Early's Honey Stand
Authentic Southern Foods Since 1925
Over 100 Years ago, Early’s Honey Stand first opened next to an old tollgate. Television hadn't yet found its way into American homes and the interstate highways didn't exist. And the idea of ordering something from a telephone would have sounded downright peculiar, let alone the concept of one day ordering on the internet!
Of course, a lot has changed since then. And we've had to change with it.
When the interstate highways began carrying travelers away from our little stretch of road, we faced a problem familiar to countless small businesses: how to keep the doors open when the customers stop coming so frequently. Our answer was the mail.
What began as a simple catalog grew into a tradition that reached families across America. Today, Early’s has the oldest continuously running mail-order catalog in the American South.
But here's something that might surprise you. After 101 years, we're still a very small business.
We still pack, ship and service all our orders right from our little operation in Spring Hill. We still spend a great deal of time selecting the country hams, smoked bacon, honey, preserves, and other Southern Foods that carry our name. Although most orders now come in online or over email, we still answer the telephone.
That last part becomes particularly important around Christmas. You see, sending a gift to one person is fairly simple. Sending fifty gifts to fifty different people, each with a different address, personal message, and assortment of foods, is another matter entirely. Sometimes you need the telephone and reach someone directly.
But that's what we've done for generations. We know those boxes aren't just merchandise. They're Christmas wishes, thank-yous, family traditions, and sometimes a little reminder of home.
In 2025, during our 100th year, we brought Tennessee Peanut Company into the family. Its premium roasted peanuts now join our traditional foods in holiday gift boxes and are finding their way onto the shelves of wonderful independent retailers throughout the Southeast. It's a small new chapter in a rather long story.
We'd love to tell you that 101 years in business came from some brilliant plan. It didn't. As with any small business, there have been hard years, uncertain decisions, and plenty of occasions when simply keeping things going was accomplishment enough. But customers kept coming back. And we've kept trying to give them a reason to.
A century ago, our business depended on someone taking the time to stop along the road. Today, it still depends on someone choosing to stop by and see what we have to offer. We don't take either one for granted.
5075 Main Street | Spring Hill
800.523.2015 | Earlys.com
