The post-war years brought a boom to business and commerce in Henderson County.
There is still the bank that businessmen in the county re-opened quickly after the banking crash that began the Great Depression. This bank was the State Trust Company began by Ellison Adger Smyth and others in the community in 1930. In 1958, this bank merged with Northwestern Bank.
In 1934, First Federal Savings and Loan Association was established in Hendersonville. In 1991, this bank became known as First Citizens Bank and Trust.
In the 1950 census, the category of banking and finance, along with insurance and real estate, employed 169 people in Henderson County. About 13 insurance agents and about 8 insurance companies were listed in the “Miller’s Directory.” About 24 businesses were listed under “real estate.”
The largest number of people classified themselves as “other retail.” In the 1950 census, this included department stores, general stores, five and dime stores, car dealers, clothing stores, drug stores, gas stations, etc. This category employed 941 people in Henderson County in 1950. In the “Miller’s Directory,” six hardware stores were listed, along with six electrical appliance stores and two stores selling gas appliances. One store was selling the new televisions, Lawrence Orr. There were 12 listings under automobile sales, three listings under auto parts, at least 29 gas stations, and 10 businesses selling tires. There was a book store, two record shops, and at least 10 businesses listed as selling radios. One business was selling the new venetian blinds. There were six stores selling jewelry.
There were seven department stores and/or “five and dime stores:” Belk-Simpson, Kalin’s, J.C. Penney, Woolworth, Efird’s, McLellan, and Collins-McCord-Draughon. At least two stated there were luncheonettes inside the stores. One store specialized in children’s and infant‘s wear. Other clothing stores included Frankel, Levinson’s, Patterson’s Men’s Shop, Rosenberg’s Men’s Wear and Sinclair Men’s Wear. Three stores were selling cloth, sewing supplies and dry goods. Five stores were selling shoes, including Holley-Swofford Shoe Store. There were 11 stores listed as furniture dealers, a china shop, two gift shops, two sporting goods stores and a store selling silvercraft and antiques. There were eight drug stores (pharmacies) listed in the directory: Beck, Economy, Freeze, Jackson, Justus, Rose, Speight and Wilson.
There were 316 people employed in retail food stores in Henderson County in the 1950 census. There were 42 businesses listed in the directory as grocers, with two specializing in fruits (Carolina Fruit Company and Florida Fruit Market). Many of these groceries were general community stores located throughout the county. A&P Food Stores was the only large grocery chain with a store in Henderson County in 1950. There were five meat markets listed in the directory.
There were 244 people employed in wholesale trade businesses in Henderson County in 1950. These businesses were involved in produce sales, bread sales, feed and groceries.
Repair services employed 210 people in Henderson County in 1950. There were at least 15 businesses related to auto repair, two businesses listed as furniture repairers, and four businesses advertising upholstery. Other repair businesses were involved in machinery, equipment, plumbing and appliance repairs. At least five businesses repaired radios.
Personal service businesses employed 281 people in Henderson County in 1950. These included five dry cleaners, nine barber shops, about 11 beauty shops/salons, five dressmakers, two tailors and five businesses in shoe repair.
Private household workers totaled 494 people in 1950.
Thirty-four persons were listed as employed in business services. Business services included advertising, accounting and bookkeepers. There were three sign companies listed in the directory.
There were 204 people employed in what the 1950 census described as “eating and drinking establishments.” There were 13 businesses listed in the directory under “lunch rooms.” These included cafes, grills, drive-ins, sandwich shops, etc. There were 10 businesses listed under restaurants. One was a cafeteria, the Home Food Shop. And, there was the Miller’s Soda Shop and the Skyland Hotel Coffee Shop.
Other professional businesses accounted for the employment of 168 people. These included at least 18 lawyers listed in the directory. This category also includes clergymen, persons working in legal services, architects and engineers.
From the definitions in the census, it is not clear where to classify photographers and funeral homes. There were three photographers (Loveland, Paul’s Studio and Barber’s Studio) in Henderson County in the 1950 directory and four funeral homes. The funeral homes were Jackson-Thompson Funeral Home on the Greenville Highway, Thomas Shepherd Funeral Home on Church Street, Walter Stepp Funeral Home on King Street and Pilgrim’s Funeral Home on Third Avenue West. Jackson’s Funeral Home also had an ambulance service.