Her business involves selling wigs to those who have suffered hair loss or just want to rock a different style.

But in recent months it’s her building that has taken on a new appearance.

Her spouse of almost 20 years, Demetrius Gully, of DG Construction, has been hard at work since the beginning of 2020 to install a new stone facade.

“When we purchased the building almost a year ago, we knew we wanted to change the face of it and make a little more modern,” Davis said. “Make this corner look a little more appealing for Fort Dodge and help reconstruct and be a process of reconstructing downtown.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
A new stone facade has been installed along the building at 29 N. 12th St.

And although several other buildings in the downtown are getting an upgrade to their facades thanks to grants through Main Street Fort Dodge and the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Davis’s business has not been a recipient of those funds. The location of the business, 29 N. 12th St., falls outside of the area eligible for that funding.

“Main Street Fort Dodge has helped me in the past with some things, but we did not receive help from them or the city on this,” Davis said. “This is all hard work from our end.”

She added, “It’s not as expensive as it would have been had I hired another contractor. He’s (Gully) pretty good at what he does. Remodeling this building has catapulted his business immensely. We get a lot of good feedback from the community expressing their like in the way he has reconstructed it.”

Davis said Gully has a talent for design.

“Demetrius does everything off the top of his head,” Davis said. “When he gets an idea, he articulates it, makes it a plan and comes to me and says, ‘hey what do you think?'” There hasn’t been anything so far that I have not liked, so I go with the flow. That’s his hobby, that’s his passion. We are a couple that are living our dreams, literally.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Angela Davis, owner of Angela’s Hair & More Beauty Supply, poses with some hair product at her shop.

Davis’s business has been inside the 12th Street building for six years. She and Gully bought the building last year.

Fade Designz, a barber shop owned by Anthony Presswood, is located within the same building just south of Angela’s.

Fade Designz has been there over six years.

And although Davis said the exerior of the building is beautiful now, it wasn’t always that way.

“I think people thought I was crazy when I scouted out this building,” Davis said. “There was a lot of work to do. I just saw what I have today. I saw that in my mind six years ago. I knew it was the perfect spot.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Angela Davis, owner of Angela’s Hair & More Beauty Supply, looks over one of the higher quality wigs she sells at her store.

The building is also home to a two-bedroom apartment on the east side and two other shops that are currently vacant.

In terms of Davis’s business, she sells hair extensions, hair care products for the extensions and for natural hair care.

“I specialize in ethnic hair types as well as other hair stypes,” she said.

Wigs are the top seller.

“I sell wigs for people who just want a quick hair-do or for those who suffer hair loss,” she said. “Anybody who suffers hair loss. That type of deal, they come here for the comfort of a small business. Getting people out of their comfort zones to try something new. Those who have recently found out that they have cancer, I think part of my job duty here is to uplift their spirits and let them know that just because they are going to lose their hair doesn’t mean they can’t obtain more and have fun with it and give them a higher level of confidence.”

Wigs sell anywhere from about $20 to hundreds of dollars, depending on quality, Davis said.

“I have one in here now that’s $335, but it’s all human hair,” Davis said. “It’s been conditioned, treated and sewn onto a lace net to mimmick natural hair.”

Davis was inspired by her mother, especially to see how she confronted losing her hair.

“I opened after my mom passed away from ovarian cancer,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a business owner, but with her passing it kind of opened up a new light in terms of what i wanted to do.

“I saw her lose her crown. Our hair is the crown we wear, and when we lost that it took a chunk out of her self-pride. But she rocked it like a trooper. She used scarves and different things. I wanted to be in a position to give women options.”

Davis also noticed from her own observations an increase in minority population in the area.

“One of the main reasons I opened up because I saw the minority demographic here in Fort Dodge skyrocket. It used to be a small town and we knew everybody. I started going to the stores and not recognizing people;. I thought we needed a store that had hair and makeup and things for African American people. These people are coming from bigger cities and were looking for something they were comfortable with seeing.”

Davis lived in Houston from the age of 3 to 14 before she moved back to Fort Dodge permanently.

“Being from Houston there was a certain way of life I was used to,” she said. “(When I moved back) I had to travel a lot to get what I wanted or order things online. I always told myself, if I was ever able I woud open a beauty supply just because of my knowledge and my hair. I thought I could bring a lot to Fort Dodge.”

Davis said some of her customers are foster parents who aren’t sure how to style their children’s hair.

“Foster parents who are taking care of black kids, biracial kids,” Davis said. “They don’t know what to do with their hair. I’m here as a vessel to give them the basics for how to maintain their hair. I learned from having my own kids. My hair is my passion. It’s my hobby. It’s something I do. I install extensions for people here and there. My children, family, friends. I just like hair a lot.”