EAL Fall 2023

Photos courtesy of Andy Anderson
Located in a country setting with quiet streets and houses shaded by tall, ancient
trees, the town of Waverly has been home to Marty and Andy Anderson since
2001, when they were smitten with the town. Their home has been a haven away
for Andy when he is not busy as co-owner of four businesses, Wickles Pickles, The
Waverly Local, the Plaza & Lounge and now The Shack.
“We fell in love with Waverly,” says Marty.
“We have the best people in our community,
it is truly special, and everyone looks
out for each other. It has been fun to watch
our town grow.”
The Andersons renovated their home,
with the original part of the house built
in the 1800s. During the renovation, they
found letters dated 1895 that slid from
the attic into the wall. The letters were
addressed to Moreman, which is a family
name. “My grandmother grew up in
Waverly,” Andy says, “but prior to finding
the letters, I didn’t know that the house had
belonged to my ancestors.”
While Andy grew up in Auburn, Marty is
from Anniston. Marty’s background is special
education. She is now a founding partner
at ALL for Children where she works
with children with dyslexia.
Marty and Andy have a 6-year-old son,
Copeland, who loves growing up in Waverly.
He knows everyone in town and will tell
everybody The Local has the best fries ever.
WICKLES PICKLES
When brothers Will and Trey Sims’
cousin taught them how to make her family’s
recipe for pickles, they decided to
brand them Wickles Pickles in 1998. Andy
partnered with the Sims brothers a year or
so later in 2000. They had been making the
pickles in a commercial kitchen in downtown
Dadeville but had just moved production
to a co-packer. Andy states, “Our
Dadeville Wickles office is very small with
only seven of us total. All are friends, and
many have been with us for a long time. We
are like family.”
Since the partners were no longer making
the product, they were able to focus on
sales to gourmet and gift shops. They began
traveling around the south to let shop owners
try other uniquely sweet and hot pickles,
and handing them out to their families
EAST ALABAMA LIVING 63