Mary Mack's Inc. owner Gary Mac Herring looks over some over seas shipments before they are sent to their various destinations.
Photo by Billy Todd
Gary Mac Herring, a life-long resident of the small town, started from humble beginnings with a shaved ice stand in Clinton to help generate some money at the age of 19. In 12 years he has moved from the small stands to operate a small business that has far-reaching arms, as he now distributes his product worldwide.
The Newton Grove town commissioner is moving his business from a 5,000-square-foot building to a newly-renovated 24,000 square foot facility. “We only use half of the building for our business,” shared Herring. “The other half of the building we rent to a furniture company to use as a storage warehouse.”
The 12,000-square-foot facility has enabled Mary Mack’s to spread out and provide a better working environment for its employees and business. “We just did not have enough space any longer at our old facility. We did not even have room for any office spac, and our kitchen was limited.” The new building is actually the old HEMCO building used as a sewing plant.
Herring received a grant from Progress Energy to assist in making the facility energy efficient through improved insulation, lighting and heating and cooling. The storage capabilities are now such that he can put products on shelving which improves the process of filling orders. Shipping is also enhanced with the additional space. “We have greatly increased the size of our kitchen where we make our product. Besides the office space we now have, we were also able to include an employee break area which is really convenient and nice for them.”
Mary Mack’s is a name that came from Herring’s sisters and other small children who could not properly pronounce his name and called him “Mary Mac.”
“Some people think it came from my grandmother, and it may have played a part, but I thought it was rather unique and decided on that to name the business.”
The business, which Herring started while in college for some cash, started to expand after he graduated and was living at home with his parents. “I needed some money not only in the summer any longer. I needed a way to earn a living since I was out of school.” He noted that people were buying his shaved ice flavored syrups from the Hawaiian Shaved Ice stands, so, he thought, maybe there would be a market for them online. “The internet was just getting started and I decided to jump in.”
And jump in he did.
Currently, Herring has three addresses for the flavored slushy mixes, supplies and machines and one for a new adventure called Sticky Life which allows people to design their own license plates, temporary tattoos, stickers, key chains, etc., with the site located at www.stickylife.com. The young entrepreneur admits that business from this site is yet to take off. The business’ other sites, www.HawaiianShavedIce.com accounts for 30 percent of the overall business, and supplies mainly home supplies. The commercial account www.1-800-shaved-ice.com provides 65 percent of the business and is where large orders are placed. Herring offers cotton candy supplies at his website www.cottoncandyexpress.com and that part of the business brings in 5 percent of the income.
When Herring set out in business online in 2000, he set a goal of 20 boxes to go out a month. The business far exceeds that goal. “The biggest day we sent out 340 boxes but we average 150-175 per day in the summer and in the winter 20-40 boxes per day.”
Mary Mack’s busiest time of year is from May through August. Herring said that they experienced a bump in sales around Christmas with people giving home shaved ice or snow cone machines. Mary Mack’s employs six full-time and three part-time summer workers.
California ranks at the top in orders, followed by Texas and Florida. “We do sell worldwide. A lot of our products go military bases, to APO addresses. We send some orders to New Zealand, but 99.9 percent of our business in the U.S. and Canada.”
Herring said that he almost hated to admit that his business has actually picked up as a result of the poor economy.
“I hate to profit from others’ circumstances but because people are looking for additional income we have had some people come in and take advantage of what we offer.” He explained that a man from Raleigh came by a week or so ago and was looking for a quick income source and decided to rent a machine and bought about $600 worth of supplies. He then took the machine to a track meet and sold about $2,300 worth of snow cones the first weekend. He went another weekend and made about $1,300 from his efforts.
“He was extremely satisfied with us,” said Herring. “It makes us feel good. He made some money and we made some money.”
Mary Mack’s offers over 160 different items related to the slushy snow cone business. Herring has even developed a manual that is available online free for anyone thinking about going into the business. “It starts with the basics and carries through to how to set up a business and the actual operation of the business.”
Herring currently offers 85 different flavors and plans to add 10 more flavors around the Fourth of July. The most popular flavor, by far, is cherry, Herring said. The flavors are purchased from a flavor house, but Mary Mack’s produces its own flavor mixes. Some are ready to use and some are concentrate.
Interest in the business is ever increasing. Herring and Mary Mack’s has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, TV Guide. “We even had a space on the wheel (Wheel of Fortune) recently and the person won. We also provided Christmas gifts for Arnold Schwarzenegger one year.” Herring also shared that some home products are sold on Amazon.com and that has helped boost business.
The business-savvy young man has traveled to China to attend the world’s largest convention in an effort to find products that can help him cut production costs that he can then pass on to his customers. Herring admits that the business could be located most any place, but because of the nature of the business, it has allowed him to remain close to home near family and friends and that means a great deal to him.
The Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will be held at Mary Mack’s tonight (Thursday) in conjunction with the ribbon-cutting and open house, which will start at 5 p.m. The public is invited.
To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail siobits@heartlandpublications.com.
Post a Comment
