“Serving Cleveland County & Surrounding Areas”
CAROLINA TROPHIES www.shelbyinfo.com Our 42ND Year • Issue No. 36 • September 4, 2025
12/28/23
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Mack’s Livermush is a Cleveland County culinary and community icon By Alan Hodge
and people didn’t waste anything. The The 40th anniversary of first plant had a dirt the Cleveland County Mush, floor and the liverMusic, & Mutts Festival is mush was stirred set for Oct. 18th and one of in tubs with woodthe event’s founders, Mack’s en paddles as it Livermush, will be on hand just cooked. After it was as it has since the celebration made into cakes it began back in 1985. was put in wooden Yes, it was four decades boxes for sale.” ago that Mack’s owner at the Ray did his own time, Bill McKee, and some marketing. other folks decided to perk up “He sold it to downtown Shelby by setting up country stores,” said sidewalk sales, playing some Ron. “There was music, and giving out samples no refrigeration but of livermush on crackers. From livermush is already that humble beginning, the fes- cooked and has low tival, and Mack’s, have both moisture content so blossomed. it would not spoil.” Bill’s son Ron runs Mack’s Ron’s cousin, Ron McKee is the third generation of the these days and talked about Gary Wellmon, McKee family to head up Mack’s Livermush how the company grew from made this remark- & Meats. The business was started in 1933 by the red clay of the Newhouse “Uncle Ray wrote his grandfather Ray and continued with Ron’s community northwest of the book on liver- father Bill. Shelby to where it is today and mush.” also drove a route truck delivhow the festival grew with it. Ron’s dad, Bill, stepped up ering the product to stores in “My grandfather Ray McKee as the second generation of started making livermush on the McKee clan to make liver- places like Casar and Polkville. his farm just up the road at mush. He not only kept things Bill drove up until just before the old home place,” Ron said. going at the plant on McKee his passing in July, 1998. Making and delivering liver“It was during the Depression Rd., but with his wife Carolyn mush was just part of Bill’s involvement with the delicacy that has been referred to as “Piedmont pate’ after the European rustic delicacy. “He wanted to show as many different types of people how good livermush is,” said Ron. “In 1985 he talked to leaders in Shelby about having an event that would attract people to the downtown area because it was losing business to shopping Bill McKee and a company truck back in the day. malls. They came
Representatives Gray Burn and Christy Dennis of Mack’s Livermush & Meats are pictured handing out the eats at the 2023 Mush, Music & Mutts Festival. (Photos provided)
Bill (left) handing out free livermush samples on crackers at an early Livermush Festival. up with the idea of a festival where businesses there could attract people.” The month of October was given the nod as a good time to have such an event. Ron recalled the first festival: “We had sidewalk sales, school cheerleaders, music, and our little booth which was the only food vendor,” he said. “We cooked livermush in an electric skillet and gave out little slices on crackers.” The event proved to be
highly popular, and each year attracted a larger crowd. “We went from samples that first year to the next year giving out 300 livermush biscuits,” he said. “It kept getting bigger and bigger and in 2023 we gave out 6,000 sandwiches in eight hours. Over the years we went from using four skillets to eight deep friers cooking all day long.” Making enough livermush not only for the festival but See MACKS, Page 8
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