Socks' Site About Us

Socks'Site is an extension of David's, our shop in Reedley, CA.

The following article is from our local Traffic Magazine & highlights significant parts of our history.

From radio shop to gift shop, David’s is truly a piece of Reedley history. According to owner Pam Melville, David’s was listed in the 2005 issue of the Business Journal as one of the oldest family owned businesses in the San JoaquinValley. They were ranked #15 in 2005.

In 1922, Ara and Rose Davidian opened David Radio Shop. They started out buying radio component kits and putting them together, which lead into selling radios and other electronic merchandise. David Radio Shop later expanded their business to include appliances, sporting goods, and a gift shop. Pam remembers working with her grandparents as a young girl. “I started by working vacations and weekends selling fishing licenses,” recalls Pam. “My grandfather took care of the business side of things, while my grandmother ran the social aspect of the store.”

As the business grew, Ara and Rose moved the business and changed the store name to match the merchandise. In 1954, the business moved to it’s present location and was named David’s Sporting Goods and Gift Shop. Now it has been shortened to David’s.

In 1955 Ara passed away unexpectedly and Rose took over at the helm. Pam smiles and says, “My grandmother was well known and loved by many. People would come by just to talk with her.” Pam continued to help out at the store and began to take over more and more of the managerial duties as the years went by. In 1990 Pam took over the business completely.

While the “cover name” of the business is David’s, there are four businesses, or “departments,” operating at one location. David’s is the family name that has been carried on from Pam’s grandparents original store. You can find a variety of fun housewares, gifts, candles, etc. at David’s.

Right next door, is the home of Party Plus. When brainstorming for a name for this business, Pam and some others were throwing around ideas and they decided they liked the sound of Party Plus because it easily identified the kind of items they carried.

In addition to the above “departments,” Pam also features beautiful, upscale casual women’s clothing under the name Alexis Brooke. Alexis Brooke is Pam’s daughter’s name and was chosen because it sounded elegant and was representative of the clothing offered. Originally Alexis Brooke was located in Fresno, but joined the Reedley store in 1994.

The last addition to the David’s family is The Crate. The Crate is the brainchild of Pam’s mother Betty and features contemporary handcrafts. Pam says her mom “had an absolute passion for art and this was her way to share what she loved.” When Pam’s mom passed away in 2000, Pam commuted back and forth from Reedley to Sacramento to keep the store going. In 2003, Pam proudly added The Crate as one of her departments and brought her mom’s store “home.”

But Pam Melville hasn’t always been a fulltime multi-business owner. She worked as a Business Instructor at ReedleyCollege for 24 years from 1976-2000. She was instrumental in bringing the SIFE program to ReedleyCollege and inspiring many young entrepreneurs. When I asked her about her “other career,” she said, “I loved it,” with sincere enthusiasm. “I never thought I would give up teaching, but my mom passed away and my life took on a new focus.”

Besides being a successful business owner and former college instructor, Pam is a leader in our community. She is a member of the Kings River Arts Council and the Reedley Downtown Association (RDA) and participates in many of the RDA activities. Currently she serves as Treasurer for the Reedley River City Theatre Company, President of the Sierra Kings Hospital Foundation, and Chairperson on Reedley’s Parks and Recreation Commission.

While Pam admits that things can get a bit crazy at times, she says she loves what she does. Pam says she is learning how to say no more often and is trying to pass the torch on to others. According to Pam, the best part of owning her own business is the independence. “I make the decision about when to come in, when (or if) to go to lunch, and what to be involved in.” She laughs and says, “The challenging part is making sure I make the best decisions,” then adds, “But that’s easy when you’re blessed with a great family and staff to support you.”

Pam credits her staff with helping her to provide exceptional customer service and quality merchandise. Combining different departments into one location allows Pam to offer a variety of unique and innovative products. “She buys top of the line,” says Maureen Shepperd, manufacturers’ representative from Ruddell and Associates.

Pam’s reputation for quality is what brings customers back again and again. Although Pam will laugh and tell you “some people come in just to see the cat.” “He owns the place,” adds Ms. Shepperd.

Socks, as he was named by Pam’s husband Dale, showed up in December of 2004. Customer Pat Soder found him outside and brought him into the store knowing that Pam was a sucker for cats! After getting him cleaned up and checked out by the veterinarian, Socks officially moved into David’s and he’s been there ever since.

So, while the store has evolved and the products may have changed, many things are still the same at 1034 G Street. You are still greeted with a friendly face (or friendly cat) and you can be confident you will find new and distinctive items at every turn. Pam’s grandparents would be proud to see how the store has grown and yet still maintained the family atmosphere and quality that David Radio Shop was known for. “My grandmother would have loved the cat and would have definitely approved of him becoming part of the store,” laughs Pam.

Socks in the front window

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