House Resolution 122

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LEGACY AND SUCCESS OF ARTHUR "MR. D" DAVIS AND THE WORLD RENOWN OLD COUNTRY STORE IN LORMAN, MISSISSIPPI, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CAPACITIES AS MISSISSIPPI AMBASSADORS.

WHEREAS, in 1996, at the age of 50, retired and living comfortably with his wife, Margie, in his home state of Florida, Mr. Arthur Davis drove to Lorman, Mississippi, to deliver a car to his sons, Arthur Jr., and Derrick, who were attending Alcorn State University on full academic scholarship, and upon experiencing the serendipitous charm of the quaint college town, made the decision to make it his forever home; and

WHEREAS, "Mr. D," as he is affectionately called, describes his unexpected, yet unyielding attachment to the state as being equivalent to getting "Mississippi mud in my shoes and it stuck," a toehold that has rewarded him time and time again, as a one of the state's most prominent ambassadors of hospitality; and

WHEREAS, admittedly, Davis was apprehensive about Mississippi, despite sending his scholar sons to attend school here, but those misconceptions were quickly dispelled by the charm and beauty of the quaint southwestern community along the Highway 61 corridor, which brought with it, Mr. D's irrefutable presence as a mainstay upon his purchase of the "Old Country Store"; and

WHEREAS, a two-story building constructed circa 1875, consisting of 5,000 square feet on each level, the "Old Country Store" has fulfilled a lot of purpose during its storied history prior to Davis' establishing it as a restaurant that proffers a proper presentation of Southern cuisine, including serving as a post office, Western Union office, bus depot, train station, telephone office, craft mall, ballroom, Louisiana-style restaurant and a bank; and

WHEREAS, since its acquisition by the "Singing Chef," another affectionate moniker of endearment by which Mr. D is referenced, the "Old Country Store" has been profiled by the Food Network's culinary virtuoso, Alton Brown, in a 2011 feature in which he hailed the restaurateur's fried chicken as "the best I've ever had in my life," replete with other buffet offering of mustard greens, collard greens, candied yams, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, pork chops, smoked ribs, potato salad, green salad, cornbread, biscuits and three fruit cobblers (apple, peach and blackberry); and

WHEREAS, full of faith, which he is big on acknowledging the divine intervention of in directing his path to Mississippi, complete with his maternal grandmother's, Elnora Adkins, recipes and wisdom for navigating life, Mr. D has transformed the business he initially started as a fast-food joint more than two decades ago, frying his world-famous chicken in a skillet, while supplementing his retirement income as a car salesman in Vicksburg, into a dining experience of a lifetime, which has titillated the tastebuds of passersby and travelers the world over, from the domestic reaches of Maine, Arizona, Texas and Nevada to the international soils of Germany, China, England, Sweden and Australia; and

WHEREAS, self-described as the unofficial, "welcome center for Windsor Ruins," Mr. D's "Old Country Store" has served up more than just meals in its chronology, including serving as a safe haven in 2005 for some 28 hurricane evacuees seeking refuge after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, as well as the collegiate dive for Thursday night parties for some 200 Alcorn students, whose frequent get togethers kept the business afloat during leaner times; and

WHEREAS, Mr. D's inviting personality, seasoned perfectly with the gift of gab, has served as the secret recipe to his success, as he meets no strangers, occasionally treating customers to a spontaneous and soulful bluesy tune, which has become synonymous with the "Old Country Store" dining experience; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the excellence of extraordinary individuals of Mr. Davis' caliber, whose choice to make Mississippi home and invest in its economy, one plate at a time, has become a cultural phenomenon of southwest Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the legacy and success of Arthur "Mr. D" Davis and the world renown "Old Country Store" in Lorman, Mississippi, in their respective capacities as Mississippi ambassadors and extend best wishes for continued success in all his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Arthur "Mr. D" Davis and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.