{google_map}29.9523 -90.0672{\/google_map}<\/p>\n
I am going to try something new and make a link that shows our trip down here in Google Maps (Link to Google Trip Map)<\/a>.\u00a0 Assuming that works, you can see all of the stops we made in our 1500 mile journey down here.<\/p>\n Before we start documenting our stay here I need to catch up on our rather quick visit to Laurel, MS.\u00a0 This stop was made to explore the area where the HGTV \u201cHome Town\u201d show is filmed.\u00a0 The show features Erin and Ben Napier, and like \u201cFixer Upper\u201d they remodel\/rebuild homes for their clients.<\/p>\n We did not take an official tour of the area, but we did make two stops that are noted in the TV Show:\u00a0 Laurel Mercantile Co and the Scotsman General Store and Workshop.\u00a0 The latter is where Ben\u2019s workshop is located.\u00a0 From inside the General Store, you can look through a glass wall and see the shop.<\/p>\n On the way down to New Orleans we stopped at a Stuckey\u2019s store.\u00a0 In the \u201860s Stuckey\u2019s had become an integral part of the American road trip. It boasted 368 stores\/restaurants in over 30 states, each offering kitschy souvenirs, clean restrooms, Texaco gas, and of course, their famous pecan based candies.\u00a0 They went out of business in the 70s as I recall.\u00a0 On this trip we were watching an NBC broadcast and our favorite reporter (Harry Smith) visited a \u201crevived\u201d Stuckey\u2019s store and interviewed the Granddaughter of the creator of Stuckey\u2019s.\u00a0 In the interview she talked about trying to re-create the business.\u00a0 It looks like they are not very far along in that process.\u00a0 We did buy a couple of their famous Pecan Log Rolls.\u00a0 I have included a photo of an abandoned restaurant\/service station that shows what all the stores looked like in the glory time.<\/p>\n I will catch up on our tours of New Orleans (the good and the bad!) in the next post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hello from New Orleans, LA Thursday August 25, 2022 (Third post of this travelogue) We are staying at the Marriott at the edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans (Google Map) {google_map}29.9523 -90.0672{\/google_map} I am going to try something … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/beltguy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Abandoned-Stuckeys-Restaurant-and-Gas-Station-e1661474271192-300x220.jpg\")
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