Before Griggs Church, There Was Griggs Grocery

All photos by isaaccropsey.com

A brief history of how our church got its name 

Griggs, the church, once shared its name with a grocery store in the same neighborhood — Griggs Grocery.

“Griggs” is a family name. The Griggs family came from North Carolina and settled in Poe Mill. Mabel and “Curly” Griggs both worked at the mill during its heyday, surrounded by the sound of buzzing looms and stacks of freshly woven textiles.

Curly’s real passion, however, was food. He grew vegetables in his spare time, and after long hours working for the mill, he’d wheel his cart around Poe Mill and nearby neighborhoods selling his produce. He did this consistently for a couple of years until he was able to trade in his cart for a store of his own. 

Curly salvaged leftover and abandoned wood from the mill, especially the mill houses which were being renovated at the time. Bit by bit, he gathered enough discarded materials to construct a small building on Conyers Street. He called it Griggs Grocery.

The building which once housed Griggs Grocery

As he started up the store, he also expanded his inventory. The little store offered almost everything the neighborhood needed, and it became best known for its fresh-cut meats. Some mornings, a line of mill workers and local residents would form out the door as people waited to buy groceries and supplies before heading off to work.

Curly ran the store alongside his wife, Mabel Griggs, who could be a pistol. Also, she had a pistol! The stories about her are some of the most memorable in Poe Mill’s history.

One day, a man came into the store drunk and was cursing loudly in front of a few women. Mabel asked him to stop as, in those days, it was especially impolite to cuss in a lady’s presence. When he refused, she took out her pistol and fired a warning shot in his direction. He ran out of the store instantly — and completely sober.

On another occasion, someone tried to rob the store while Mabel was closing for the night. She stated matter of factly that she would not be giving into his demands. She didn’t have her gun with her that time but pretended she did, and the man ran off without a dime. 

Mabel’s toughness was known in Poe Mill. When a few teenage boys once stole cigarettes from the store, she marched to their house and told them if the cigarettes weren’t returned by the end of the day, she’d come back after work and “teach them a lesson.” The boys knew better than to test her — the cigarettes were promptly returned.

Griggs Grocery was a family business. Curly and Mabel’s son, David Griggs, and his wife, Undine, began helping at the store and eventually took it over. They also ran a second location on Perry Road in Sans Souci.

David and Undine Griggs

David and Undine were known for their faith and faithfulness. Even though the store was open seven days a week, David was always at Victory Baptist Church on Sunday’s, where he served as both a deacon and music director.

David was a patient man — calm and unhurried. He’s described as extremely laid back and content to take his time as he fixed problems around the stores or one of his other properties ensuring he got things just right. 

He was also known for being generous. He often helped his neighbors who were in need, giving groceries away or selling them at a discount when he could. Many who couldn’t pay right away were trusted to buy on credit, and out of respect, they would repay the Griggs family as soon as they got their paycheck — often before paying rent or other bills.

He also began a church tradition that continues to this day: giving away large bags of fruit to every church member at Christmas.

Over the years, Victory Baptist Church saw both full and empty seasons — times when the building was packed with neighborhood residents, and other times when the pews were less than half full. During those leaner years, David was one of the people who quietly kept the church going. He gave of his time and resources to make sure the lights stayed on and ministry continued, though few ever knew how much he did behind the scenes.

After David’s passing in the early 1990s, his loss was deeply felt in both the neighborhood and the church. While his family was away in Tennessee taking time to process his death and be together, the church held a business meeting and voted to rename the ministry of Victory Baptist in his honor. That’s how Victory Baptist Church became Griggs Memorial Baptist Church — a name that still reflects David’s legacy of faith, generosity, and love for his neighbors. 

Needless to say, the family was surprised by the new name of the church when they came back, but they were grateful the church chose to honor David. 

Roger Sexton behind the counter at Griggs Grocery

After David’s death, his daughter Arlinda and her husband Roger Sexton continued the work. Roger and Arlinda had married young — around 18 — and for the first decade of their marriage, life was difficult as Roger battled alcoholism. One day, in a hotel room on Poinsett Highway, Roger surrendered his life to Jesus, and everything changed.

From then on, Roger served the Lord with passion. He ran the grocery store and later became a ministry-minded landlord, providing homes for struggling families. He also became a key leader at the church, especially in ministry to children and youth.

Roger purchased the church’s first van and began picking up people from Poe Mill for services — both kids and adults. For more than 35 years, he drove through the neighborhood three times a week, making sure everyone who wanted to come to church could get there. Nearly every child in the community — and their parents — has a story about riding Roger’s church van.

Roger can recall most of those stories. For a season, there was an older lady who would ride the church van alongside the kids. She didn’t appreciate the neighborhood kids as much as Roger did. He remembers her asking, “Roger, why don’t you leave these mean youngins at home?” His answer, of course, is that they were the very people who Jesus welcomes into the church. 

On one snowy Sunday, that same lady called Roger in the evening, panicked. She said she had left her false teeth either at church or in the church van, and that she needed him to find them and bring them back to her home in Poe Mill. 

Roger asked if it was at all possible to wait, since the snow was piling up and it was dangerous to drive. She said, “I have to have my teeth. I can’t live without my teeth.”

Roger asked if she was sure that she had taken out her teeth out at church. He had her check around the counter in her bathroom. She said she was sure they were either in a pew at church or on the church van. 

So Roger went out in the snow in search for the missing teeth, but couldn’t find them. He went over to the woman’s house and, sure enough, they were sitting out, completely visible, on her bathroom counter top.  

This story is one of countless instances that demonstrate the fact that the Sexton family was willing to do just about anything for the people of Poe Mill. 

Roger Sexton sharing stories of Poe Mill history

In the last decade, Roger has led major renovations at the church, including many in the main sanctuary and the full renovation of the two new buildings we acquired in 2020. 

He was involved in every detail — even inspecting each 2x4 at Lowe’s before bringing them back to ensure the best quality wood was used. One of those buildings, which now hosts our Sunday neighborhood kids ministry, has been affectionately named “Roger’s House.”

Though Griggs Grocery eventually closed, the spirit of that little store, which made such a big impact, lives on in Griggs Church. 

We still give goods away. Every Christmas after Fruit Sunday, which is still going strong, Roger Sexton takes all the kids of our church over to the Walmart on White Horse Road. He gives them each a gift card so they can do their Christmas shopping. It’s all worth it to see a smile on their face and know they’re part of the church, where they’re hearing the good news of Jesus week in and week out. 

And, we’re still helping people who find themselves in a bind, just as the grocery store once did. Just this year alone, we have paid utilities bills,  provided  childcare, and bought groceries for a handful of families in Poe Mill. 

And we’re still called Griggs! And still seeking to serve the neighborhood we’ve loved so much for generations.

Roger and Arlinda Sexton hold a photo of David and Undine Griggs