Garland C. Norris Company

Garland C. Norris Company started in Apex, N.C. in 1904 by Mr. Garland C. Norris. Mr. Norris, then 18 years old, invested his entire savings of $75 to purchase tobacco products, which he distributed with a mule and wagon. In 1921, Mr. Norris moved the Company to Raleigh and expanded the operation to include a radius of 25 miles around Raleigh, and new products including candies, ice cream cones, and cola syrup. Major expansion occurred again in the early 1930s when paper cups were first manufactured. Garland C. Norris Co. became the exclusive distributor of Dixie Cups for North Carolina pioneering the introduction of paper disposables throughout North Carolina. During the 1970s and 1980s the Company focused on distributing food-service disposables and replaced tobacco, candies and sundries with chemicals and cleaners, party supplies and maintenance items. The Company continued its concentration on sales to distributors and expanded its service area to include all of North and ...