In 1971, Robert Bailey and Alvin Barrier opened a small country store  called Minpro Supply in the town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina. They sold gasoline, refurbished appliances, and bologna sandwiches made by Robert’s mother. In 1975, Mr. Carol Buckner of Asheville, North Carolina approached the two men about selling a new wood-burning stove that he had built, which included a three-speed motor. Buckner was searching for an outfit that could manufacture the stove, which he called the “Regular Buck”, as well as set up a dealer network for its sales. He had created the stove in the midst of the national energy crisis, when people were desperately looking for heating alternatives to gas and oil. Buckner made Bailey and Barrier an offer: if they could not sell the stove within 30 days, he would buy it back from them, no strings attached.

Bailey and Barrier used the stove as a floor model, and within two weeks, the partner’s had so many orders, they realized that they should  pursue the future in dealing with Buck Stoves. They became the first official Buck Stove Dealer, and began assisting in manufacturing operations as well. Within two or three months, they had sold 200 stoves. They transformed their store into a manufacturing facility, selling the stoves faster than they could get them off of the finishing line. Robert’s sister, Betty Bailey Carswell, even learned how to weld to help keep production moving. They set a goal of producing 30 stoves a week, but the demand was so high they quickly fell behind.