Stuckey's, Coffee County, Tennessee by naslrogues
Every road trip I ever suffered through as a child included at least one stop at Stuckey’s. Which was often the highlight of the whole ordeal. How to describe Stuckey’s to the uninitiated? Hmm…a gas station, restaurant, souvenir shop, ice cream parlor, and candy store all in one. Kind of a low-rent version of Disneyland, sans rides, dorky hats, and teenagers sweltering in Disney character costumes.
Anybody who’s ever been to Stuckey’s knows I’m building it up way too much, but y’all have to admit that to a road-weary kid, Stuckey’s is pretty awesome. Except for the bathrooms. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a clean bathroom in a Stuckey’s. But, hey, look! There’s a figurine made out of a clam shell! A rubber alligator! Peanut brittle!
What I remember most about Stuckey’s is that they used to sell their own brand of melt-in-your-mouth peppermint balls. I remember this because I’ve spent the rest of my life (so far) trying to find a decent substitute. If y’all know of any, please let me know.
My sister and I never left Stuckey’s without new “Yes and Know” books in hand. These were filled with trivia questions or word games, and you revealed the “invisibly printed” answers with a “magic pen.” As I got older (or perhaps my eyesight improved), I realized you could read the “invisibly printed” answers without the use of the “magic pen” AKA yellow highlighter. However, until I Googled them just now, some thirty-odd years later, I didn’t catch anything odd about the tagline “Hours and hours of by-yourself enjoyment.” Hmm.
My mom always had to have a box of sesame sticks (which were WAY exotic back in the day) and the ever-popular Pecan Log. This is not as gross as it sounds, but almost. I don’t remember anything my dad enjoyed about Stuckey’s other than getting the hell out of there and back on the road. Of course, we didn’t often get to-go drinks because a pit stop was to “empty” not “fill up.”
Anytime I happen to be on a road trip in the South, I can never pass up a Stuckey’s. They’re harder to find these days, but if you’re on the road from Jackson, MS to Memphis, there’s one in Vaiden. Last time I checked.
Alas, while they do still sell a bunch of Stuckey’s brand food-like substances, the peppermint balls are long gone. However, I’m happy to report that the bathrooms are just as nasty as ever.
What do y’all remember about Stuckey’s?
stuff southern people like 
Did a lot of road trips as a kid and I LOVED Stuckey’s. I always kept my eyes peeled for them and harrassed my parents into stopping. I am craving it now that you brought it up!
the milkshakes porb not much now but used to drive parents crazy when i was kid long trip could equal several stops at stuckeys
I was on I-55 at Christmas…the one in Vaiden is now closed too.
Nooooooo! Say it ain’t so!!!!
Just wanted to let you know that the Stuckey’s in Hattiesburg on HWY 49 is still open…. and the bathrooms are nastier than ever!
AWESOME!!
When we used to go to North Carolina to visit my grandmother every summer, we’d stop at Stuckey’s for a bathroom break, a pecan log for my dad and a bucket of butter mints for my mom. I don’t remember the bathrooms being nasty but they probably were. Thanks for this trip down memory lane. It really took me back!
There’s one at Gallman, on 55 South headed from Jackson to McComb.
Great! I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m in MS.