Can Rebranding Save Old School Brands from Remaining in the Past?

As most of you know, branding is my thing. I love it so much, I can’t go to a clothing store, a coffee shop or even on an airplane without thinking about the entire history of whatever brand is in front of me.

And this, of course, includes road trips where familiar landmarks are actually iconic brands that have cemented themselves in people’s minds.

For me, that’s Stuckey’s. I remember Stuckey’s from road trips with my parents when I was a kid. How could I not? Those pecan rolls were so memorable! Since I was little, everything felt larger than life, and back then, Stuckey’s may as well have been as big as Disneyland.

If you were ever driving across the south, you couldn’t miss those signs. They were really big in the ‘50s and ‘60s as a sort of reimagined rest stop. And in the 60s and 70s, Stuckey’s had 368 stores in more than 30 states, and it cemented itself as a brand that fueled people’s travel experiences. You could find clean restrooms, fun souvenirs and some delicious treats, so it really was like an amusement park for road trippers.

I loved reading this cool interview with Stephanie Stuckey, and reading the history of the brand on the Stuckey’s website. The article talked about how its founder, WS Stuckey, Sr., opened a pecan stand in Eastman, Georgia, in 1937.

Sadly, in the late 70s, the renown began to erode, and Stuckey, Sr. passed away in 1977. After that, hundreds of stores across the country closed. In 1984, his son, Billy, tried to turn the business around, but the recession two years earlier forced its candy plant to close. In 2019, Billy’s daughter, Stephanie, came on board to revitalize the brand.

I love how she is reinvigorating the brand for a new generation! Her story reminds me a bit of the Stanley cup, which I wrote about here. Not all brands that revitalize what has become tired or outdated or no longer culturally relevant have what it takes to make a comeback, but when a brand does it right, as Stephanie Stuckey has, I love to celebrate it! And in light of the devastation Hurricane Helene has had across the South, I also wanted to give a shout out to the entire Stuckey’s team, as their pecan orchards were impacted by the hurricane, as were so many other pecan farms in Georgia. My thoughts and prayers are with all the farmers whose livelihoods depend upon the success of their crops.

Do you have any favorite Stuckey’s memories to share? In times of hardship, sometimes sharing the things that brought us joy can help us when rebuilding.