OUR STORY

Sometimes a man doesn't know where he is from until he leaves. Some years ago, I left my home in the south for a short time to find myself and it wasn't until I left this area that I found out who I was: a Southerner.

There’s a lot that can be said about the South. Some of it isn’t necessarily anything I’ve ever been proud about, but that isn’t the South I know. That isn’t the South that raised me. Those blemishes aren’t my South. If you know anything at all about the corn liquor that our state (Kentucky) is known for, a RESERVE select is quite often the best of the best barrels of bourbon. And you must know it only gets better with age. From day one, that’s what we’ve always stood for: The best of the South that we believe has only gotten better with age.

A Southerner isn't just someone who is defined by where they are born; it's about a way of life.  A way of life where you wave at a stranger because they wave back with a smile. A place where both sweet tea and bourbon are served in mason jars. Where the melody of an old country song can connect itself with more than just a memory. Where Saturdays mean college football and Sundays mean hymnals from an old church pew. And the only place where a man's word and a handshake still mean everything.

That's what this is all about. It's not about t-shirts, button-ups, or ball caps...it's about a state of mind. A way of life that has no geographical boundaries. Whether you live in one of her beautiful states or just long for a time when you once did, we want you to carry that Southern state of mind with you. If you can put on one of our shirts, no matter where you are, and find yourself among the sweet winds of the South...we have been successful.

-Bryant Hawkins
DRCo, Founder

WHO IS RICHARD HAWKINS?
I never knew my grandfather, but his name is very important to me. Most don't call me by it, but I share his name (as well as that of my late uncle): Richard Hawkins. I never got to sit on his knee as he rocked me, I never got to hear his war stories, and he never got to teach me how to bait a hook on those ponds behind the family land. I feel like I missed out on a lot that life has to offer a man because my grandfather passed away before I was born. I carry that with me. I don't know why the good Lord took that from me, but I have to think it's a big part of what made me the man I am today. I'd like to think most would say I'm an honest and decent man so thanks for that, Dick.

A few years back I decided that every product we would put our name on would also bear his name. It serves as a checks and balances with our work. If I’m proud enough to put his name on it, you better believe that it’s a quality good. That decision has changed this brand so much and for all of the right reasons. Our brand is a love story to my bloodline, my namesake, and the grandfather that I never knew. It’s a love story to all of the grandfathers that made us the men we are today. This one’s for you, Dick.

Learn more about our story on THE BLOG.