SouthState Helps Fourth-Generation Company ‘Move’ Toward Success

Moving your family or business can be an overwhelming, though exciting, chain of events.

Luckily, the team at Smith Dray Line has the expertise needed for a successful, stress-free experience. Though its name hearkens back to the days before moving trucks, Smith Dray Line employs today’s best practices of safety and service. As an agent for Atlas Van Lines, Smith Dray Line offers a comprehensive lineup of moving and storage options in the Carolinas, including the greater Greenville, Charleston, Charlotte, Columbia and Asheville areas.

Since 1888, four generations of the Turrentine and Smith families have been helping people begin a new chapter in their lives.

“This (longevity) gives potential customers a sense of trust that we will handle their relocation with honesty and efficiency at a competitive price,” says owner/vice president Bill Turrentine III. He runs the day-to-day operations with his cousin, Sam Turrentine III.

In fact, the company’s reputation for excellence is part of its name today. Bill and Sam’s great-grandfather purchased Smith Dray Line from the Smith family in 1911. As the Smith name was already established in the community, the business remained known as Smith Dray Line. The Smith family included the word “dray” as it referred to horses that pulled wagons of freight – a common practice during the business’ early days.

Over the course of its history, Smith Dray Line expanded to offer not only residential moving services, but also options for office moving, corporate relocation, international moving, short-term and long-term household and commercial storage, and cubicle tear-down and reassembly, as well as a mobile storage business called Go-Mini’s. A brand-new climate-controlled facility in Charleston, S.C. is the latest addition for the company. The business remains in the family to this day. Leadership recently passed down from the third generation to the fourth, Bill and Sam.

Turrentine attributes Smith Dray Line’s success to dedicated employees. “From top to bottom, we are all willing to get our hands dirty to ensure a successful move and a happy customer,” he explains.

Turrentine finds a similar culture of commitment to customers at SouthState. “(We) could not be more pleased with the relationship we have with SouthState. They have always anticipated and met, if not exceeded, our ever-changing business needs with timely services and products,” he says.

Smith Dray Line prides itself on being involved in the communities it serves, and Turrentine appreciates that his banker, Commercial Relationship Manager Gary Johnsen, also finds that important.

“I know that working with Gary means I will always get a straightforward, honest and knowledgeable answer.”

“It is a great professional honor of mine to assist Smith Dray Line and the Turrentine family with their financial needs. They are an extremely valued client of ours here at SouthState,” Johnsen says. “I look forward to working with them for many years to come.” SouthState proudly serves businesses across the Southeast, helping them attain their goals, from flexible growth to acquisition to employee services. Find more of our commercial business solutions at SouthStateBank.com.