Our Family
The Tilley Legacy
Four generations in Blue Ridge. A grocery store and cafe, a boarding house for railroad men, a drive-in theater that still lights up on summer nights, and the appliance business that carries the family name today.
Four Generations In Blue Ridge
A Name This Town Has Known Since the 1930s
Bill Tilley and his son Josh are third and fourth generation family members in Blue Ridge. The work they do today sits on top of nearly a century of Tilleys building things, running things, and looking after the people around them.
Mid-1930s
Papa Tilley Comes to Blue Ridge
Patriarch Will Tilley and his family came to Blue Ridge from Old Fort, Tennessee. “Papa Tilley” acquired a building downtown that was built in 1890, and it is still owned by the family today. Along with Will’s wife and some of their eight children, the Tilleys operated a grocery store and cafe.
The Railroad Years
Mama Tilley’s Boarding House
Will’s wife Cora Reed Tilley, known affectionately in Blue Ridge as “Mama Tilley,” later ran a boarding house upstairs in the building for railroad and construction workers as the L&N rail line was built through the mountains from Tennessee to Atlanta.
1955
H Tilley and the Swan Drive-In
Will and Cora’s youngest son, WH Tilley, well known and highly regarded in Blue Ridge as “H” became a successful entrepreneur after serving in WWII. Among other enterprises, H and his business partner built the famous Swan Drive-In Theater in 1955, which is still operating successfully today with its current owner.
1980s & 1990s
The Appliance Business Begins
H and his son Bill owned and operated a GE retail appliance store in the Tilley Building. Bill handled sales and administration, and H was a master installer and service technician with help from Bill and others.
Today
Bill and Josh Carry It Forward
Bill has his father’s knack with appliance repair and treating customers well, and he has done this work capably for decades. Today, Bill and Josh continue the family tradition, as Josh has also inherited the Tilley talent for craftsmanship and taking care of the people who count on them.
Appliance on the Fritz?
Same-day appointments available. Call now or contact us online and a member of the Tilley family will get right back to you.