Alvis Thad Lewallen, Sr., born 1888 in Randolph County, was a prominent figure in the business community of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Details about his early life and upbringing are not widely available, but it is known that he had a keen interest in entrepreneurship and business from a young age. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served in the United States military during World War I. Lewallen then began his business career and was a partner in Bennett-Lewallen, wholesale providers of candy, fountain drinks, over-the-counter drugs, tobacco, and more products.
Lewallen was a supplier for Martin C. “Goody” Goodman, a local pharmacist who created his own headache relief powder called “Goody’s.” In 1936, Lewallen purchased the formula and the rights to Goody’s Headache Powder from Goodman. He began mixing and packaging the product in two downtown Winston-Salem offices and focused on building a strong customer base. He hired over 30 traveling salesmen to market the product to convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery marts. The company also targeted prospective repeating customers: tobacco and textile mill workers.
Lewallen set Goody’s on a course for growth, placing the fast pain relief powder on the shelves of pharmacies across the South and beyond. As success in the headache powder business depended almost entirely on advertising, Lewallen incorporated innovative marketing strategies, including giving his product away to factory workers during shift changes. His daughter, Ann Lewallen Spencer, later described her father’s reasoning: “Put it in the people’s hands and if they try it and they like it, they’ll buy it.” Goody’s eventually earned the name “production powder” because of its popularity among mill workers.
Even after Lewallen’s death, Goody’s continued to utilize his creative advertising techniques. In 1977, it became one of the first non-automotive sponsors of NASCAR. For Goody’s management, NASCAR, arguably the most popular sport in the Southeast, provided the perfect forum to promote their product’s “fast relief” to their targeted audience. Eventually, famed NASCAR driver Richard “The King” Petty became the official spokesman for the headache powder.
Lewallen’s entrepreneurial success with Goody’s Headache Powder had a significant impact on Winston-Salem. The company became a large employer in the area, contributing to its economic growth and development. Lewallen invested in local infrastructure, supported other businesses, and actively participated in community development initiatives. His efforts helped transform the city into a vibrant commercial hub, attracting new businesses and visitors.
A. Thad Lewallen, Sr. passed away in 1945, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and leadership. His journey from purchasing a formula to building a successful brand serves as an inspiration, and his legacy is reflected in both the success of his company and the continued prosperity of Winston-Salem. In 1995, Glaxo/Smith/Klein bought Goody’s and moved operations to Memphis, TN. With the sale, Ann Lewallen Spencer donated the company’s Liberty Street building and land to the Salem Academy and College. In 2012, GSK sold most of the Goody’s products to Prestige Brands, which continues to produce them today. The Goody’s brand and its associated products continue to be popular in the market, reflecting the enduring impact of Lewallen’s entrepreneurship.
