Gordon Smith, pictured first row on the far left, is just one of many merchants of his generation who traveled to Mobile with dreams of starting his own business. It is said that he came to the city in 1899 with only 50 cents in his pocket. After working for R.O. Harris Grocery for less than a year, Smith set out to start his own bakery.
After his original bakery burned down in 1902, Smith eventually moved to the northwest corner of Dauphin and Hallett streets, where Red or White is currently located. What began as a four-baker operation expanded to 600 employees and four separate plants. The business became a Mobile staple and served its baked goods throughout the entire Gulf region.
Original photo from the Historic Mobile Preservation Society, William E. Wilson Collection, Minnie Mitchell Archives | Colorization by Dynamichrome Limited
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