Stuckey's History
Discover Stuckey’s, an American icon since 1937, known for delicious candy and warm hospitality on highways across the USA.
Hop in the station wagon and take a road trip down memory lane as we reminisce on our history!
Our Beginnings
(1937 - 1950s)
With a $35 loan, WS “Sylvester” Stuckey, Sr. founded Stuckey’s as a roadside pecan stand in Eastman, Georgia in 1937.
Ethel Stuckey started making and selling old-fashioned candy, including our Stuckey’s pecan log roll.
In 1948, Stuckey’s moved from the small candy kitchen to a candy plant in Eastman. It also served as our distribution center.
In 1952, we debuted our flavored pecans in vacuum-sealed, church-key cans.
Did You Know? In a Stuckey’s store in the 1950s, it wasn’t unusual to find hundreds of pecan cans displayed on a round table in the traffic aisle of the sales floor.
National Prominence
(1960s - 1970s)
Gaining momentum, Stuckey’s grew into a roadside empire synonymous with the American road trip.
- 368 stores
- 30+ states
- 4,000+ billboards
In 1964, Stuckey’s merged with Pet Milk Co. to add capital for the company to continue expansion.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, travelers would seek out our teal blue roof and grew to love our souvenirs, clean restrooms, and delicious breakfast!
Decline & Rebound
(Late 1970s - 2000s)
During the late 1970s, Stuckey’s stores began to dwindle.
W.S. Stuckey, Sr. died in 1977, the same year that Illinois Central Industries bought Pet Milk Co. They began to close hundreds of Stuckey’s stores across the country.
In 1984, WS “Billy” Stuckey, Jr., son of the founder and five-term Congressman from Georgia’s 8th district, acquired Stuckey’s to turn the company around.
Billy launched the Stuckey’s Express concept, creating the “store within the store,” and expanded to over 165 locations in 17 states.
The Great Recession hit our Eastman candy plant in 2009, closing its doors. Our candies continued to be produced by outside vendors.
Growth & New Leadership
(2019 - Present Day)
Billy’s daughter, Ethel “Stephanie” Stuckey, is an owner and the Stuckey’s Chair of the Board.
Stuckey’s acquired Front Porch Pecans in 2020, gaining management support with R.G. Lamar as the new President and a new product line of pecans.
In 2021, Stuckey’s acquired Atwell Pecans, The Orchards Gourmet, and Thames corporations to add candy-making pecan processing and fundraising to the company.
Presently, Stuckey’s boasts:
- 50 licensed locations
- 5,000+ retailers
- Food Manufacturing Facility and Distribution Center located in Wrens, Ga
- Pecan and candy plant to make
Stuckey’s products
