Willie Rowe

The_Greenville_News, October 11, 1995, p. 4.

Title: Willie Rowe
Description: Willie Rowe is one of the most beloved people in Greer.
Birthplace: Orangeburg, S.C.
Occupation: Shoe repair
Biographical Text: Willie Rowe was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He went to trade school at the South Carolina Area Trade School in Denmark, S.C. (now Denmark Technical College). He chose to study shoe repair after his father pointed out that barbers had to stand on their feet all day; Willie had a leg problem that made that difficult. Near graduation, a job opportunity in Columbia suddenly disappeared. The only other position listed at the time was in a town he had never heard of: Greer.

Willie rode a bus to Greer, and walked from the bus depot at Wayside Inn to the repair shop at 119 East Poinsett Street. It was the third Sunday in March, 1963.

The shop had been started by Mr. Holtzclaw in the 1920s. It had then passed into the ownership of the Chapman family. In 1982, Mr. Chapman passed away suddenly. Mrs. Chapman, knowing how Willie loved the business, offered to sell it to him.

Willie owned and operated the store from 1982. In 1998 he expressed concern about what the opening of a Greer Walmart would mean to him, and in 1999 he said "all your big stores hurt your little stores. It really affects us bad." He retired, and the store closed, in 2006. He was known for very high quality work and fair prices. His work was highlighted in the short film "African-American History in Greer, SC," produced by the Greer Heritage Museum.

Willie, a deeply spiritual man, has impacted the lives of everyone around him. He is well known for offering free services to those without resources, and for frequently giving money to the needy. He attends Bethel United Methodist Church; he describes himself, tongue-in-cheek, as a "Baptist-Methodist." An avid singer, he served as president of the Taylors-Greer Community Gospel Singing Union, with six churches participating.

Rowe’s participation in ministry has included visiting at least 30 nursing homes and residential care homes every month; meeting every Sunday at the Greer Soup Kitchen to help prepare breakfast and to provide Bible study; providing a ride to and from church every Sunday for a disabled church member; providing breakfast to children who attend Sunday school, because many parents are unable to provide them with a meal; and much more.

In June of 2018, the United Methodist Church awarded Willie the Michael C. Watson Volunteer in Mission Award, given to one who exemplifies extraordinary mission service.

“Mr. Rowe is known throughout his community and abroad as exceptional, remarkable, loving, nurturing and a compassionate person who will help anyone regardless of race or belief,” said Rev. Deborah Patterson, the pastor of Bethel UMC who nominated Rowe.
References: The Greenville News, Sept. 9, 1989, p. 12.
The Greenville News, October 11, 1995, pp. 4-6.
The Greenville News, June 17, 1998, p. 13.
The Greenville News, March 3, 1999, p. 5.
The Greenville News, April 14, 2006, p. 17.
The Greenville News, City People, Dec. 6, 2000, pp. 1, 18.
Short interview with Willie Rowe. Greer Heritage Museum, February 20, 2021. https://youtu.be/0uYlUXZCKK0
Long Interview with Willie Rowe. Greer Heritage Museum, March 6, 2021. https://youtu.be/NI578zbR_Qc
African-American History in Greer, South Carolina. Greer Heritage Museum. https://youtu.be/-nlqniradlw
Willie Rowe sermon at Bethel United Methodist Church. https://www.facebook.com/100001025882589/videos/442575858037399/