BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROFILE | The Rev. James A. Davis
The Rev. James Davis knows the secret to good brisket, cooked over mesquite, that comes out tender and moist but coated with a crispy bark every time.
“It’s (cooked) low and slow,” Davis said.
And topped with Davis’ top-secret “Comeback Juice,” his homemade barbecue sauce, it’s enough of a draw for a devoted following of locals and out-of-towners alike.
But for the past 28 years, Davis has been feeding more than people’s stomachs through his Davis Grocery & Barbecue, 400 S Robinson St.
Whether someone needs wisdom, some funds for a bus ticket out of town or even a smoked holiday turkey without the means to pay for it, Davis is always there for them.
“I know that this is where God wants me,” said Davis, who was born in Taylor in 1951, and formerly spent many years managing supermarkets in the Austin area. “It has become part of my ministry now. I can minister to more people in there than I ever could on a Sunday morning.”
Truly a grocery store too, this deceptively unremarkable looking one-room shop is lined with cans of refried beans, cereals and other sundries, with picnic tables in the middle.
But the heart of the place is where Davis can be found measuring out the meat, which also includes mutton, sausage, baby back ribs and more, and ladling out beans, cooked cabbage and other homemade delicacies from simmering slow cookers.
At lunch time, you will find many people lined up for the food and the friendship.
“I can give them spiritual advice based on scripture,” Davis said. “Sometimes people just want to talk, and you have to be a good listener. I am not a licensed counselor or anything like that. I just tell them what the word of God says. They can take it or leave it.”
In fact, Davis is so beloved by the community, he received an official proclamation from the lity of Taylor in recognition of his 70th birthday July 8, 2021.
David said he still gets inspiration from the source of the first sermon he ever preached.
“It was entitled ‘Walking by faith to please God,” Davis said. “It came from Genesis chapter 5:24 where Enoch walked with God until he was no more. Enoch’s name means dedicated … And you have to be dedicated to do this kind of work because I am over here seven days a week.”
