design visions into reality.
3400 Tarheel Drive | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-876-5997 | byrdtile.com
Closets by Design
Closets by Design creates custom-designed, built and installed storage solutions tailored to their clients’ needs. They offer free in-home design consultation to thoughtfully lay out functional and stylish spaces such as closets, home offices, laundry rooms, garages, pantries, wallbeds, media centers and hobby rooms.
Closets by Design’s Raleigh location has been locally owned by Chantale and David Persinger for 23 years. They love supporting the Triangle community through their unique skills. They offered free closets to healthcare workers during the pandemic, donated funds toward rebuilding after Hurricane Helene and have twice created custom spaces for Make-A-Wish clients. At Closets by Design, business feels like family, with most employees having been there for more than 10 years — and everyone helping each other, every day, in all their operations.
4580 Atlantic Avenue | Raleigh, NC 27604; 919-850-9030 | raleigh.closetsbydesign.com
Colorful Concepts Interior Design
The daughter of a United States Foreign Service Officer, Sally Williams spent much of her childhood overseas. That experience — combined with her multi-cultural French-Canadian and Peruvian heritage — fueled her creativity and ability to envision and design spaces that span a world of cultures, eras and styles.
Williams showcased fine art at the Sally Huss Gallery in City Market for seven years, where visitors would regularly comment on how the vibrant space made them feel welcome, happy and uplifted. After closing the gallery, Williams founded Colorful Concepts, a full-service interior design studio that reflected both her refined aesthetic and renewed artistic direction. Today, she’s s active in the design community as past president of the Triangle Chapter of the Interior Design Society and a member of professional associations including the Home Builders Association and the Remodeler’s Council. She also enjoys sharing her time and talents with area nonprofits such as The Green Chair Project.
6500 Creedmoor Road, Suite 104 | Raleigh, NC 27613; 919-424-2115 | colorfulconceptsinteriordesign.com
Dogwood Country Club
As North Carolina’s first boutique indoor golf studio, Dogwood Country Club laid the groundwork for a new era of golf. But it isn’t just the convenience of golf simulation technology that’s made a lasting mark on Raleigh. It’s the warmth and approachability combined with the quality of experience that’s built a community around this mom-and-pop shop.
In their seven years in business, co-founders Dave and Elyssa Nastalski have laid claim to multiple local awards — from Best Event Venue to Best Birthday Party Locale and Best Place for Indoor Fun — and recently moved into a new, larger space in
Gateway Plaza.
At Dogwood Country Club, business executives loosen their ties for a lunchtime break alongside long-haired World Long Drive competitors in sweatpants. It’s this heart that’s made it a sought-after spot for golf lessons, weekend hangs and private events.
2431 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 101 | Raleigh, NC 27604; 919-327-9707 | dogwoodcountryclub.com
Fink’s Jewelers
When Nathan Fink opened the doors of his first jewelry store in Roanoke, Virgnia, in 1930, he wasn’t simply launching a business — he was setting the foundation for a family legacy defined by craftsmanship, integrity and exceptional service. Nearly a century later, Fink’s Jewelers remains proudly family-owned and -operated, now guided by the third and fourth generations of the Fink family. What started as a single storefront has grown into a network of fine jewelry stores across North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. From expert jewelers to dedicated sales professionals, the Fink’s team is united by a passion for impeccable quality and an unwavering commitment to the customer experience.
Step inside any Fink’s Jewelers showroom and you’ll find a curated selection of luxury timepieces, designer jewelery and exquisite diamonds, all chosen with care and expertise. At Fink’s Jewelers, family tradition blends seamlessly with modern luxury, carrying forward the legacy of excellence that has distinguished the brand for generations.
4321 Lassiter at North Hills Avenue, Suite 120 | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-881-8247 | finks.com
Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty
Founded in 1968, Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty has been closely intertwined with Raleigh’s history for more than half a century. Established by Nadine Hodge and her partner during a period when the city was beginning to expand beyond its traditional boundaries, the firm emerged alongside the growth of neighborhoods that would later define Raleigh’s character. At a time when real estate was deeply personal and reputation mattered as much as results, Nadine Hodge built her practice on trust, discretion, and a genuine commitment to the community she called home.
Over the decades, the firm has remained locally rooted, witnessing Raleigh’s transformation from a modest capital city into a nationally recognized center of culture, education, and innovation. Its brokers have worked within many of the city’s most established neighborhoods, often representing homes that carry generational significance and architectural history.
In 2011, the firm joined the Sotheby’s International Realty network, situating its long-standing local legacy within a globally recognized luxury brand. Its longevity reflects more than success — it speaks to stewardship, continuity, and a deep familiarity with the people and places that have shaped Raleigh for decades.
3200 Wake Forest Road, Suite 101 | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-876-7411 | hodgekittrellsir.com
Haydon & Company
Haydon & Company is a jewelry boutique that has been located on Oberlin Road since 1983. They focus their attention on offering exceptional fine jewelry featuring both timeless classics and unique pieces.
Haydon & Company is an independent firm, which gives them more flexibility and freedom to create jewelry to their exacting standards. That independence allows them to find and use the finest materials and specialty craftsmen available, with an emphasis on offering jewelry of a more conservative nature, working only in 18 karat gold or platinum. Thus, Haydon & Company features a curated collection of superb jewelry, each piece crafted with a meticulous attention to detail and enduring quality. In addition to their outstanding jewelry, Haydon & Company also offers a selection of vintage timepieces by Patek Philippe. Haydon & Company welcomes you to visit and discover their exquisite jewelry.
1803 Oberlin Road | Raleigh, NC 27608; 919-781-1293 | haydonco.com
ICG Homes
The management of award-winning ICG Homes has enjoyed more than 100 years of combined experience in building extraordinary homes. Locally owned and led by Ryan Perry, the company’s founding mission was to assemble a team of individuals with extensive knowledge and abilities to provide homes with innovative designs, superior quality, intricate trim details and, most of all, exceptional customer satisfaction. The ICG team embodies this mission daily by their ongoing quest to offer fresh ideas and appealing features as they create beautiful, well-built homes.
As a company dedicated to community involvement and social responsibility, ICG is honored to have built the Triangle’s first-ever St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway in 2025 and to now be building the Triangle’s 2026 St. Jude Dream Home. Visit ICGHomes.com and DreamHome.org to learn more about these projects.
4020 Wake Forest Road, Suite 306 | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-876-5802 | ICGhomes.com
If It’s Paper
Since 2010, this family-owned business has been honored to serve the Raleigh and Greensboro communities. Once a retail outlet for Greensboro’s Dillard Paper Company, If It’s Paper has been transformed to a premier gift and stationery store. Reopened by Sherrie Stewart and now shared with daughter Elizabeth Belk, the If It’s Paper stores have become destinations for life’s most meaningful moments — from custom wedding suites designed by their experienced in-house team to carefully curated gifts, entertaining essentials and thoughtful baby gifts.
Every stationery piece and every celebration detail reflects their commitment to quality and the relationships they’ve built with customers who have become like family. As they look toward 2026 with plans of opening their third North Carolina location, If It’s Paper remains dedicated to the same values that started it all: exceptional design, personal service and the joy of helping you mark life’s special occasions with beauty and style.
445 Daniels Street | Raleigh, NC 27605; 919-615-4333 | ifitspaper.org
Medlin-Davis Cleaners
Medlin-Davis Cleaners was started in 1948 by Bill Medlin and John Davis. From its origin in a single store on Fayetteville Street, Medlin-Davis has grown into its third generation of family ownership, with eight stores and seven pickup and delivery routes servicing Wake Forest, Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, Pittsboro and Chapel Hill.
Medlin-Davis is a full-service dry cleaning company that provides their community an array of services including free pick up and delivery, dry cleaning, laundered dress shirts, wash, dry and fold, table linens, bed linens, leather garments, comforters, bedspreads, tailoring, area rugs and outdoor cushions. They have recently elevated their service offerings by creating mdcGowns, for wedding and special occasion gowns, and mdcHandcrafted, for made-to-measure, couture garments. Medlin-Davis has been blessed with dedicated, innovative owners and associates that have brought them to where they are today. They look forward to another 77 years serving this wonderful community.
2021 Smallwood Drive | Raleigh, NC 27605; 919-828-7254 | medlindavis.com
North State Bank
North State Bank is celebrating 25 years of service to Wake County. They have grown from a bold idea to become a trusted, local banking partner that places relationships above transactions. Each day, their team works hard to add value to every person, business and community they serve, combining personal service with robust products to make it easy for customers to bank how, when and where they want. Banking designed for your life and business.
Shown above, left to right: Market presidents Harryson Turner, West Raleigh; June Sadowski, Wake Forest; John Norwood, North Raleigh; Sabrina Sells, Wilmington; Kevin Payne, Garner; Sharon Moe, Downtown Raleigh; and Bret Burgess, North Hills.
6204 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-855-9925 | NorthStateBank.com
Quintessentials
At Quintessentials, they believe the most meaningful moments are often found in the details. For 30+ years, their Raleigh boutique has been a place where thoughtful gifting, warm hospitality and beautiful everyday living come together.
What began as a trusted bridal registry has grown into a boutique known for its curated gifts, thoughtful pieces and the personal connections Quintessentials shares with every customer. From sweet baby gifts and timeless home décor to accessories, tableware and one-of-a-kind finds, each item is hand-selected with care and intention.
Whether you’re choosing a gift to celebrate someone special or treating yourself to something you’ll love for years, Quintessentials is here to make the experience welcoming, easy, and memorable. Thank you for supporting this small business and for letting them be part of your life’s moments — big, small and everything in between.
4209 Lassiter Mill Road, Suite 119 | Raleigh, NC 27609; 919-785-0787 | shopquintessentials.com
Reliable Jewelry
Reliable Jewelry is a third-generation, family-owned jeweler that’s built its reputation in Raleigh since 1949. Abe Horwitz started Dixie Loan Company on S. Wilmington Street in 1949, and in 1976 was able to purchase the Reliable Loan & Jewelry one block away to expand their services and offerings. In 1999, his son Alan, a GIA Graduate Gemologist, joined the family business.
Reliable Jewelry offers a wide range of services, including expert appraisals for estate and insurance purposes, in-house jewelry repair and watch services, from battery replacement to maintenance for luxury brands. Their custom design team uses CAD/CAM technology to bring their clients’ visions to life, always keeping them involved and sharing transparent estimates up front.
At its heart, Reliable Jewelry values lasting relationships over sales. They strive to provide the kind of experience that turns first-time customers into lifelong clients — and to carry on the Horwitz legacy of dedication to quality, value and heartfelt service.
345 S. Wilmington Street | Raleigh, NC 27601; 919-832-3461 | reliablejewelry.com
Weaver Dentistry
For over 125 years, families in the greater Raleigh area have relied on Weaver Dentistry. Originally located downtown on Fayetteville Street, Weaver Dentistry is now conveniently located at 3201 Glenwood Avenue. Dr. Greg Weaver is a Raleigh native who completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; while Dr. Jayme Wood grew up in Middlesex and holds degrees from both North Carolina State University and the University of Florida.
Weaver Dentistry’s goal is to provide high-quality dentistry using state-of-the-art technology with a caring, personal touch. They love to create beautiful smiles, and they love the people behind those smiles. They welcome patients of all ages, from children coming in for their first visit to Raleigh’s beloved senior population. They are proud of the rich history of Weaver Dentistry, and they are honored by the loyalty of their patients. Weaver Dentistry pledges to continue to provide exceptional dental care in a manner that blesses those they serve.
3201 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 301 | Raleigh, NC 27612; 919-782-0801 | raleighsmile.com
Williams Realty & Building Company
Williams Realty & Building Company, Inc. is a full-service construction, real estate, and development firm with deep roots in the Triangle region. Since its founding in 1954, they’ve established a legacy of excellence, building strong relationships and delivering high-quality results across residential, commercial and multifamily markets. Their commitment to personalized service, enduring partnerships, superior craftsmanship and quality drives every project they undertake.
Building on the strong foundation established by founder John C. Williams and strengthened by his sons — Cross, Joel and Owen Williams — Williams Realty & Building continues to uphold the values of treating people fairly, standing behind their work and doing the best job possible. Today, under Joel and Owen’s vision and leadership, Williams Realty & Building continues to evolve — expanding its reach, embracing new opportunities and upholding the enduring principles that have defined the company since its founding.
3111 Glenwood Avenue | Raleigh, NC 27612; 919-781-7107 | wrbco.com
A version of this article originally appeared in WALTER Magazine in January 2026.
