Gayest & Greatest 2020: Shopping and Services

During times of crisis, there are always those who step up and use their skills for the greater good. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas Davis, 32, uses his sewing skills to create fashionable and comfortable face masks for sale online. His masks have proven to be a hit, as he won the Gayest & Greatest Best Face Mask Designs award this year.

Davis was born in Port Arthur and currently lives in Beaumont with his husband, Joshua. They have been married for nearly four years, but they’ve been together for over a decade. Davis originally learned to sew when he began doing drag. “I’m a drag queen, and when I first started, I learned how to sew my own outfits,” he says. Davis, also known as Sara Cha (pronounced like the hot sauce sriracha), performs in Beaumont drag shows most of the time, but he also performs occasionally in Houston.

When Texas closed down earlier this year due to the pandmeic, Davis’ full-time job at a bakery was put on hold. That’s when he took it upon himself to use his sewing expertise to make extra income making masks. Since masks are a fairly easy pattern and are now in high demand, it was no surprise that he and his husband decided to open their Masks by Thomas shop on Etsy.com. “It’s just me and my husband doing it. I sew all of the masks, and he does all of the paperwork and all of the shipping. It is just a team of two.”

Now that Texas is opening up again, Davis has gone back to working full-time at his bakery during the week—in addition to keeping Masks by Thomas operating. Davis and his husband are still working hard to supply people with stylish, affordable, and comfortable face masks. They currently offer over 300 fun and creative designs, and Davis adds new designs often. “I’m always at the fabric store, buying new patterns, and adding to the shop.”

Davis prides himself on the craftsmanship of his masks, and works incredibly hard on making sure every mask is perfect, including the adjustable ear straps that make them especially comfortable. His masks range in price from approximately $8 to $17.

And if you’re having trouble finding LGBTQ mask designs, Masks by Thomas comes to the rescue. “As far as LGBTQ+ themed masks, I have over 50 designs for that. We are fairly big on supporting the community, especially in Beaumont.”

Check out Masks by Thomas at etsy.com/shop/MasksByThomas or on Facebook at facebook.com/masksbythomas.

Best Astrologer

Lilly Roddy
Finalists: Kevin Casey, Varina Rush

Best Online Clothing Store

Hyphen Botique
Finalist: Torrid

Best Copy/Print Shop

Copy.com
Best Place to Buy Erotic Playthings

Executive Adult Video

Finalists: Discount Video, Megaflixx, Montrose Forge

Best Place to Buy Eyewear

The Eye Gallery (tie), Montrose Eye Care (tie)
Finalists: Eye Impact, Eye to Eye,  Spectacles

Best Face Mask Designs

Masks by Thomas
Finalists: East End Masks,
Alan Gonzalez, Huntees.com, MexicAnita

Best Specialty Food Store

Phoenicia Specialty Foods
Finalist: Central Market

Best Grocery Store

H-E-B 
Finalists: Kroger, Trader Joe’s

Best Curbside Grocery PICKUP

H-E-B
Finalist: Kroger

Best Jewelry Store

Silverlust (tie), Tenenbaum Jewelers (tie)
Finalist: Zadok Jewelers

Best Liquor Store

Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods
Finalist: Total Wine & More

Best Creative Agency

Mad Hat Maven Creative
Finalist: Black Sheep Agency, Kwirx Creative, Refuge Marketing

Best Managed IT Services

Cyber One Solutions
Finalist: Egis Cyber Solutions

Best Commercial Photographer

Sebastian Gutierrez
Finalist: Ashkan Media

Best Thrift Store

Out of the Closet
Finalist: Buffalo Exchange

This article appears in the October 2020 edition of OutSmart magazine.

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