Sally's Nuts

Highland Park, Illinois

Sally’s Nuts is a woman-owned, family-run small business rooted in creativity. It was inspired by Sally Schoch, a lifelong artist and vibrant hostess, who started making her now-famous sweet and salty pecans as holiday gifts for friends and family around 1990. The treats were so popular that people would return empty jars asking for more—even before the season ended. For years, friends urged Sally to sell her delicious nuts, but she didn’t pursue it until later in life.

In 2017, Sally’s daughter, Kari Guhl, helped her turn this beloved tradition into an official business. Kari promised Sally she’d handle the business side if her mother kept making the nuts. They started small—combining holiday card lists, sending out samples, and leveraging word of mouth to build momentum. Demand quickly grew and soon Sally’s Nuts had reached nearly 30 states.

In 2020, Kari and Sally took the bold step of opening a retail shop in Highland Park, Illinois, which also served as their production facility. In a true family affair, other relatives joined in—Sally as the artist and nut maker, Kari running the business, her brother providing culinary guidance, and younger family members helping with marketing and packing orders. The brand is defined by Sally’s creative spirit and her “If not now, when?” mantra. Sally’s Nuts is a testament to late-life entrepreneurship, family collaboration, and the power of a simple homemade recipe to bring joy and inspire a thriving small business.