Small town, big legacy: Mount Olive celebrates two homegrown icons
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. (WTVD) -- With a population of just under 5,000, Mount Olive may be small, but its reputation stretches far beyond Wayne County.
For 100 years, the town has been known nationwide for one thing: pickles.
"For 100 years, Mount Olive, the town, has been known far and wide for its pickles," company spokesperson Lynn Williams said.
Pickles are everywhere here - from hats and greeting cards to baby clothes, T-shirts and jars of every size imaginable. What began as a simple idea has grown into America's top brand of pickles, peppers and relishes.
That idea took root in January 1926, when local business leaders noticed farmers had an abundance of cucumbers going to waste. Their solution: create a new market everyone could benefit from.
"The idea was, if we could create a new market for farmers, the whole town would benefit," Williams explained.
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At the corner of Cucumber and Vine in downtown Mount Olive, a business was born - one that started small and now fills grocery store shelves across the country.
"That means that no matter wherever you go throughout the United States, you can find a bit of home on the grocery store shelf," Williams said.
A Parallel Story, Rooted in Community
In that same small town, another business grew alongside Mount Olive Pickles - and with the same farmers and community in mind.
Southern Bank traces its roots back to 1901, when it began with a single branch and just $10,000. Today, the bank operates more than 50 branches across North Carolina and Virginia, stretching from Wilmington to Raleigh and north into Virginia.
"You can't have one without the other, for sure," said Southern Bank representative Hope Fields. "We were brought up and founded from the backs of our community, our farmers, and we've consistently tried to stay close to those roots."
This year, Southern Bank is celebrating its 125th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the bank is committing to 125 acts of service in the communities it serves.
"We give back every chance we can to every community that we're in," Fields said.
A Celebration That Brings Everyone Together
Both businesses say community is at the core of what they do - and that spirit will be on full display this weekend during the annual North Carolina Pickle Festival in downtown Mount Olive.
"We laugh that we're part street fair, part community festival and part family reunion," one organizer said.
It's a fitting celebration for a town that has produced two well-known businesses with deep roots and lasting impact - one big legacy from a small North Carolina town.
"Small businesses are our bread and butter," one leader said.
And in Mount Olive - pickles, too.
Fun Facts
- Mount Olive Pickles is now owned by 480 shareholders, many of them third- and fourth-generation descendants of the company's original investors.
- The 40th annual North Carolina Pickle Festival takes place Saturday in downtown Mount Olive
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