It would be difficult to find an enterprise that better embodies the concept of “family business” than Smoot’s LLC in Martinsburg. Patriarch Marty Smoot and his son Thomas Smoot started the landscaping business in 2020. Shortly after, Thomas’ wife Jessica took over the office management.
Although Smoot’s hasn’t been in business long, the name was already familiar to Eastern Panhandle residents. Marty, who is a career military man serving in the U.S. Army, started Smoot’s Cut-N-Edge in 1993. Thomas learned to drive a zero-turn mower by the time he was eight-years-old. Marty’s company evolved into Smoot’s Water Gardens and Landscape Nursery, which he operated until 2008 when he returned to the U.S. Army and complete his military career.
Thomas served with the U.S. Army in 2009-2011, including a stint in Haiti. He returned home to attend college, earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and then opened and operated a lawn maintenance and handyman service for six years. When Marty retired in mid-2020, the father and son joined forces to form Smoot’s LLC, offering hardscape installation, landscaping, ponds and fountains, lawn care, maintenance and design services.
The Smoots operated out of their home for the first 1 ½ years. They opened during COVID and found an even larger demand for their services than they expected. They soon enlisted Jessica to handle the office responsibilities.
As business continued to boom, they outgrew their home office and acquired property on which to house their operating base and a nursery/garden center, called HeLP Outlet (an acronym for Hardscapes, Landscapes and Ponds).
The retail nursery/garden center is clearly Jessica’s special interest. She helped design every step of its development and carefully selected employees who are knowledgeable and welcoming to the customers. She relishes the task of sourcing unique products and vendors and is especially interested in aquatic plants and water gardens. Marty shares her passion for aquatics, and they’d both like for HeLP Outlet to be the largest aquatics supplier in the area.
Big, but not too big, Jessica says. “I love the concept of a small, family-owned business. I want to know our frequent shoppers by name. I tell our employees to get to know the customers, ask about their family and their hobbies. That rapport builds relationships and builds our client base,” Jessica said.
Following in their father’s footsteps, Thomas and Jessica’s three children help with the business, especially in the nursery/garden center. They lend a hand, sometimes reluctantly, by cleaning up trash and watering plants. They all love riding on the skid loader, with the elder ones often operating it.
Together, Smoot’s service branch and the nursery/garden center employ about 15-20 people. During the busy seasons, they run four or five crews. One concentrates on pond installation and maintenance, another on hardscape installation, one on landscape installation and another on lawn care. Smoot’s also offers snow removal services.
Their catchy slogan, “Smoots served their country, now let them serve you!” encourages visitors and customers to the HeLP Outlet on 243 Paynes Ford Road in Martinsburg.
For more information on Smoot’s LLC and HeLP Outlet, visit smootsllc.com, call 304-279-0130 or email smootsllc@gmail.
