Spools of fishing line and racks of fishing poles. Pocket knives and power tools. Crab traps and enormous pots for cooking shrimp, chowders, and low-country boil. Every manner of nuts and bolts, screws, nails, hammers, plumbing whirly-gigs and wha’cha-ma’callems. Gardening tools, American flags, and barbeque sauce. All the typical items that one expects to see when looking into the windows of any small-town hardware store in America. Except that this one sits in the center of one of the most highly-rated islands and favorite vacation destinations in the nation. Surrounded by restaurants, cafes, and shops selling postcards, island memorabilia, swimsuits, and beach chairs, J.C. Strother Company opened its doors on Mallery Street in the St. Simons Village long before there was a village .

Today, the third and fourth generations of Strothers own and manage the store that is a mainstay on St. Simons – the place where contractors purchase truckloads of building supplies, where locals go to find a replacement handle for a rake or shovel, and where tourists look for T-shirts and souvenirs.
Frankie and Gordon Strother
Photo by Elegant Island Living
Gordon Strother is a grandson of the original owner, and he’s a lifelong resident of St. Simons who is as much a pillar of stability in the community as his grandfather’s store. He is also one of the many people who helped to steer and support the Land Trust over the past twenty years, serving two terms as a member of our board of directors and two years as Chairman of the board.

“I was fortunate to get on board at a very important time because that was when we were starting the Old Stables Corner project. The economy was bad, but that was the biggest project [the Land Trust] had taken on at the time, and the community really stepped up. The response was tremendous. I believe we thought we could raise [the money needed to purchase the property] in twelve to eighteen months, but we raised it in about three and a half months. Development was going gangbusters and the community didn’t want to see some [fast-food restaurant] there. That put us on the map.”
The purchase of this iconic corner, one of the most well-known properties on the island, grabbed the attention of people who were instrumental in providing funds to acquire the 608 acres at Cannon’s Point. “After that, the Bagley family was interested in talking with us about part of [Musgrove]. I was glad to be on the board when those three projects were being worked on.”

Not only were Gordon and his brother raised on St. Simons, but it’s also the place they chose to raise their families. Gordon and his wife Frankie, who is from Decatur, Alabama, and who he met at the University of Georgia, have three grown children.

“I loved growing up here, and I loved raising my kids here.
I honestly wouldn’t want to consider being anywhere else.”
Gordon with his son Gordon "Bug" Jr., his late mother Claryce Strother, and his daughter Evan Elizabeth
At the time his grandfather landed on St. Simons, raising a family probably was not the first thing on J.C. Strother’s mind. He arrived in the early 1930s to work on a building project. But when he realized there was a dearth of construction supplies, he decided to open a lumberyard. The original store was located across Mallery from the current store, which has been in the same place now since 1944. While Mr. Strother sold building supplies, Gordon’s grandmother ran the Bon Aire Café, serving breakfast and lunch to the locals. “There wasn’t a whole lot else in the Village then.”

When asked what his grandfather would think about St. Simons today, Gordon replied,
“He would be shocked to see how this area has grown. But we’ve never been anti-development. We sell lumber !

"But we value slow growth, quality construction, green belts, green space, bike trails, hiking trails and nature trails.
The key is to strike a balance, and the Land Trust
has done a great job with that.”

The island has also changed since those days when Gordon was growing up here with friends like Tommy Stroud, Tommy Bryan, a local pharmacist, and “all the Fendigs. We all grew up playing baseball together. Yes, it has changed, but some of the same restaurants that were my favorites in my college days are still my favorites today. Growth has changed a lot, but it’s still St. Simons.”

And while the island has weathered many challenging times, Gordon has never experienced what is happening now with the coronavirus pandemic. Although J.C. Strother Company is as busy as ever, other local businesses are not as fortunate, and he feels for his longtime friends and other locals who are struggling. “This IS the most difficult situation that I think we’ve ever encountered because there is so much unknown. We’ve had bad hurricanes, but you know they’re coming, you can prepare for it, you deal with it, and there’s an end to it. But with this, you don’t know. I especially hate it for the restaurants and other businesses. I think that this is the worst thing that we’ve ever had to deal with.”
Bucks recently spotted on the Land Trust's Harrington Preserve property along Frederica Road
Photo by Gordon Strother
But he remains optimistic that, as always, the island will endure. “Even though I grew up here, I’m still amazed that I can drive down Frederica and see four bucks. I grew up on the marsh. As a kid we surfed in front of King & Prince. I still love it. I always thought St. Simons was a cross between Hilton Head and Key West. We have the best of both worlds, but we don’t want to be either one of them . We have the restaurants, cafes, shops, such a variety [of amenities]. But we still have the old feel. We need to keep that residential feel, the Frederica Road canopy, the marsh vistas. The Land Trust has done a great job of helping us do that. And this community will always step up to help when it’s warranted.”

And so will Gordon Strother, who is still in love with his birthplace. “The marshes, the oak trees, the canopy. Just the sight of the marsh when you’re coming home, it’s special.  
Gordon and Frankie Strother with their daughter-in-law and Land Trust Ambassador, Becca,
and son Gordon "Bug" Jr. at the Land Trust's 2019 Live Oak Society Reception
Photo by Chris Moncus Photography
This feature is part of a series of  20 in 20 Spotlights  created to
celebrate the Land Trust's 20th Anniversary this year and to
showcase a sampling of the many generous people, organizations, and business partners
who have played major roles in land conservation for the past two decades.
 
Click  HERE  to see all 20 in 20 Spotlights.
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