It was at Floral Hall in Shelbyville. “Old Folks” purchased land in the tiny community of 250 people and constructed a new plant with its own water and sewage systems. ‘I know you…I saw you on TV.’ I said. The family lived in Louisville for about five years before deciding to settle in the rural community of Simpsonville about 25 miles east of Louisville around 1956. No MSG. It was his last act as far as we know.” 3 Purnell's Old Folks® Old Fashioned Style Bologna Rolls. He died in 1974. The ’80’s and 90’s saw continued expansion of sales territory. He laughed. Each brother had respective roles: Bob in Facilities and Maintenance, Fred in Plant Operations and Allen in Sales and Marketing. “One morning, Danny Joe [sales representative] told a salesman to ‘come watch the Squirrel perform.’ [Danny Joe’s nickname is ‘Squirrel’.] 12 - 16 OZ (1 LB) Rolls of Premium Spicy-Medium Country Sausage. Average Weight 3 to 3.5 Pounds Per Roll. Others felt and feel like the plant offered a family work environment. He ground the sausage with a blend of salt, pepper and his special seasonings. Daddy, Mama and I loaded up the car and took product to him that night. Think about moving to a new city with no contacts and starting a business with 3 kids still in school. Mrs. Anna Belle Smith was there then. People began associating Allen’s country accent with the sausage and his tag line at the end of each ad: “Buy a pound or two ’cause it’s gooo-od!”. The lady would say when she started to give an order, ‘bring me 3 or 4 legs of bologna today.’ Then their customers told them that when they heard a Purnell’s ad, they had to go to the kitchen and cook some sausage because it made them hungry.” When packing his lunchbox for work he would take leftover biscuits from breakfast and his “Purnell” sausage. “My all time favorite memory was my first Christmas Dinner. Frank Murphy who now lives in Florida gave me the chance to sell sausage in their stores, maybe 50 of them. They all treated me and the rest of the Employees as if we were a part of this Company.” Unsliced. ~Charles Coulter (Sales Manager). Includes all the good cuts and seasoned just right. In the 1990’s the plant was greatly modernized and expanded in Simpsonville. The Company continued to expand the plant too. Includes all the good cuts and seasoned just right. What makes it so gooo-od? “My oldest memory was the day I walked into the ‘old office’ twenty six years ago. When I think of the history of this company I think the one word that best sums it up is “family.” The Purnell family has owned and operated Purnell Sausage Company going on three generations now. We were constantly teased at school about the slogan and could only smile and say, “That’s our dad.”. On the way back around 2 a.m. on Dixie Highway between Ft. Knox and Valley Station a policeman pulled Daddy over for speeding. They aren’t just employees or associates or whatever jargon you want to use. Once he shared his lunch with a co-worker who enjoyed it so much he offered to buy the sausage from my grandfather who gladly agreed to sell it to him. What makes Purnell's Old Folks Sausage so gooo-od? All members of the family worked in the business. ‘Well, you can drive one of our’s.’ So on the next day I went to Ohio with Charlie Coulter. Brother Bob said he wanted equal time so he made a TV commercial. I was on fire. Old Folks was accustomed to his family’s homemade country sausage and found there was none available in the city. By this point of time the Company was becoming well entrenched in the Louisville market. '” What I liked so much was that the entire Purnell family and children were there. 6 - 38 OZ (24 Patties) Boxes of Smokehouse Sausage Patties. 12 - 12 OZ Packages of Old Fashioned Cooked Bratwurst. He had a cow horn on the car. 5 Fat Grams. “John Lee [a long-time employee] said it was just like a big family working there, you know. Together they continued to build the Company adding new equipment, new sales territories and workers to the Simpsonville facility. “I had a customer in Nelson County, Kentucky in the late ’50’s or early ’60’s that sold our bologna and sausage at the time Purnells advertised on radio when the Kentucky ballgames were being played. No MSG Added! The term “whole hog” actually refers to using only … He used to park it and blow the horn and watch as the cattle, white Charlois, approached to sniff and stare while he smiled. The Company began advertising on the radio in the 1960’s. It’s hard to say you make country sausage in the city. The plant was expanded during the 1970’s to accommodate a big increase in sales. I told him that we can’t quit now-we’ve got too many mouths to feed!” No MSG. Old Folks was talking with a sales representative from Louisville, Kentucky at one point. 110 Calories. He eventually worked for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company as a steam engine mechanic. It was the first significant chain of stores to stock and sell Purnell’s Old Folks Sausage.” ~Allen Purnell. Then I asked about a job. He started making his own pork sausage in the fall of 1932, using only the choicest cuts. At this time the business was operated by Fred, Jr., Bob and Allen. Sales figures have continued to grow through the ’90’s. Because it’s gooo-od! Purnell Sausage comes from all the good cuts and seasoned just right, that’s why. He said, ‘Can you drive a truck?’ ‘ I have a pickup.’ I answered. Grid She said Allen Purnell was down the hall and was in, so I went in. ~Fred B. Purnell, Jr. My grandfather retired in the 1960’s. Daddy got on to the cop for pulling us over saying that he was out trying to make a living and the cop should leave him alone and get after the crooks. The move was really brave on their part. He had developed emphysema which had become more debilitating. I can still remember going with him to open gates. Product innovations and product quality and service have enabled Purnells’ products to be top-sellers in places far from Simpsonville such as Iowa and Texas. The informality and laid-back atmosphere of the place contributes to a friendly workplace filled with long-time people. The kids, Betty, Fred, Jr., Bob, Allen, and Betty’s husband, Tom, all worked in the business in various roles. 623 were here. Needing to earn more than his pension to support his family of 4 children, they embarked on creating a business out of making and selling country sausage. But they worked together as a family. Includes all the good cuts and seasoned just right. 12 - 16 OZ (1 LB) Rolls of Smokehouse Sausage. 8 - 23 OZ (16 Patties) Boxes of Turkey Sausage Patties. Yet the business retains its family flavor; it’s unlikely you’ll meet an unfriendly face in the Purnell facility. Now you can call me ‘Jug. The term “whole hog” actually refers to using only the choice cuts like the hams, loins, and shoulders. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. When it came time to doing the commercials they had to settle on how the ads would be made. The Purnell family rented a plant in the Mellwood Avenue area of Louisville. The focus of the advertising was on University of Kentucky basketball games. ~Clara Purnell. He spent his last days driving his old cadillac on his 500 acre farm that was adjacent to Simpsonville. ~Al Stargel (Sales Representative 1973 to present). 12 - 12 OZ Packages of Mild Sliced Souse. Welcome to the online home of the best country sausage money can buy. They began advertising on television during this period of time. “Back in the 1950’s we had a guy down at Scottsville, Kentucky who was selling sausage and other products and he called in late one afternoon wanting more sausage to sell the next day. I asked about a job. I think he was right, also it is still pretty much that way.” Purnell Sausage, Inc. Simpsonville, KYPrivacy Policy | Return Shipping. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. After viewing the TV commercial he had made Bob did not like it and said he would leave it up to me to do the commercials.” Often, members from the same family worked in the business. In the 1950’s while the couple was in their 50’s and with 3 kids still in school, the family decided to move to unfettered sausage territory. Mama and me kept telling Daddy to hush, but the cop gave him the ticket anyway.” View as: ~Fred B. Purnell, Jr. In many ways the people that work in the plant became the Purnells’ second family. The salesman recommended that he move to Louisville because there weren’t any other sausage companies there, at least country sausage makers. Old Folks was accustomed to his family’s homemade country sausage and found there was none available in the city. Purnell Sausage, Inc. Simpsonville, KYPrivacy Policy | Return Shipping. “We knew we wanted to be in the country. Purnell Sausage comes from the whole hog. Even so, the Company has carried on a strict adherence to selling quality products and longstanding commitment to service. Average Weight 3 to 3.5 Pounds Per Roll. ~Clara Purnell. The sales territory now encompasses about half of the states in the U.S. and also Mexico. There are approximately 300 employees. The biggest contributor to the success of the Company has been its loyal, dedicated and hardworking people many of whom grew up in the rural areas surrounding Louisville. Such advertising made the Purnell name almost synonymous with the Wildcats and their huge fan following.