{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Out & About KY Style... Stuckey\u2019s &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"TFahmcE2qu\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/out-about-ky-style-stuckeys\/\">Out &#038; About KY Style&#8230; Stuckey\u2019s<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/out-about-ky-style-stuckeys\/embed\/#?secret=TFahmcE2qu\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Out &#038; About KY Style&#8230; Stuckey\u2019s&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"TFahmcE2qu\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Gary-West-Guest-Columist.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":473,"description":"Long before Buc-ees there was Stuckey\u2019s. As Kentucky prepares for a second Buc-ees in Smiths Grove, Kentucky in the northern part of Warren County on I-65, the nostalgia of days gone by when a national chain of strategically located convenience stores dotted 12 major highways across the United States, including Kentucky. Texas-based Buc-ees opened its first Kentucky store in Richmond, Kentucky, in April 2022, and when they did it brought flashbacks of Stuckey\u2019s. In 1937, W.S. Stuckey operated a small roadside store in Eastman, Georgia with a purpose of getting rid of an over abundance of pecans he had gathered. Soon he realized he was on to something as the emerging traveling public began stopping by. Not long after he turned it into a larger building. And before long, others followed. Not only did travelers use his advertised clean restrooms, but also bought his pralines, pecan log rolls and saltwater taffy. Like many early day success stories, Stuckey did his own market studies. And how he did it seemed so simple. \u201cHe would drink a cup of coffee and drive as far as he could until he needed a restroom,\u201d Stefanie Stuckey, his granddaughter said on her website. \u201cThat\u2019s where he put another location.\u201d Eventually the chain of franchises grew to 368 stores in 30 states. Inside and out, Stuckey\u2019s marketing was genius. The 4,000 billboards scattered throughout added to the anticipation of what was ahead. Even though the stop might have been for the clean restrooms or gas, once inside Mr. Stuckey\u2019s marketing plan kicked into high gear. Limited seating encouraged customers to walk around and buy things, and while everyone went to the restroom they passed walls full of candy. As Stuckey\u2019s became the top go-to roadside convenience store, first in the south and then the westward expansion, they sold friendliness first. But, it wasn\u2019t long until almost everyone who entered came away with a pecan log roll. The store became a travel experience . . . stopping and shopping. Fresh orange juice, country hams, gift boxes, ice water, apple cider, jellies and air conditioning were a part of the billboard message and art on the exterior of the teal blue roofed buildings. And so was \u201cfree shipping\u201d in big letters. While interstate highways began to find their way onto maps, so did Stuckey\u2019s location literature find a home in the glove box of many automobiles. As important as the food, restrooms and gas were to Stuckey\u2019s customers, Mr. Stuckey had figured that every kid would want to leave with a rubber alligator or piggy bank. He also knew that every family was collecting mugs, salt and pepper shakers or a shot glass. Today you don\u2019t have to look any further than Cracker Barrel or the new Buc-ees to see that Stucky\u2019s was on to something. W.S. Stuckey was a practical man. He tried to put himself in the heads of the traveler. That was why he located his stores on the northbound side of the roadways. His reasoning made sense. \u201cWhen families are headed south they are in a hurry to get there,\u201d he said in a publication. \u201cHeading north might be a little slower.\u201d One of those northbound lanes was on 31-W at the corner of Hwy. 101, a couple of miles from, believe it or not, Smiths Grove. In the early 60s, Stuckey\u2019s son, Bill had an idea. Since the business was taking care of food and gas, why not lodging. Stuckey\u2019s Carriage House Inn opened, four of them. However, they were short lived and after a few years closed. \u201cI remember working at Stuckey\u2019s as a kid,\u201d recalled Cathy Higgins Howard. \u201cMy dad had been an attorney in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, when he decided opening a Stuckey\u2019s store in Kentucky would be a better opportunity for our family.\u201d Ralph Higgins\u2019 Stuckey\u2019s opened near Smiths Grove fourteen miles from Bowling Green, in what might be considered \u201cin the middle of nowhere.\u201d It was so successful that before long he had stores in Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Georgia. \u201cI worked there through high school fixing burgers, making shakes and ice cream and the gas pumps,\u201d Cathy Howard said. \u201cMy older brother Fred and I were there a lot. I remember gas was 39\u00a2 a gallon.\u201d Today there are only thirteen of the original free standing Stuckey\u2019s around. A merger with the Pet Milk Company in the mid-60s left the stores in a time warp of which they never fully escaped. Interstate highways left many of the locations isolated, and the Middle East oil crises in the early 70s didn\u2019t help. Stefanie Stuckey now owns the Stuckey\u2019s brand and is trying to bring it back to life although she is up against the likes of the super store Buc-ees, and giant travel centers that look more like a Wal-Mart than a gas station. Remnants of the yesteryear Stuckey\u2019s can still be seen forever. Though not appealing to traveling families, the high pitched roof structures have given way to discount liquor stores, adult only shops and service stations. Buc-ees in Smiths Grove, is slated to open in June 2024 at I-65 exit 38. By the way, the experience that a young Fred Higgins gained from working for his dad, Ralph, at Stuckey\u2019s led to him opening over 200 Minit Mart Convenient Stores throughout Kentucky and several states beginning in the late 60s. There\u2019s no excuse, get up, get out and get going! Gary P. West can be reached at westgarypdeb@gmail.com."}