Stuckey's: A Road Trip Institution - A Chat with CEO Stephanie Stuckey

by Kevin Wierzbicki

Those who have been taking road trips for a long time know that there's one roadside attraction that you never want to pass by: Stuckey's! As a little girl, Stephanie Stuckey was like any other youth on a road trip when a Stuckey's came into view down the highway: her eyes lit up knowing that the car was going to stop there where all sorts of fun travel-related goodies and souvenirs awaited, including tasty candy. Oh the candy! There was one big difference between Stephanie and other kids though; Stuckey's was a business that belonged to her family. Today Stephanie is the CEO of Stuckey's Corporation and she can have all the candy she wants!

Stephanie was not always involved with Stuckey's. In fact she worked in a position about as far away from Stuckey's as you could imagine; she was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives for 14 years, following in the footsteps of her father who served as a Congressman from Georgia. During this time Stuckey's had fallen on hard times and many of the locations had closed or fallen into disrepair and were no longer family-owned. Stephanie changed that by purchasing Stuckey's in 2019 and today she's put the company on a strong footing by rejiggering the brand as a pecan and candy company. Ah, the candy! Pecans have always been a Stuckey's thing; the Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll has been, since 1937, a delicious enticement to make a stop at Stuckey's. Born on Christmas day and a fluent speaker of French, Stephanie Stuckey was kind enough to answer a few questions for us. Here's what she had to say.

Stephanie Stuckey with Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll (Courtesy of Stephanie Stuckey)

How many Stuckey's locations are currently operating?

Stephanie Stuckey: There are currently a dozen original Stuckey's stores still in operation. Additionally, about 30 more stores are licensed as branded Stuckey's locations, carrying a selection of our pecan snacks and candies. Stuckey's does not own or operate these stores; rather, we license them and provide a larger line of products for them to sell than you would find in a grocery or regular convenience store. Currently, there are no plans to rehab existing stores. Hopefully, someday we will grow to the point where we can either have a development partner or build and operate some original Stuckey's stores ourselves. For now, our focus is on driving the growth of Stuckey's as a consumer-packaged goods brand.

Stephanie Stuckey at Lunch Box Museum (Courtesy of Stephanie Stuckey)

Do you have a favorite Stuckey's memory from days gone by and from today?

SS: My favorite Stuckey's story is visiting the candy plant with my grandfather, who founded the company. I have vivid taste and smell memories of those days. It was such a wonderland to walk through the brittle room when they were pouring the freshly made brittle onto the marble tables to break it into pieces. My grandfather would let me sneak a taste. Today, I don't have just one favorite story but a collection of them, centered-around people sharing their Stuckey's stories with me. They all thank me for reviving a piece of their childhood. I'm so grateful for folks sharing their stories; it gives me renewed energy and a sense of purpose in reviving this wonderful, nostalgic American brand.

Stuckey's is synonymous with road tripping, and that's something you are fond of yourself. And you like seeking out the quirky things that await on the highway, too.

SS: I absolutely love road tripping; it's in my DNA. I'm so fortunate that it aligns strongly with our brand. Stuckey's was synonymous with the great American road trip when we were building stores all over the country. We carry that spirit of freedom, fun, and adventure with us today. I always pull over for quirky roadside attractions, and I can't pick just one. I'm obsessed with certain types of roadside attractions like unusual museums, petting zoos with unique animals, visionary art, and diners with uniquely local dishes like Tooter Pie, toasted ravioli, or date shakes. It's hard to choose just one, but I love it when the attractions have folks who are passionate about what they do, like the man who owns the world's largest lunchbox collection who gave me a personal tour.

Making brittle at Stuckey's Candy Plant, Eastman, Georgia (Photo courtesy of Stuckey's archives)

There have been some very famous musicians who've stopped at Stuckey's. Can you name a few of them?

SS: Since Stuckey's is a road trip brand, folks who travel the road for a living have stopped at our stores over the years. Like Sid Vicious with the Sex Pistols (I have a pic of him ordering a Stuckey's chili dog), Glen Campbell, and Mike Mills of R.E.M. recently posted on social media about our divinity. I'd like to think that Elvis stopped at Stuckey's but sadly I have no proof of that.

Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll (Photo courtesy of Stuckey's)

Admit it, you're eating a Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll right now!

SS: Ha ha! Not right now, but I do eat log rolls quite regularly. My favorite treat is to pair them with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. I slice off small pieces and keep it in the refrigerator. It'll take me a week to eat a whole log roll that way.

Besides the famous Pecan Log Roll in vanilla or cherry Stuckey's offers a wide variety of pecan-based treats including chocolate covered pecans in milk, dark or white chocolate and pecans in all sorts of varieties including cinnamon, honey roasted, roasted and salted, sea salt, praline, maple and of course just good old plain pecans. There's Pecan Brittle and Peanut Brittle, Hunkey Dorey (caramel popcorn, pecans and almonds), Cheecans (cheese and pecan crackers) and chocolatey treats called Gophers which are Stuckey's take on the classic Turtle's candy. And there are various mixtures available as gift boxes too. Find all of these goodies at Stuckey's locations and other places that sell quality snacks or order here.

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