B. Lloyd's Pecan Service Stations
In 1905, at the age of 6, Mr. B. Lloyd Woodall helped his father plant pecan trees. Twenty-five years later, using pecans from the trees he helped plant, Mr. "B. Lloyd" built his first pecan store near Barnesville, Georgia.
From this modest beginning, the business expanded rapidly. At one point shortly before World War II, Mr. B. Lloyd was operating 14 stores in the Southeast. Signs reading "B. Lloyd's" were seen up and down Southern highways like US 41 and US 301.
One of many B. Lloyd's Storefronts
In 1939, a booth at the World's Fair in New York introduced B. Lloyd's products to millions. Shipments were made to points all over the United States and to servicemen and women overseas.
The last storefront was closed in the early 1990's and B. Lloyd's nuts were available only by mail order.
Heeth Varnedoe (left) and Douglas R. Wedding (right) along with B. Lloyd's spokesperson, Paula Deen
In 2002 Heeth Varnedoe, a Thomasville native, and Douglas R. Wedding, from St. Petersburg, Florida, purchased the company. Since then, Varnedoe and Wedding have rapidly expanded production and introduced new products into grocery store shelves, including B. Lloyd's glazed nut salad toppers and ice cream toppers.