For the uninitiated, Stuckey's is a nostalgic chain of roadside convenience stores that is famous for its Pecan Nut Roll and all kinds of great corny souvenirs. Stuckey’s got its start in the 1930s and had its heyday for decades, but by the time I was a teenager in the ‘70s it was down on its luck, at least where I lived in Southern California. If I recall correctly, there were two out in the desert, one in Afton that you drove past on the way to Vegas, and one in Newberry Springs that you drove past on the way to Arizona. Both were dying. The Afton location hung on the longest. My friends and I realized that it wouldn’t be long before the delights of Stuckey’s would be gone altogether, so on a road trip in the late 70s we made a point of stopping at the last one and buying an iconic Pecan Nut Roll and a great ashtray and companion matchbook. This is what you call “thinking ahead.” I enjoy these acquisitions to this day!
Stuckey’s is back in the news now. Stephanie Stuckey is on a mission to revive the chain in its former kitschy glory. Don’t forget to bring back the ash trays!