Selma business owners choose the RV life

By MIKE BOLLINGER

SELMA — Most people probably don’t think of recreational vehicles as permanent homes, but for some Selma business owners, that’s exactly the case.

Sara Buxton, Robert and Adele Walker and Diane Weeks have all chosen to live in RVs in Selma. They live in parks designed specifically for the vehicles.

Buxton owns Raleigh Night Market under the business name of The Night Market Co. She produces large and small-scale vendor events in Apex, Cary, Durham, Garner and Raleigh. “We use all North Carolina artisan vendors. Our events are geared to providing an experience,” she said. “We do a mix of things to bring people together.”

Buxton said the commute from Selma to her event locations can be a challenge at times. “There’s a lot of driving involved in that,” she said.

It was a series of personal events that led to her choosing to live in her RV. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I bought the RV to be near my family and not have to live in hotels during treatment. I knew I would always have a clean place to stay,” Buxton said. “I could also avoid staying in hotels if I wanted to travel.”

She had a second cancer scare in November 2020, and during that same time frame, the dog she had at that time was also diagnosed with cancer. Her scans eventually came back clear, but unfortunately, the dog passed away.

She is currently being treated with chemotherapy medication, and will reach her two-year cancer-free mark in July, putting her officially in remission.

She said it had always been her dream to live full-time in an RV and enjoy the freedom associated with that lifestyle. “I think (the RV park) has a really good sense of community. A lot of people don’t understand this kind of gypsylike life with no attachment. It’s not for everybody. Those who down this kind of life have never done it.”

Buxton said there are many other residents of the park who live there fulltime. “They check in on me. They know me,” she said.

Another reason she enjoys the RV life, she said, is that she is not attached to a lease or a mortgage. “I’ll always have a home. I want to grow my business into other states, and I’ll always have a place to stay if I need to travel,” Buxton continued.

Because of rules against gatherings during the pandemic, she had to shut her business down until the rules were relaxed because her events normally draw between 3,000 and 8,000 people.

Diane Weeks, owner of Organically Holistic Concepts in Selma, sits in her RV with her dog, "Buzzy."

“I went a full year without an income. There was no way I could have rented an apartment,” Buxton said.

She said she considered a place close to the coast, but decided to get as close to Raleigh as she could. “I started getting on waiting lists. This was the closest RV park to Raleigh that had space,” Buxton said.

The small confines of the RV don’t bother her. “I previously had a 1,200-square-foot house, and I only really used this much space. I’ve gotten rid of a lot of stuff. I want to be able to go when I want to go,” she said. “I was the youngest of five siblings, so I always had to carve out my little space.”

Buxton shares the RV with her constant companion, her puppy “Bean.” “He goes with me everywhere. I can come back here after my job and this is my solace.”

Weeks moved to the area from California. “I planned this out and knew where I wanted to go. I wanted to see this side of the country,” she said. “I planned this for a year and sold the house I had lived in for 26 years. I wanted to be in the middle of North Carolina near the Triangle. I looked at a map to see where the RV could go, and it was right here. I wanted to be near Raleigh for the airport.”

After selling her home in December 2020, she lived in an RV park in California for six months “until it was time to take off.”

Weeks and her daughter, Natalie Weeks, run Organically Holistic Concepts on North Raiford Street in Selma. Weeks is a nutritionist and a certified health practitioner. She said she has been involved in health care in some way for about 50 years.

“I had a health food store in Palm Springs and did personalized nutrition,” she said.

In her business in Selma, Weeks performs epigenetic mapping using hair samples. The samples are scanned and then sent through a secure internet connection to a lab. At the lab, the epigenetic information is decoded and information is used to create a personalized, comprehensive plan that will help a person with wellness.

Information will be received on vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids; amino acids and antioxidants, foods and food additives to avoid, bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses; toxins including chemicals and metals and emissions from Wi-fi, mobile and electrical devices.

“Hair analysis can determine the cause of many issues a person could be having,” Weeks said.

Weeks said there are some vitamins and supplements available at her Selma location and she can quickly get others that the analysis show would help.

Sometime in June, she said, she is planning to hold a social event where she will do hair scanning for those attending. “You can get results back in 15 minutes,” she said.

Since opening her business, Weeks has become active in Activate Selma. “We’re all working together. The town is so quaint and wonderful. The business owners are so friendly and welcoming. They network with each other just because,” she said. “We have lots of high hopes for Selma.”

Since joining Activate Selma, she said she has met new people and made contacts at every meeting. “Where does it happen like that,” she said.

Most of her business at this point is marketing, she said. She is hopeful that through the marketing, more people will learn what she does and take advantage of it. “Business is picking up every day,” Weeks said.

“I love camping. I can be in little spaces and make something work,” she said. “I don’t want a lot of stuff to take care of. It is sometimes close quarters with the pets.”

Also, she said, she had to take into account her dog, “Buzzy,” and her cats. “I would eventually like to have a little house, but for now, this is good,” Weeks said.

Natalie lives in the Clayton area, and her son has also moved to North Carolina and lives in Clinton. “This area is good for my grandchildren. It’s great to have our family unit here,” Weeks said.

She said two of her grandchildren who are still in California have begun working and plan to share an RV. “They are following their grandmother,” she laughed.

The Walkers are involved in two businesses. Robert runs Walker’s Treasure Box, an “antiques and uniques” business and Adele is a Realtor with Grow Local Realty. Walker’s Treasure Box is located for now in Harper’s Flea Market in Smithfield while a building they have purchased in Selma is waiting for renovations.

“We are hoping to use an incentive program through the town of Selma. We’ve sent them plans and our construction bid and are waiting to hear back,” Robert said.

Sara Buxton owns Raleigh Night Market and lives in an RV in Selma. She and her puppy, "Bean," share the space.

Robert is originally from Cary. Adele is from Brooklyn, New York and has also lived in Florida. She moved to North Carolina in 2010 and found Johnston County in 2012. “I’ve always loved it out here,” she said.

While working a sales job, Robert started his antique business. He bought the contents of storage units and found pieces online to sell. “When I first met him, I said, ‘What is all this junk,’” Adele said. “Now, I’ve realized the value in ‘junk.’”

They sold all the items Robert had accumulated and moved to Florida for two years before the pandemic hit and they moved back to Johnston in 2020. They bought their first RV and traveled for about six months. “I want to get back on the road, but we need to get our building started first,” Adele said.

“It’s nice to see places we’ve never seen, and we’ve been able to pick up a lot of antiques,” Robert added. “We’re headed back on the road in August and we’re going to pick antiques.”

Part of their trip will be to look for items on the Route 127 yard sale, which runs from Ohio to Alabama. They will sell on the Route 301 Endless Yard Sale this month.

Once their building in Selma is complete, they plan to live upstairs in a 2,600 square-foot apartment. Their building was originally built in 1908. “We’re trying to bring back one of the old buildings in Selma,” Robert said. “It will be an adjustment to have that much space in the apartment after living in the RV.”

The RV they now live in is their third. In January 2021, they purchased a motor home and drove that. It was a restored 2001 model, but when it began to have mechanical issues they traded that and a “toy hauler” they also had for their present one. “This one is just right,” Robert said. “We realized we don’t need so much space and so many material things,” Adele said. “It’s been great to downsize and become minimalists.”

They both said it’s nice to be able to pick up and take their entire home when they decide to travel. “We’ve worked hard to become debt-free and it’s great to have this freedom,” Adele said.

The Walkers are also involved in Activate Selma. “The group is about bringing Selma to light and bring new businesses in,” Adele said. “We want to be part of Selma for the long haul. We see the opportunity and potential for growth in the community. We want to be a part of that change.”

Robert said the antique business has been doing “really well.” He has already needed to expand his space in Harper’s because sales have been strong. They also said they have a strong online following.

They said living in the RV suits them well. “People don’t think you can do this, but you can,” Adele said.

For more information about Raleigh Night Market, visit www. raleighnightmarket.com and it is also on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information about Organically Holistic Concepts, visit www. organicallyholisticconcepts.com, email info@organicallyholisticconcepts.com or call 984-274-7285.

For more information about Walker’s Treasure Box, visit the Facebook page or call 919-280-3029.

Adele Walker can be contacted at adelerosati4@gmail.com, at 919-763- 6771 or by visiting AdeleSellsNC.com.