Darsey Family Celebrates Milestone Anniversary
Iconic Grapeland Institution Going Strong After 135 Years
By Jason Jones
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – Have you ever wanted to get something right so badly that you can’t even get a good start? This represents the fourth time I’ve attempted to write this story. It’s news. It’s history. It’s also a flood of memories that create an emotional stir, and that seems to be a lot of things to properly represent all at once. Covering an anniversary, even a milestone like 135 years, is not so hard. Trying to convey what a family and an institution such as Darsey’s has meant not only to a community but to the individuals who make up that community is considerably more daunting.
I guess the beginning is a good place to start.
I feel pretty old these days, but by the time I first darkened the door of Darsey’s General Merchandise around 1971, the family had already been in business for 85 years. George E. Darsey & Co. Opened in 1886. A few years later, Darsey built the first brick and mortar building in Houston County. Sadly, a fire destroyed this building and nine others in 1913. The building we have all come to know and love was built a short time later, and it’s the door I entered as a 5-year-old boy.
Many people of my generation have the same memories and experiences regarding Darsey’s. Charley C. Darsey was not just the proprietor of a store. He and Miss Ann were cornerstones of their community. Their efforts in and around Grapeland shaped this little town for generations. As a young boy, the sight of Mr. Charley walking up to shake your hand and visit for a moment was exciting. Seeing him was a lot like seeing Mr. Rogers in person. Oddly enough, that feeling remained the same no matter how old I got. A conversation with him left you with the feeling that you were in a better part of the world and that everything will be just fine. I’m unashamed to say that I’ve walked in that store for no other reason than to leave with that feeling. Charley C. Darsey was an amazing man.
Miss Ann was much the same. Charley H. Darsey has been my friend for roughly five decades. As a young man I spent plenty of time in the Darsey household, and Miss Ann made every visitor feel like they weren’t visitors at all. Later she attempted to teach me high school chemistry, a task not for the weak. Thanks to her I passed. Thanks to me, I retained zero percent of it.
The rest of the Darsey “family” is literally a who’s who of Grapeland. Leon Davis was a fixture for decades, and left multitudes with aching ribs due to his sense of humor. Mr. Glenn Newman ruled the meat market. Miss Lurlene Shirley, Miss Melba Streetman and Miss Ima Ashwood rang up your groceries and wrestled with the lengthy list of sketchy young men – including yours truly – who sacked and carried groceries to waiting vehicles. And no list of Darsey’s employees would be complete without mentioning the inimitable Sam Carr, who no human being has ever seen without a huge smile on his face.
That was the 80s crew I worked with. Over the years the list has grown to epic proportions.
Charley H. represents the fourth generation of the Darsey family to operate in Grapeland. He took over in 1993, opening Darsey’s Appliance Warehouse in the tin-sided building behind the grocery store. In 1999 the business moved to Bypass 287 in what is now the warehouse for the beautiful building housing Darsey’s Furniture which opened in 2010.
A visit to the new store today is akin to a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions. Charley and his wife Tonya run a successful business, staffed by well-trained people who treat everyone like family. The showroom is beautifully arranged, easy to navigate, and stocked with high-quality furniture and bedding. It is, most definitely, a positive and enjoyable experience.
But for someone like myself, and many others in this community, who remember the days of Charley, Ann, Leon and others who shaped so many of us as a community and individually, the beautiful showroom is not what grabs you and reels you in. A walk back to the far corner of the store, where the offices counter reside, will take you back in time. I strolled back there only to be greeted by the original warehouse door. In 1993, I was struggling to make ends meet by painting signs on the side. Charley asked me to Letter the door, which I did. Today that door is worn and faded, but largely unchanged, preserved under a layer of clear coat to prevent further deterioration.
It was like seeing an old friend.
Around the same area it’s easy to see that Charley works extremely hard to hold tight to the history, family and community linked to Darsey’s. Old photos adorn the walls surrounding the office area. Some commemorate the generations of the Darsey family. Many old photos have been converted to canvas prints. Photos spanning several decades dot the walls all around the showroom. It’s all there. An old grainy photo of Mr. Charley in black & white, standing in the street in front of the store stopped me in my tracks. Another of Miss Ann having dinner with Sandra and Weldon Kerby had the same effect. While it was difficult to keep my composure, the overwhelming feeling was “this feels like Grapeland… like home.”
Friday, November 19 will be the culmination of Darsey’s 135th Anniversary celebration. Breakfast will be served around 8 a.m. for all those who have been a part of the Darsey’s “family” over the years. When the doors open for regular hours, there will be cake and giveaways throughout the day. Around noon, Charley plans to take the floor and share his thoughts on what the family and community mean to him. Everyone is cordially invited to stop in and share their stories of Darsey’s memories.
Congratulations to the Darsey family and to everyone connected with the legacy. May the next 135 years find Darsey’s still shaping Grapeland into a better place.
Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected]
