The History of Mrs. Sullivan's...
The Great Depression was in full swing in the early 1930's and war was just around the corner. During this hectic period, Mrs. Earl Sullivan could be found cooking old-fashioned pecan pies for her family in their small kitchen on Forest Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee. The smell that arose from the windowsill where the pies were cooking was a sure attraction for the kids of the neighborhood. Mrs. Sullivan would share her pies with these kids, who in turn took them home for parents to sample. One parent was so impressed with the flavor of the pecan pie he had sampled that he approached Mrs. Sullivan about selling her delicious pies on his snack route. Mrs. Sullivan made a decision that would have an impact on her family for generations to come. Using a small gas oven, she was able to bake 38 small pies at a time using the family's special recipe. Two years later the family enclosed the back porch and installed a four-deck commercial oven that was capable of baking 250 pies at a time. Later they expanded to three, then six of these ovens. In 1960 Mrs. Sullivan's built the Preston Street plant where business is still conducted today. Although no longer owned by the Sullivan family, the bakery is owned by an area family that has been serving the refreshment needs of the region for over 90 years. Mrs. Sullivan's Pies now sell to customers all across the U.S. who still enjoy the old-fashioned taste of fresh baked pies. Mrs. Sullivan's Pies- we've been baking the perfect pie for over 70 years.