As I mentioned sometime ago, I began my first job with Davis Furniture in 1958. Davis was a manufacturer of contract and office furniture I felt I was too inexperienced and too young to be given this great opportunity. I had wanted to be a secretary all through high school and tried to take all the right subjects. I remember thinking that now that this job is mine, how am I going to be able to do everything in this one person office. The previous secretary whose job description would have been learning how to do everything it takes to run a business. The lady who was leaving did stay for two weeks to help me learn the ropes. It was so exciting...going to work each day...having my first paycheck..an engagement ring from Billy..what could be any better. Maybe I could do all this.
The furniture industry was very new to me. Daddy had worked at Adams Millis Hosiery all of my life so I knew a lot about the hosiery business. I don't think I ever saw a piece of furniture being made. I'll try to describe how things were when I came on board. There was one building and twenty three employees. We had a machine room that was located in the basement...Norris Loving was the supervisor, and he and his employees had talents and skills I had not seen before. They built desks, credenzas, cocktail tables, end tables and so many other wood products They built the frames for all the upholstered pieces. I was able to see so many beautiful pieces of furniture made from walnut, mahogany, soft maple and hard maple lumber. On the ground level was the finishing room, and there were two or three employees who would add the beautiful finishes. The uphostery area consisted of a long cutting table, sewing machines and the people who made it happen --- Ms. Darnell and later Henry Nance were the cloth cutters..We had two sewers - Ms. Shields..Ms. Norman - Most of us brought our lunch, and I would go back and eat with the ladies. This was always a treat...I learned so much from these ladies. We had one spring-up person - Dennis Brown - one outsider - .two upholsterers - Howard Corn and Duncan Wafford - the plant manager. Each piece of furniture was inspected and then inspected again by the shipping clerk - Howard Morris. We shipped all over the United States and abroad. We had great employees and a sales force that brought in a lot of business. It took each person to make things happen, and you always felt as if you were a part of one large family. I can't say enough about all these talented and kind employees who made an almost eighteen year old girl feel so at home. The business grew leaps and bounds, and I grew up a little more
A family owned business - Mr. and Mrs. Davis and their son - John -I learned so much from these three people from the time I started in 1958 to when I left in 1972....It was a good place with good people.
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| Mr.. Davis, Sr. |
Why did I decide to leave this position when we now had seven people in the office, a new building and 110 employees? Billy and I were expecting our third child, and I so wanted to stay at home - at least for a while.
Keith was twelve - Steve was nine - Billy was driving for Wilson. I thought we could make it just fine, and I would know how it felt to be a full time mom. John and Frances gave me a great going away party. They invited all our sales reps, and many people I had worked with during the years. I knew I would miss everyone, but I was ready for a new "tomorrow".
