Eastman, Georgia - World's First Stuckey's

The blue-roofed building still stands, as well as the plaque memorializing the first ever Stuckey's. However, there appears to be little activity at the site. [Michael Rhudy, 06/30/2009]

On U.S. 23, just outside of Eastman, Georgia sits ground zero of the premier roadside kitsch purveyor. This is the spot of the original Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe.

Although the former store has been turned into a nondescript local beanery, there is a pseudo official looking monument erected at the site, presumably by Stuckey's management, which resembles one of those State Road Dept. signs that usually denote where an important Civil War battle occurred.

Here is the text on the monument:

In 1937 W.S. and Ethel Stuckey opened the first Pecan Shoppe at this location. That began the introduction of the pecan, Ethel's candy and the distinctive blue roofed shoppe to the motoring public.

Today, a Stuckey's can be found in nearly every state of the Union and has become an important part of the lives of those who travel the highways of this great country.

This spot has been dedicated to the memory of that first step forward by Mr. and Mrs. Stuckey and the many employees who have been a part of this heritage.

[RA: 2003: Chip Rosencrans, CEO of Stuckey's, tells us you can find the locations of all the still living Stuckey's stores at www.stuckeys.com....]