18/09/2026
Happy Heavenly 99th Birthday, Pops!
This month we're celebrating a milestone — our founder, William Manly Norris, known to us as "Pops," would have turned 99 this month!
Before there was Norris Supply Co., there was a farm boy from Holly Hill, SC who spent his childhood working the land. He went on to Clemson, graduated in 1949, and figured he'd be heading home to farm. Instead, a recruiter from Jeff Hunt Machinery showed up looking for salesmen. Pops had grown up around tractors, so it caught his attention.
He still dreaded telling his dad he wasn't coming home to the farm. But when he told him what the job paid, his father agreed — it was the smart move.
Pops sold Caterpillar tractors until 1962, when he opened Norris Supply Co. to supply aftermarket bucket teeth, cutting edges, and wire rope. Back then, equipment was cable-operated — no hydraulics, no electronics. It took a strong hand on a lever to do the job. He set up shop close to the other tractor dealers in this part of Greenville, so if he didn't have a part in stock, at least he'd have a shot at getting the business anyway.
He wasn't building it alone. A man named Bill Smith had worked alongside Pops back at Jeff Hunt, and joined him within the first year of opening Norris Supply. Bill became a monumental part of the company's early growth, and years later, retired right here at NSC.
In 1968, Pops purchased the property where we still stand today — once home to the original Greenville Little Theater (swipe to see it back then). What's now our small engine shop was the original building, and the showroom you walk into today was built in 1972.
One more detail we love: the plants in our office were a grand opening gift to Pops from his wife, Mary Jane ("Jerry"). That plant has greeted every customer who's walked through our door for over 60 years — it's older than most of the people who visit us today, and it's still standing right where it started.
Pops and Jerry built this company together while raising four children. Their two oldest sons, Bill Jr. and Bob, carried it forward for decades until their own retirement in 2022. Three generations, one location, one family — since 1962.
Pops was also a dedicated Shriner with a heart for helping kids.
We're proud to still be family-owned, still serving the Upstate, and still carrying forward what Pops started back in 1962 — and we're just as proud of the team behind the counter today. Several of our employees have been with us for 30-plus years, and around here, that kind of dedication doesn't go unnoticed. When you've given that much of your life to a place, you are family. Happy birthday, Pops — thank you for building something that's lasted, and for the family it's grown into.
Drop a 🎉 below if you've ever done business with us over the years — we'd love to hear from you!
