When Clay Lewis, owner of Stateline Builders, talks about the company, its history, its dedicated staff, and the products they make, there is no denying the enthusiasm, pride, and joy in his voice. As the conversation turns to other subjects, the joy and enthusiasm remain. Here is a forthright, down-to-earth, clear-eyed fellow who appreciates where he is in life and the people who guided him there-first among them being his father, Stateline Builders Founder Jimmy Lewis.

"My dad, Jimmy Lewis, started this business 44 years ago, when he was a young man," Clay says. "He founded it on a simple premise: build a quality product you can stand behind. And his business mantra was simple: 'Always do what you said you would do.' Based on my dad's commitment to those ideas, Stateline Builders has always had a great reputation. We try to have all our staff take pride in having that same dedication to delivering a quality product and outstanding personal customer service."

While Clay was growing up, his career aspirations did not include Stateline-though, when he was a teen, his father made it clear: "When you're not in school, you're expected to be in the shop." As an adult, Clay eventually changed his mind and joined Stateline's team. Years later, in 2015, when his parents decided to retire and move to Florida, Clay bought the business from them. From time to time, he calls his dad when he needs some business advice-"A free consultation," Clay says with a grin.

That Clay would eventually own Stateline just because he was the owners' son was never a foregone conclusion. Jimmy Lewis was determined that his son learn the virtue of hard work, self-reliance, thrift, and taking personal responsibility for his actions.

"I got married very young, at age 18, and had two kids early on," Clay explains, "but my dad never gave me a handout. Instead, he gave me the opportunity to earn money. When I was in high school, my friends would say, 'Let's go out on Saturday night.' Before leaving, they'd ask their folks for some money and be handed fifty dollars. My dad never did that. He'd say, 'If you want fifty dollars for Saturday night, you can come to the shop at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, work all day, and then you'll have the money for hanging out with your friends.' Of course," Clay adds with a chuckle, "by the time 6:00 p.m. rolled around, I'd have the fifty dollars, but because I had worked all day, I'd be too tired to go out and spend it. My dad would say, 'See: I'm teaching you to earn money and save it.' He always gave me opportunities, and I am very blessed to be where I am in life because of that."

"For more than three decades, my dad gave those same opportunities to other people," Clay continues. "They came to work at Stateline, took advantage of those opportunities, and all these years later, many of them are still here with us. Even today, we have young adults coming in to work for us right out of high school-because they like our 'Mom-and-Pop' atmosphere. They take advantage of the opportunity to earn a paycheck, learn a trade, and take up a career. You hear a lot of people complaining that millennials don't want to work. That's not what we have here. The millennials working for us take pride in the quality of the work they do. And that's true of everyone else at Stateline Builders. We have a fantastic group of people working here, and I couldn't be more proud of them."

Clay's pride extends to Stateline's products, and he invites everyone to visit any one of their four locations. The charming gazebos, small barns, and sheds on display compel those passing through Moyock to pull into the parking lot, get out of the car and take a look at what the company has to offer. Clay suggests bringing the entire family along. "Kids love being here," he says. "They light up when they see our playsets and playhouses."

While storage buildings are the company's bread and butter, they offer a wide variety of high-quality products. Along-side the rows of beautiful sheds and out-buildings are dog pens, chicken coops, horse barns in a variety of sizes and shapes, an assortment of sturdily constructed playground equipment, including backyard swing sets and jungle gyms, uniquely designed gazebos, cabins, pool houses, and even a Tiki-Bar and other unique custom made little buildings.

"Sheds and barns are the bulk of our business," Clay explains, noting that each customer's requirements are carefully assessed. "Unlike large manufacturers who mass produce, we customize our work. A variety of materials, designs, and colors are available. We have no cookie-cutter approach. The finished product has a custom look, but the price is equivalent to a product that is mass-produced. We take a lot of pride in our work. If we make a mistake, we will make it right-because, like my dad said, 'Always build a quality product you can stand behind.' Everyone on our staff has a personal touch, and our customers feel and appreciate it."

"When people buy from Stateline Builders, they're buying a product that was built locally, right here by their neighbors," Clay says. "Everyone involved in the purchase of your new accessory building, from sales to construction, to delivery and set up, is an employee of Stateline Builders. We don't like to use subcontractors so that we can keep control of the quality and service from start to finish. Most companies that sell the kinds of products we make typically subcontract their builders. The guy who sells you their product is probably selling on consignment. The person who delivers it has nothing to do with its construction; he's just the delivery guy. Subcontracting is fracturing a lot of other businesses, but not ours. Many of our staff members are either Currituck County or Great Bridge High School grads. When people buy from Stateline Builders, they're not just growing the local economy and getting a quality, customized product, they're also supporting their neighbors."