Stuckey’s Roadside Stores: Everything you need to know

Stuckey’s Stores aren’t the only gas stations that road trippers need to stop at when they’re traveling. Another is Buc-ee’s. Our Buc-ee’s: Why It’s America’s Favorite Gas Station post will tell you all about it.

Stuckey’s started with a small, $35 loan to Williamson Sylvester Stuckey, Sr. from his grandmother so he could buy pecans. He would buy pecans from local farmers, then sell them to pecan processors. That small investment (which wasn’t really that small in the 1930’s, when it was lent) made $4,500 that first year.

Within a few years, Stuckey Sr. was selling over $150,000 worth of pecans from farmer to processor. So, it made sense for him to open his own roadside pecan stand selling pecans (obviously), novelties, and all you can drink cherry cider for a nickel.

That stand turned into a store, thanks to its success and the success of the pecan pralines and pecan logs (with a secret ingredient: cherry pieces)  Stuckey Sr.’s wife Ethel made. A few stores followed, each making its own candy on site.

As businesses do, Stuckey’s ebbed and flowed. At its highest point, Stuckey’s had 368 stores, all strategically placed. Instead of trying to set up a store on every corner, like most nationwide chain stores do, Stuckey Sr. tried to place Stuckey’s locations with road trips in mind. He calculated how long it would be between bathroom breaks when you’re on a road trip, and built Stuckey’s stores with that distance in mind.

But, handing over 350 stores was too much for Stuckey Sr. So he sold the company to a company that eventually sold the company. And that second buyer started closing up shops until only 75 remained.

Fun fact: Stephanie Stuckey was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Her father was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Second fun fact: When Stephanie took over, Stuckey’s expanded and purchased pecan snack companies to add pecan processing and candy making under the brand’s umbrella. That meant, for the first time in over 50 years, Stuckey’s is making its own pecan candies rather than outsourcing it.

And that’s the history of Stuckey’s.

But did you come here for the history or did you come here for the overview?

That’s what I thought.

So, for someone without nostalgia, Stuckey’s are basically a convenience store where you can easily stop for bathroom breaks — for both you and your dog — while you’re on a road trip. Yes, and your dog. Many Stuckey’s have a dog park in the back.

Many are store-within-a-store concepts, which basically means they share space with another retail location. So Stuckey’s and its branded items will be on one side and some sort of fast food will be on the other side.

Inside Stuckey’s, you can get everything from jarred products like blueberry moonshine jelly, sweet treats like cherry slices, savory snacks like sesame sticks, and bags of pecans. And, of course, you’ll find Stuckey’s original pecan log roll and pecan pralines.

There are small toys that you can buy to occupy your kids on road trips, plus souvenirs for you to bring home, like funny Stuckey’s t-shirts. The most popular, I think, is the one that says, “Stuckey’s, Eat here & Get gas!”

Our closest Stuckey’s is in Summerton, South Carolina and it’s housed with a Dairy Queen and a Texaco gas station with regular pumps and EV chargers.

It’s not the original Stuckey’s, but it’s the longest running Stuckey’s that’s still open. It has moved locations since it was opened in 1950, but this building has been in operation since 1969. It has a red roof, not the sloped, teal blue roof that the iconic roadside shops were originally known for.

There are currently 65 licensed Stucky’s locations, mostly in small towns along the East Coast of the United States, plus a distribution center that distributes Stuckey’s branded products to 5,000 or retail locations. So if you’re jonesing for a pecan roll, you might be able to find them in your local stores. In fact, our Food Lion carries the Stuckey’s Toasted Pecans.

If you can’t find them in your stores, you can order some products online. You can also order UnStuck: Rebirth of an American Icon, a book written by Stephanie Stuckey about her journey and the revitalization of her family’s general store. Pair the book with a few packs of the iconic pecan log rolls and you’ll have a great gift for any Stuckey’s fan.

More Roadside Attractions:

If you’re planning a road trip, don’t forget to stop by South Of The Border: America’s Favorite Road Side Attraction. Well, maybe it is. It’s showing some signs of age, but I still stop there when I’m on road trips at least once a year because of nostalgia.

And, if you’re driving around South Carolina looking for Stuckey’s locations, stop by the Nostalgic Filling Station: A fun roadside stop in Laurens, SC. We went there last year and it was such a good experience. It’s definitely worth the stop.