Smith Lake People: The Darby's of SLFM

Someone asked me recently how I decipher what or who to write about on this blog. My answer was pretty simple ... its people, places and things that are authentic and more importantly genuine Smith Lake. I write this blog out of love for our lake and the people and places that make it what it...this place & these ladies are one of them! 

Smith Lake Flea Market & Vintage Mall opened in March of 2019. I'd driven by the location hundreds of times and had shopped multiple grocery stores in the space for a hot minute. They all managed to close before I could learn the isles.  Nonetheless, I shopped local.

March of 2019 is a blur to me as I lost my long distance best friend, former collage and matron of honor when she fell ill while living half way around the world in New Zealand working for IBM. To say I was in fog when I made my first trip through the isles of SLFM might be an understatement. As I was leaving I met Brye, one of the owners, she told me how SLFM was opened by she & her Mom; Susan Darby after the sudden sickness and passing of her father, Richard Darby.  Something struck me ~ I'd always thought it would be fun to have a booth and in that second I decided this was the perfect place to do it! I moved in two weeks later. 

Rewind

The late Richard Darby was a picker and liked to tinker so it was only natural that he found himself heading through the doors at Williams Hardware. He and his wife, Susan, moved from Jasper to Arley to retire on the lake years earlier.  Richard & Susan had two children; Brye & Drake  who were both grown and living elsewhere when they made the move. Both children came to Arley when their father fell ill, suddenly. 

Richard's passing was hard on the family, but like many beloved fathers/husbands gone to soon, they show and guide from above. After the funeral the family begin to work through just what they'd lost...and find a way without the husband and father they all loved so. The call him their "angel investor". As things began to play out, their angel above was guiding them back to one of the places he loved shop, Williams Hardware. 

Billy Williams and his wife, Shirley own Williams Hardware in Arley along with a few other things around the lake ~ one being the row of stores you see on the hill in Arley where Dollar General is. If you've never heard his name, I feel certain you've heard the names of the neighborhoods he has developed around the lake, Sipsey Pines being my personal favorite. Billy is a true local whom regardless of how much property he owns on this lake or has developed; he has never strayed from his roots. He is a good man and has clearly proved his 11th grade English teacher wrong in so many ways!

Brye and Susan approached Billy, as timing would have, just as someone put a bug in his ear about making his abandoned store on the hill a flea market of sorts. Ironically that was the exact thing Susan & Brye had in mind. Billy said he knew it had to be different to succeed and different it was about to become. The idea of Smith Lake Flea Market & Vintage Mall was born. 

In January of 2019 the walls and shelves of the forgotten grocery store soon came to life with 10 vendors, a good landlord and a Mother & daughter combo -- all  willing to take a chance! 

Today

Two years in, SLFM is home to 70+ vendors and on the verge of expansion through the back of the old grocery store. Owning and operating a business that survives on seasonal traffic is HARD around here and MANY have often failed and not just in this location. 

The SLFM ladies have done it and through a global pandemic at that! I will never forget walking in -- all of us masked and gloved up at the start of the pandemic and shaking my head with them about "what was going to happen to this place".  Susan and Brye are both hard workers, but give most credit to a landlord who has given them time to grow! 

Last month my booth flooded and Mr. Billy came in to check on it. While we were talking about the leak, my children's love of swimming on the rocks near his house ~ we arrived at just how much Smith Lake needed a place like this. Mr. Billy took a deep breathe ... paused and looked around.  He went on to say how good it was to see this building so full of life!  The support of the community -- both local and lake people is key in a place such as this. Running  family business has its own challenges and joys, but both Mom & daughter agree their favorites are what bring them joy! 

Susan's Favorite

Susan's favorite thing about owning and operating SLFM is getting to know their shoppers! She's been on the lake for 20 years, but was too busy working to get involved with the community. She loves listening to stories of the treasures people find and is humbled by the regulars that bring their out of town friends and family to visit. It brings her joy to see what people find! Susan said she is also proud of the quality of vendors who call SLFM home. It would make Richard happy to see and he does -- as his picture sits on the back shelf watching it all take place. 

Brye's Favorite 

After she graduated from Walker County High School and went to Sewanee; Brye found herself married living in Mobile, Alabama. Running a flea market in a seasonal community where her parents lived was the farthest thing from her mind.  She said its funny how life brings you to places, but it has been for a reason. Now as a single mom Brye takes pride in teaching her son, Edge, all about running a small business. He is privy to the trials and joys of such. Edge is involved and especially loves helping his Uncle Drake be handy around the place! 

The Future:

The old deli came to life earlier this month as "The Smith Lake Shirt Shack" due to the number of shoppers shopping for a Smith Lake shirt! There are great Smith Lake shirts around every corner on the lake, but having multiple styles from a variety of vendors is a unique concept and brings people in to shop ALL the booths. The new look also has a bar perfect for hosting the pop-ups for the summer!  {{got an idea for one ~ let us know}}

SLFM will continue the "first Saturday" of the month parking lot sale where vendors can bring new items for display outdoors for free and anyone without a booth can setup for $10. The holiday weekend sales & specialty pop-ups through the summer are ON!  Brye is in high hunt for someone to play music for the 4th of July weekend sale! 

My Take on SLFM:

If you are reading this or follow my social media outlets you know I love Smith Lake without apologies. It could be said I am partial to Arley -- so partial that even Mr. Billy got a chuckle of my partialness. Arley is known as the heart of Smith Lake for its physical location and is in the best spot for a place like this! 

My background is computer software thus I am what many would call a "newbie" in the vendor & blog space, but if I could tell you one thing -- don't let the word "flea" in their name keep you away. This place has something for everyone -- particularly if you love Smith Lake! It has been a joy seeing it grow. I wholeheartedly believe its just the beginning of something great for the Smith Lake community! 

I hope you will add SLFM to your Summer Bucket List and make plans for a trip to Arley to visit! Make it a morning shopping trip followed by a lunch in Arley --  a burger at the Coffee Shop (my Daddy comes up from LA just for these burgers and eats three at a time in my vehicle) or grab a BBQ sandwich from Son's, pizza from Big Shorties if they are in the parking lot or Cujos if you head through Curry.