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By Cathy Baldwin
The Daniels clan is the original Outer Banks family. Moncie Daniels worked on the ferry that brought the Wright Brothers to the Outer Banks. He also supplied the gasoline that they used on their historic first flight. Cora Mae Daniels Basnight was a “Lost Colony” mainstay for 25 years and the mother of North Carolina Senator Marc Basnight. The bridge to the Roanoke Island Festival Park bears her name.
Karl Daniels, Moncie’s grandson and Cora Mae’s nephew, had big shoes to fill.
When he was in his early twenties, Karl and his brother Thomas started working for their father Thomas Daniels, Sr. at the Ben Franklin franchise he owned in Manteo. They learned the art of retail there, from dealing with customers to stocking the shelves. Both brothers saw their futures in retail, so they buckled down and soaked up their father’s wisdom.
By their mid-twenties, Karl and Thomas bought out their father and became the owners of the Ben Franklin store. Thomas Daniels, Sr. moved to Nags Head to open a Ben Franklin there, which he still owns and operates today. Karl married Deborah Skipper in 1981, and she became part of the family business.
Karl and Thomas’ hard work bred success, and it wasn’t long before they decided it was time to expand.
In March of 1983, they built a Ben Franklin in Kitty Hawk. But the Kitty Hawk of the early eighties was very different than the Kitty Hawk of today – no stoplights, no five-lane highway, no grocery chains and no fast food restaurants – just sand, a few locally stores and restaurants, and beach cottages.
“When we built this place, there was not a thing here,” says Karl, gesturing to the north and to south. “There was R.A. Hoy and Captain Frank’s, and that was just about it. It was pretty desolate.” It was a risky venture, but Karl and Thomas felt up to the challenge.
“In the early days we targeted three different markets: the summer tourists, who were only here for 90 days; the second home property owners; and the local customers. We sold clothing, house wares, bedding, bath and kitchen items,” says Karl. “To survive here, a business really had to focus on all three markets.”
Eventually, the Daniels brothers decided they wanted to focus on the two stores individually, so Thomas kept the Ben Franklin in Manteo and Karl stayed with the Kitty Hawk store.
A few years passed, and in 1988 Karl opened Daniels’ Department Store in The Marketplace, a shopping center in Southern Shores in the space Food Lion occupies today. “We primarily sold clothing, like a Belk’s,” says Daniels.
But Karl felt that he wanted to be more hands on, and owning two big stores was spreading him a little too thin. In 1994 he closed down Daniels’ Department Store and renamed the Ben Franklin in Kitty Hawk Daniels’ Homeport, as it is known today.
As the beach grew bigger, more and more competition sprouted up. “Rose’s, which was where Outer Banks Furniture is now, was the first ‘big box’ competition that we faced. It really didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would.”
And then the biggest of all chains, Wal-Mart moved in just a few miles north. “It was not really an issue. We’ve always focused on our customers and our market, and they’ve been very loyal to us. A lot of the second home owners prefer to shop from a local business…I think it makes them feel more a part of the community,” says Karl.
After more than a decade of trying to be everything to every consumer, Karl eventually stopped carrying clothing and put his full focus on the home needs of the second-home property owner. “Over the years we’ve narrowed down our scope,” says Karl.
“The merchandise we carry is meant to furnish rental properties,” says Karl. The store works directly with many of the local rental companies to ensure that their properties are fully furnished from top to bottom. They stock everything a beach cottage might need – from the silverware to the toothbrush holders and everything in-between. Karl even customized a list of necessary items for rental cottages that many companies use as a guide.
Today Daniels’ Homeport is more successful than ever, and family remains a priority. Karl’s wife Deborah is in charge of bookkeeping and over-all supervising. His two sons, Shawn and Jonathan, are in sales. Jonathan’s chocolate lab, Mollie, greets customers at the door with a friendly wag of her tail. “When she’s not right at the front door, people ask about her,” says Karl.
Daniels’ Homeport continues to grow with the times. Just in the past few months the Daniels’ Homeport website (www.danielshomeport.com) became interactive. Visitors to the site can download a cottage housewares package form tailored for their rental homes.
After more than two decades in business, Karl still plays an active role in the day-to-day operations. “I oversee the merchandise end of things.” Laughs Karl, “Mostly, I get in the way of my two sons.”
Karl hopes that he can steer them in the same direction his father did with him. “My vision is that my two sons will run the business.”
But he’s quick to admit that full retirement doesn’t exactly run in the family. “My father, who turns 85 this June, is still working. He works just enough to keep himself involved in the business,” says Karl.
This year Karl is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Daniels’ Homeport. He attributes their long-standing success to his family and his loyal customer base. “They like having that local connection,” says Karl. “And that’s what we provide.”
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