Frank’s Battery Service started on the front porch of Frank and Peggy Ezell’s home in 1961. Frank Ezell had been working in the battery business for someone else before he struck out on his own. He started by buying old batteries from body shops and rebuilding them, Peggy Ezell said. Then they went to the dealerships and tried to sell them.

Peggy Ezell took the call for the first order and did handwritten statements for each sale.

“I would sit there and pray over each one of them that they’d pay,” she said.

The business kept growing and they got a shop on West Main Street behind Mac’s Tire and Way-Fil Jewelry. They later moved to a spot next to Dudie’s Diner and grew the business even more. And in 1987, the business moved to its current spot in east Tupelo.

Frank and Peggy’s sons got involved over the years and took over when he got sick. They’ve been running it since his death in 2007. Peggy’s grandson, Andy Rogers, also works at the shop.

The shop sells new batteries of all kinds – automotive, tractor, golf cart, four-wheeler, boat and wheelchair.

“Anything with a battery except airplanes,” Doug Ezell said.

Installation is included with the cost of the battery. And, Frank’s will deliver and install on-site if your vehicle won’t crank.

“We can install a battery while a woman and her kids are still in the car,” Peggy Ezell said.

Owners: Ezell family

Est.: 1961

Address: 1441 E. Main St., Tupelo

Phone: (662) 842-0901

Employees: Three

Hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

Advice: ‘Daddy always told us not to worry about the money. Treat folks fair and the money will come to you.’

Each week the Sunday Journal spotlights a home-grown, locally owned business. To nominate a business, contact Dennis Seid at (662) 678-1578 or dennis.seid@journalinc.com.