by Brian Sherman

Peter Tollmann wanted something different than his successful career in sales. His dream was to buy a company of his own and use the experience as a way to teach his two kids the ins and outs of succeeding in the business world. The plan took three or four years to reach fruition, but, today, he and his family spend their days welcoming their ever-expanding circle of customers to “the nut house.”

And, if those potential patrons want to hang around Stella & Remi Southern Pecans & More, sample the various ways the quintessential Southern nut can be prepared, contemplate purchasing an array of other items offered by the growing business and bring their dogs along with them, that would be fine with the Tollmann family as well.

“It’s a very welcoming atmosphere. We want to make it more of an experience than a ‘buy-and-get- out’ type of thing,” said Tollmann, who was a vice president of sales for a steel manufacturing company before venturing into the pecan business.

A tribute to the Tollmann family dogs – Lab/Whippet mix Stella and Labradoodle Remi – the business was purchased from Kay Holseberg, founder and proprietor of Molly & Me Pecans, which, funny enough, was also named for a canine. She had a house on 183 acres in Holly Hill, a cookhouse, a few employees, and 14 years of experience hawking pecans, mostly at area farmers markets. When she finally decided to sell her business, Tollmann was a motivated buyer. The deal went down in August 2022, but, with the holiday season on the horizon, Holseberg continued preparing pecans for sale while the Tollmanns – Peter, wife Krysta, 21-year-old son Trey, and 18-year-old daughter Ansley – started learning the business.

“It was the perfect scenario for that transition,” Tollmann said.

The store, located in The Hammock Shops Village in Pawleys Island, opened Dec. 3, 2022, and, after remodeling, the Stella & Remi kitchen was operational by the following March.

“We originally wanted half the space for the kitchen and no space for retail. But they said we should take the entire building, and they gave me a great price,” he added.

The retail part of the store takes up 900 square feet, while the Tollmanns use 1,400 square feet for the kitchen and shipping area. Krysta, a kindergarten assistant at Pawleys Island Community Church, does the buying for the store, while Ansley, who is learning that part of the business, handles the cash register and greets customers. Trey takes care of stocking, packaging and shipping.

In addition to the Tollmann clan, three generations of another family help Stella & Remi run smoothly: Nancy Trimble; her daughter, Marti Hart; and her granddaughter, Alli Osborne.

The Stella & Remi pecans come from the Golden Kernel Pecan Company in Cameron, South Carolina. Tollmann said he uses around 600 pounds of nuts a month during most of the year, a number that is closer to 1,000 as the holiday season approaches. Many of the other items for sale in the store are from local vendors as well, including soaps and candles made in Pawleys Island and dog treats from nearby Murrells Inlet.

The store offers nine different flavors of pecans, with bourbon being the best seller. There’s also apple pie moonshine, a couple of spicy items made with Worcestershire and cayenne pepper and a “sneaky hot” Chex mix known as Remi’s Slow Burn.

In addition to what the Tollmanns sell at the store, they do a web business and have 500 wholesale accounts in 23 states – and they intend for their growth to continue. The next location might be in Myrtle Beach; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee is also in their future plans, though “that will take time,” Tollmann pointed out.

Until then, they’ll be content with welcoming customers – and their dogs – to their nut house.