Our History
Buck’s started in 1972 in a small eastern NC town of Pikeville by AK “Buck” Thompson. Before going in the fire extinguisher business Buck was know by many for his hot dogs, cheeseburgers and daily lunch specials at his grill he started in Pikeville, Buck’s. Buck was known for starting many businesses in Pikeville from a go cart track, where the BB&T bank is now to serving food out of the back door of the grill while watching a movie at the back of the grill. When Buck’s wife Odell was ready to retire they sold the business in March 1972. Buck was not ready to retire totally so when his son A.K., who was in the insurance business, told his dad that insurance was going to start requiring businesses to have fire extinguishers in their businesses Buck did what he was good at. He went to Raleigh and bought a truckload of fire extinguishers and started Buck’s Fire Extinguishers. When Buck’s son Ronnie got out of the Air Force and returned home he went to Winston-Salem and went to Barbour school. After cutting hair for a number of years he went to work with his dad, in the early 1980s. In the early 90’s, Ronnie took over ownership of Buck’s Fire Extinguishers. Ronnie was best known by his customers for his willingness to take time to talk and listen and his smile was infectious. Ronnie always made sure that his customers felt like they were more like friends than customers. Ronnie continued to grow the business until his retirement in 2012. Ronnie hired his son-in-law, Ralph LeGrand, in the spring of 2003 and he sold the business to him in 2013. While working with Ronnie, Ralph took the business in a few different directions. Buck’s began to inspect not only fire extinguishers but fire suppression systems, emergency lights and so many other things. Over the years we have gone from working out of our vans to our current location at 252 Saulston Rd in Goldsboro. In 2019 we lost both Ronnie and Buck. Even though they are no longer with us their legacy still lives on. Ralph has kept the name and kept the one main principal that Buck told Ralph on his first day on the job. “At the end of the day when you lay your head down. Make sure you did an honest and fair days work.” To this day Buck’s Fire does exactly that.