If you are a lover of hip hop culture you know that hip hop is not only the music aspect of it. Hip Hop also includes dance, language, culture and fashion. The most famous fashion hip hop icon is a gentleman by the name of Dapper Dan. He operated a clothing store in Harlem isn the 1980s. Through this, he was responsible for the wardrobe of many famous entertainers such as LL Cool J, Rakim and Bobby Brown to name a few. He is considered by many to be the fashion icon of hip hop. Many people in Roanoke may not know Dapper Dan, but many folks know Reginald E. Davis or Reggie. For years, Davis dressed many of Southwest Virginia’s fashion-forward men as part of the sales team at Davidson’s Menswear.
Davis’ home is just as stylish as the men he’s outfitted. Each room tells a story. The table near the front door is adorned with a magazine featuring former first lady Michelle Obama and President Obama’s newly released book, A Promised Land is prominently displayed on the same table. “I love and appreciate what that family did for our country, but more so for our people,” Davis says. “Mrs. Obama brought elegance to the white house.”
In another room she points out a picture of his three granddaughters. A smile graces his face as he says, “I am so proud of those girls there. They all are college-educated wonderful people.” A trip to the dining room is next, then the kitchen that he calls his office and points out his “newspaper reading table.” We settle into the back den where a football game is on TV. As we sit down, the stories, memories, pictures and good times start to flow.
Davis was born on Dec. 12, 1935, in Roanoke, at the historical all-black Burrell Memorial Hospital. He is the seventh of seven born to Thomas and Marie Davis. As a child, Davis said “we had a basic fear” of our parents and even the elders in the neighborhood. When children of his generation left home, they knew they had to be on their best behavior. Davis says growing up in a large family he never knew he was poor because he never missed a meal and was very well taken care of.
Attending Harrison Elementary school, he stayed in the schoolyard either playing football or basketball. He graduated from Lucy Addison High School in 1954 where he was a dedicated student. He was class treasurer and played basketball. Davis says he knew he could have done better in high school academically, but sports was his main concern. He says his teachers constantly reminded him how well his siblings had done. After graduating high school Davis went to work for the railroad. Back during the 1950s getting a job on the railroad white or Black was probably the best job in the city at the time. He says, “Young men during my time went to the service, college, or the railroad.” After the railroad, he went to work John Norman, a men’s clothing store. He then went to work with TAP where he was the supervisor for Neighborhood Development in Southwest Roanoke. Davis says through his job at TAP, “we taught and helped citizens stand up for their neighborhood.”
In 1956 Davis married his high school sweetheart Geraldine Nance affectionately known as Gerri. To this union one son, Darrell, was born. The Davises were married for over 55 years before Geraldine Davis’ death in 2013. Davis says his late wife “was the love of my life.” The joy of his life, he says, is his son. “He did everything a son could do to make a father proud,” says Davis.
In 1964, Davis says, his life would change forever. With the racial tension of the 1960s going on even in Roanoke, the thought of a black man working in a high-quality clothing store in Downtown Roanoke was unheard of, but Sigmund Davidson of Davidsons Clothing Store hired Davis. “I never had a bad day at work. I never dreaded going to work,” Davis says. “Mr. Davidson, who died last year at the age of 98, was like a second father to me.” Davis started as an average salesman but quickly became the best salesman in the City of Roanoke as recognized by The Roanoker Magazine. Davis says, “Back in my day a professional person never went to work without a suit and tie. I never walked out my house without at least a tie on. Growing up in my neighborhood that’s what we saw.”
While working at Davidsons Davis became so good at suiting up men that he would make house calls at the request of clients. Davis recalls multiple times in which he would clear his entire schedule for the day to make house visits to his customers, who ultimately became a part of his extended family. Davis would take the top tailor in the store with him as they set out to create a wardrobe for some of the region’s prominent businessmen. “I remember one time I went to Danville to sell green suit jackets to the entire Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.” Davis was so popular that he was even featured in Serenity Window commercials. He became one of Davidson’s most popular models. Davis became the model for how to conduct business. Virginia Tech Professor Barry Reece included Davis in one of his class textbooks as a role model for business.
Working at Davidsons helped introduce Davis to important city leaders. One of those leaders was Noel C. Taylor, the first black mayor of Roanoke. When Mayor Taylor needed a suit or robe to preach, he would go to Davis. “Oftentimes when Rev. Taylor would come in, I had to work with him in a separate room because so many people would want to engage with him about the city.” Through these encounters, he also would become more involved in his community. Davis and a group of Addison graduated started the Sheiks Club as an avenue to raise funds for scholarships to aid student-athletes who wanted to attend college. They also would do community service jobs as well. Davis’ work did not stop there. He also helped to bring famous acts to the Star City Auditorium including James Brown. He says the group would buy Christmas gifts for children and James Brown would be the one to pass out those gifts. Davis vividly remembers as a young man spending time on Henry Street, the Black business district of Roanoke. He says, “The same older guys that I used to see on Henry Street eventually became my customers.” He like many people in his generation took pride in what Henry Street represented, which is probably the reason Davis is such an involved figure in restoring the famous Dumas Hotel.
Davis is a proud member of First Baptist Church Gainsboro, where he is a member of the usher board, trustee, finance and scholarship committees. “I had a lot of happy days. I cannot think of any bad memories,” he says.
Dr. William L. Lee, former pastor of Loudon Avenue Christian Church, knows Davis well. “Reggie made me want to work on my craft as much as he worked at his. There is no finer gentlemen than him. Reggie has no idea of his greatness.”
Davis says the piece of advice he would give to younger generations is “Always be prepared. Get ready, stay ready, and be ready for what is going to come into your life.”
Reginald E. Davis, aka Reggie, more than likely is the best dressed man you have or will come across, but what makes him special is his dedication and service, his grace and elegance, but most importantly how he makes others feel about themselves.
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