Episode #53
Inside the Historic Belk Mansion | Susan Volz on History, Faith, & Bringing the Mansion Back to Life
What if you felt called to do something years before you were actually ready to do it? In this episode of the Fully Stoked Podcast, Sarah Stokes and Melinda Willison sit down with Susan Volz, owner of the historic Belk Mansion in Monroe, North Carolina, to talk about the remarkable history of the home—and Susan’s journey to becoming its owner. More than 20 years ago, Susan was working as a real estate broker when she saw the mansion and felt that one day she would own it. The property was enormous, needed significant work, and the idea scared her enough that she initially walked away. But she never forgot about it. Years later, the Belk Mansion came back on the market, and Susan decided to take the leap. The mansion itself has an incredible story. It was home to Dr. John Belk, one of the original Belk brothers who helped establish the Belk Brothers department store with his brother, William Henry Belk. Dr. Belk raised seven daughters in the home, and descendants of the family have even returned to stay at the mansion and share their family stories and photographs. Today, Susan is working to preserve that history while giving the mansion an entirely new life. We talk about the restoration of the property, its nonprofit mission, Airbnb and overnight stays, weddings, showers, business meetings, community gatherings, photography and video opportunities, and Susan’s vision for making the Belk Mansion an affordable and welcoming gathering place for Monroe and Union County. We also get a peek inside some of the mansion’s beautiful rooms and hear about upcoming events—including the Bridgerton Masquerade Ball. If you live in the Charlotte, Monroe or Union County area and haven’t discovered the Belk Mansion yet, this is one local gem you’ll want to know about. ️ THE BELK MANSION | SUSAN VOLZ susan@thebelkmansion.com 704-651-8309 https://thebelkmansion.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belkmansion/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBelkMansion Google: https://share.google/3y6Gk0M1PXenanyhJ Contact Susan for information about overnight stays, tours, weddings, private events, meetings, community gatherings and upcoming events. ️ FULLY STOKED PODCAST | SARAH STOKES Sarah Stokes Senior Mortgage Loan Advisor Coast2Coast Mortgage Lending NMLS #1743154 828-333-7278 hello@sarahstokesgroup.com https://fullystokedhomeloans.com ️ https://fullystokedpodcast.com Instagram: @sarahwhitleystokes TikTok: @lendersarahstokes ▶️ YouTube: @fullystokedpodcast | @SarahWhitleyStokes Follow the Fully Stoked Podcast for conversations with entrepreneurs, community leaders and people doing interesting things throughout our communities. #BelkMansion #MonroeNC #UnionCountyNC #NorthCarolinaHistory #SusanVolz #FullyStokedPodcast #HistoricHomes #WomenInBusiness #CommunityLeadership #MonroeNorthCarolina DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute mortgage or investment advice. All loans are subject to credit approval.
