Five minutes into a conversation with David and Cindy Dilday, and one would think they have lived in Reidsville their entire life. They speak of Reidsville as a magical place that has granted all their wishes and provided their family with everything they were looking for. Funny thing is, The Dilday’s were happy in Greensboro and not looking to move. So how did two people born and raised in a busy city end up in a small town?
David and Cindy are lovers of old houses. They appreciate the character in the architecture and are drawn to the stories the homes tell of the past. At first, there were no plans to move out of the big city, but they were drawn to historic houses and had been passively searching online. Surprisingly what they found was that small towns oftentimes preserved their historic homes and downtowns more so than the bigger cities. “The more we looked, we found these small towns took a lot of interest and care in preserving older homes. We weren’t really looking to move to a small town, but that is where our love for older homes was leading us,” David explained.
The Dildays finally found a house they were interested in, but the deal ended up falling through, and they were heart broken. They felt maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. They were content in Greensboro where they had lived for the past 20 years. This is where things get interesting. Let us tell you the story through our interview with the Dildays...
Interviewer: How did you end up in Reidsville?
Dildays:
David: One day Cindy showed me a house she found online in Reidsville. I just looked at her and said in Reidsville? Like downtown Reidsville?
My last memory of Reidsville was from several years ago when I drove through downtown on the way to meet my parents, who live in Rockingham County. I remember seeing all the shops that were vacant, the houses that looked in disrepair, and I thought it looked like a very depressed community. Cindy said she basically didn’t care, and she was going to see the house anyway so I could join her if I wanted.
Reidsville was less than 20 minutes from where we were currently living, and I just never considered it as an option due to that earlier memory and it being so close to Greensboro. Needless to say now, I’m glad Cindy made me go.
Interviewer: What was your impression of Reidsville when you came to see the house?
Dildays:
David: The day before we were set to tour the house we drove down to Reidsville and there happened to be a car show in town. It was late summer and the streets were closed off and everyone seemed to be downtown. It was busy, vibrant, and exciting. Completely different from what I remembered.
Cindy: There were people everywhere, food vendors, all the shops were open, there was live music in Market Square, craft vendors and lots of things happening. From that day on, we were hooked and knew Reidsville was the place for us.
During our conversation with David and Cindy, the sense of pride in their new community was overwhelming. We had to grab a tissue several times just hearing about what an impact their move to Reidsville has made on their lives.
Interviewer: Often times families are hesitant about moving to a small town because they feel their kids will be bored or there won’t be anything for them to do. You have children, how are they adjusting to Reidsville?
Dildays:
David: Yes, we have two children ages 17 and 19 and they love it here. Our kids have special needs and at first we were worried about how the move may affect them, just as you mentioned, but it was the best decision we could have made for them.
Cindy: Reidsville gives our kids something they never would have had in Greensboro, or any large city, and that’s freedom and independence. They can walk downtown by themselves to see a concert in Market Square or grab ice cream with their friends and we don’t have to worry if they will be okay.
One of my favorite things we do as a family is grab our lawn chairs and walk down to Market Square in the summer for their Movies on the Square and Summer Concert Series. We can hear the music from our house, and we all just grab our chairs and head down to join in the fun. It is something we never would have been able to do in Greensboro.
There are so many things to do in Reidsville, especially outdoors. I’ve lived in Greensboro my entire life and I never even knew Lake Reidsville was in my backyard. They have kayaks, paddleboarding and my son's favorite activity, fishing. He and David love to fish and it gives us a lot of things to do as a family.
Interviewer: What is something that surprised you about Reidsville?
Dildays:
David: I would have to say the amount of diversity in Reidsville. Not only was it unexpected, but also how diversity is viewed is different than I imagined. I think many times we assume diversity is a bigger issue in small towns and more noticeable, I find that to be the opposite in Reidsville. If anything, I think small communities probably handle it better than big cities. Here every person matters, here every person has a voice. Diversity is not a topic of conversation, simply because it isn’t an issue. The community functions as one and works together as one regardless of race, education or economic background.
Interviewer: Do you think you will stay in Reidsville long-term?
Dildays:
David: The house got us here, but the community and the people is why we won't ever leave. We have felt like family from day one. The entire town has made us feel welcomed. It feels like we have been here our entire lives.
Cindy: Conversations and relationships are easy here. No one is a stranger. That’s something you can’t find in a big town. Greensboro can’t operate on that scale, and you miss out on those personal relationships.
Regardless of the reason you are looking to move, we encourage you to consider Reidsville. We are a team-oriented community with amenities for our residents of all ages. Ideally placed between the cities of Danville, VA and Greensboro, NC, Reidsville gives you all the benefits of living in a smaller city without sacrificing the conveniences of more urban areas.
To find out more about what Reidsville has to offer, download our Relocation Guide at RiseUpReidsville.com/RelocatetoReidsville or contact us directly at (336) 349-1099.
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