Hidden Gems: Meet Mary Smalling of Banks Bed and Breakfast

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Smalling.  

Hi Mary, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Everyone has a path they have followed from there to here, and I am no exception. While I was growing up as an Army Brat moving from town to town, I got to see and experience lots of different towns and lots of different people. Even at a young age, my mind would wonder at the lives that had once been an active part in those struggling older homes I’d see traveling around. It’s as if my heart can hear a house calling to be opened to people once again. 

I spent the first part of my adult life with my very supportive husband, Curtis, settled in the mountains of Boone, NC. We built our original home out of repurposed logs. My appreciation for nature, hiking, homesteading, and raising our children developed into a love for community and a commitment to place. I spent a career in the field of public education as an art teacher, middle school teacher, and over two decades as a school administrator. I love to travel and have visited twenty different countries. I’ve experienced sleeping on the ground without a tent all the way to beautiful five-star resorts. Environmental awareness, history, preservation, education, and community involvement has continued to weave its way through my life. 

As I ventured into retirement, I knew I was ready to enter into a new career. When the Banks house became available, I saw many of the things I loved to do become a possibility for a new adventure. The family had preserved the house and worked hard doing what they could to keep it solid and were supportive to let its next story happen. The Banks house was ready to enter into a new phase of life as a home to share with others. That was when the idea to open its doors as a bed and breakfast really solidified. I was going to take so much of what I loved, namely preservation, restoration, community involvement, and making a space for my family and others to share, to start and enjoy a new career. I honestly believe that with a lot of patience and perseverance you can make changes that are important to your community. Renovating this historic home is important to the community, and being able to open it up for visitors is an honor. Telling the story of this home, preserving and beautifying the nature around it, and making a beautiful place for Garner’s visitors has been a dream come true. I am excited about this new adventure into innkeeping and excited to be able to share a piece of history with all of those who enter Banks Bed and Breakfast as our guests. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Taking on a second career has had its fair share of struggles. My former career in education and this new career in owning a business are vastly different from each other. I’ve had to learn so many things along the way while figuring out how to use the skills I possessed as an educator. I believe it really does come back to education being the most valuable asset a person can have. Fortunately, as I stepped into being an entrepreneur instead of an employee, I was lucky to discover Launch Garner. The Launch program helped to direct my focus in running a business, and my cohort and mentor support kept me going through the challenges. With supportive family and friends (both old and new) my journey into opening Banks Bed and Breakfast has been another great educational journey in my life. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Banks Bed and Breakfast is a full-service intimate lodging establishment. Located in the historic Banks house (circa 1897) in downtown Garner, NC, it offers the character of a small-town location with easy access to the city of Raleigh. Entering the home, you will find yourself in a garden room that was once the back porch prior to the original family enclosing it. Each of the four bedrooms has a unique design with wonderful amenities that provide the warmth needed for a comfortable stay. Visitors can relax on one of the three exterior porches or stroll the grounds, both groomed and wooded. Inside the original library contains books ranging from historic to modern and games for indoor recreation. Each morning overnight guests are treated to a creative full breakfast. The home still contains many of its original historic qualities, with modern updates woven throughout the interior design. A stay at Banks Bed and Breakfast allows you to “Stay Historic-Save Historic” so that this home can be preserved for the community to enjoy for another hundred years. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My successes probably comes down to my stubborn persistence. I think if you really want to make improvements and get your ideas heard, you have to believe it’s possible and go in with strength. That is not to say that all of my ideas are successful or all decisions right. I realize being human is part of what makes us unique, and we all have our failures. It’s just to say that if I believe in something and keep the people who believe and love me close, then my character trait of stubborn persistence can result in something beautiful. Banks Bed and Breakfast is one of those beautiful accomplishments, and I’m excited to share it. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.banksbnb.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/banksbedandbreakfast/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/banksbnb
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/banks-bed-and-breakfast-garner