Stuckey’s: Reviving an Iconic Roadside Brand

Have you ever wondered what happened to those popular Stuckey’s stores?  

Story and photos by Hank Segars and contributed

This story, quite frankly, is the result of sheer happenstance and the good fortune of catching the tail end of a syndicated radio interview with Stephanie Stuckey, the face of the company that bears her name. As Stephanie’s enthusiasm and passion for her family’s famous company resonated through my speaker, I thought of Stuckey’s roadside stores' peak popularity and travelers’ fondness for them.

Those teal-blue-roofed Stuckey’s stores are still remembered by those of us who stopped at the roadside oases while traveling to Daytona Beach, Pigeon Forge, and other destinations across Dixie. Today, while remaining a nostalgic memory, a Stuckey’s revival is underway. 

The company’s history 

As a forerunner of Buc-ee’s, QuikTrip, and other modern travel centers, Stuckey’s was founded in 1937 during the Great Depression by W.S. Stuckey, Sr., who, like many others across the nation, needed a job. With his wife Ethel’s extraordinary, secret recipe for an old-fashioned pecan log roll treat, the business grew from sales out of Stuckey’s car to roadside stands. In 1948, the cooking operation moved from the family’s small kitchen with the opening of a candy plant and distribution center in Eastman.

Candy production at the Stuckey's factory in Wrens recently, by Hank Segars

When World War II began, pecans were still sold, but candy-making and travel changed due

to wartime rationing of sugar and tires. Stuckey produced candy for the military, but all his stores except the original Eastman site closed. After the war, more than 100 stores reopened. Stuckey’s became known as a roadside destination offering clean restrooms, gasoline, and specialty candies, including sweet divinity, pralines, saltwater taffy, and nut-based products. The log rolls, made with Georgia pecans and dipped in caramel, became the most popular item.

A Stuckey’s stop also meant that kids of all ages could buy treasures not available back home—rubber alligators and scary snakes, coonskin caps and drinking-bird toys, T-shirts, and a boatload of kitschy souvenirs.

From the 1950s through the 1970s, Stuckey’s reached its heyday with 368 stores across 30 states and over 4,000 roadside signs. In the pivotal year of 1964, Stuckey’s merged with the Pet Milk Company to secure capital for continued expansion across the nation.

The founder, W.S. Stuckey, Sr., died in 1977 and times were changing. A year later, the Pet Milk Company was purchased by Illinois Industries, and they began to close hundreds of Stuckey’s stores across the country.

Stephanie Stuckey with candied pecans now sold at Ingles.

The founder’s son, W.S. “Billy” Stuckey Jr., a well-known, five-term Congressman (1967-1977) from Eastman reacquired the family’s business in 1984. He launched a new concept to sell candy products in retail stores rather than stand-alone roadside buildings.

The Great Recession closed the Eastman candy plant in 2009, and outside vendors began producing the company’s candies.

In 2019, Billy Stuckey’s daughter, Stephanie, a University of Georgia law graduate and former state legislator representing DeKalb County, became an owner and invested her life savings in the company. Stephanie says, “I am now Chief Growth Officer, and am highly involved in sales and marketing, a chief brand ambassador like Colonel Sanders for KFC.” 

Stephanie is also an innovator in new product development, manufacturing, and distribution. She visits the Wrens factory from her home in Atlanta at least twice weekly and is constantly traveling across the South and the country to promote the business. The online and social media presence is substantial, with over 120k followers on LinkedIn and 16k on her personal Facebook page alone.

Presently, Stuckey’s boasts 50 licensed locations, candies sold in 5,000+ retailers, and a food manufacturing facility and distribution center in Wrens, Georgia.

Celebrating local

 I recently telephoned Stephanie and received a prompt callback to arrange a visit to the Stuckey’s candy outlet and factory in Wrens, east of Lake Country. Arriving from Madison, I could see that this entrepreneur was passionate about the company and its legacy. As we toured the company’s gift shop and candy factory, I was amazed by her ability to multitask, greeting customers, arranging displays, and overseeing operations, all while leading my wife and me through the factory.

While walking with Stephanie to the company’s candy shop, I learned a few things about her family’s business as she fielded calls on her cellphone. This CEO was clearly a “workhorse” with a “hands-on” management style.

Stephanie Stuckey at pecan orchard.

“We’re all about celebrating local at Stuckey’s,” she said. “From Georgia pecan farmers to your table, we take fresh, local crops, roast them, coat them, flavor them, and—because we can’t help ourselves—sometimes wrap them in chocolate and nougat. Call it candy. Call it snacks. We call it doing important work in the food chain.

“The pecan log roll is often the entry point to Stuckey’s. It’s what most people associate with us and yes, we’re even mentioned on the Wikipedia page for log rolls, but it’s just the beginning. Our brittles are outstanding, our flavored pecans (especially glazed) are a personal favorite, and our chocolate turtles, which we call gophers, are a hidden gem. Ideally, people come for the log roll and discover a lot more to love.”

A mural on the side exterior wall of Stuckey's in Wrens features a produce stand between Madison and Eatonton known for its "PECHES" sign.

My biggest questions for Stephanie concerned the brand’s future plans. “I often describe Stuckey’s as an 89-year-old startup,” Stephanie replied. “We’re deep in the entrepreneurial hustle of rebuilding a classic American brand focused on selling our pecan snacks and candies through great retail partners like Ingles, Jet Foods, and independent stores across the country, including Madison Produce.

“I really hope your readers will take an easy day trip to visit our candy outlet store on Hwy. 1 in Wrens, Georgia,” Stephanie continued. “We’ve got product so fresh it’s practically still coming off the roasting line. You’ll also find a variety of local goods that, like Stuckey’s, are part of the Georgia Grown program. And please ask for me if you stop in—if I’m there and we’re in production, I’m happy to hand out a hairnet and give a quick walk-through of the plant so you can see how the candy magic is made.”

Will the visit bring back memories, nostalgia, and great pecan treats? Of course!

The Stuckey's Company in Wrens.

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 This story appeared in Lakelife magazine, Volume 20, Issue 3, and is the property of Smith Communications, Inc. No portions of the story or photos may be copied or used without written consent from the publisher.