The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-03-24
EARLY FAILURE PREDICTED
FOR FIRST STORE In DARE
SELLING DRY GOODS ALONE
Belief Was Widespread a Store Which Carried
Only Clothing Would Not Attract Trade Of
People Accustomed to Filling All Needs Under
One Roof Carson w. Davis, A Far-Sighted
Merchant Disproved All This. and Lives to Be
Coun+y's Oldest Merchant.

heard that the late w. J. Griffin,
Manteo merchant needed a help
err. That was the time when Carson
w. Davis came to Manteo, and pro-
we'd himself to be no ordinary store
clerk. He had energy and ideas and
watched merchandising trends. He
was not a fly-by-night fast worker
who popularized himself by giving
the bosses cigara away to favorite
customers and the bosses candy TO
kids of favorite customers. He was
always courteous, dignified, and
buSineSslike.
1t was with some indifference
the news was received sonN over
so years ago in Dare County that
Mr. Davis was going to open a
store on his own, and would sell
nothing but dry goods. It was
almost unanimously expressed that
this store would be an early failure,
because people wouldn't trade
where they couldn't buy glindstone
or gunpowder, paregoric or plow-
points, fish nets or fertilizer, or
anthing else they wanted, and as
they had always been doing in the
other stores in the area.
In the beginning, Mr.. Davis was
associated with late r. w. Smith,
a longtime political figure in Dare
County, who had also been in the
merchantile business with the afor-
mentioned Mr.. Griffin, and who
had faith in the Davis know-how.
The new store opened in the old
Smith building on the waterfront
at the foot of Lodge St. which
was once occupied for long time
by Owens Cafe, and has had a
succession of tenants for short
periods thereafter.
Mr.. Davis put all his detractors
to rout, and in short time, he
had acquired the much larger store
he now occupies, and which has
been completely rebuilt, and made
to look like the stores they build
in the modern shopping centers.
When Mr.. Davis began business
over half century ago he carried
as now, good lines of merchandise.
Florsheim Shoes, Queen Quality
Shoes, English-American and j. L.
Taylor and Sons Tailoring. Fash
ion Q clothes by Wear-Well Co.,
and w. H. Miles shoes, are some Of
the names that come to mind
across the years. When a young
man became of counting age it was
his ambition to buy a tailored suit
from Mr.. Davis. AS said before,
he didn't pass out things indiscrim-
inately, but this writer recalls once
when having a suit tailored by Mrs.
Davis, he threw in an extra pair of
pants. Many suits made to mea-
sure for US by Mr.. Davis wore a
long time, all fitted properly, and
everything was completely satis-
factory.
Now what might be the secret of
Mr.. Davis success? He has been in
business longer than anyone else in
Manteo or Dare County for that
matter. We have observed that he
gave full value, that he didn't
throw credit around indiscriminate-
ly, although he must have lost
some accounts. We have never had
a request from him for payment,
but invariably, he invited more
business by writing across the bot
tom of his statements, "orders
please" During the many years
while the Coast Guard flourishen in
Dare County, Mr.. Davis became
headquarters for official uniforms,
and when he dressed we'll the man
of the house, the family came
along. He carried fine goods for the
ladies, and children.
While some of his neighbors OPP
posed taking the tolls off the Roam
oke Sound Bridge out of fear our
homefolks would all 60 away to
trade, Mr.. Davis said he welcomed
a free bridge. His confidence was
justified in the big increase in
trade that came from summer resi-
dents on the beach, who swarmed
into Manteo, and found things sell
ling for less than in the larger
towns. At that time, Mr.. Davis told
this writer that every week SEEM
ed like Christmas week, SO much
had business improved.
From the outset, Mr.. Davis made
trips to Baltimore and other mark
cts twice or more a year, where
he could do his own buying with
close scrutiny, and keep up with
the latest materials and merchan-
dising trends.
Early. in the new stores career.
Mr.. Davis married Miss Ella Greet.
the daughter of the late George
and Ann Greet, substantial Manteo
citizens, and the outcome Of this
union was two sons and q daughter.
The daughter Is Mrs. J. r. Meilxle