convenience store
A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lotter ...
chain
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...
region. They also own and operate Broadacre Dairy Inc, which processes milk, tea, juices, and
eggnog
Eggnog (), historically also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic beverages are added, is a rich, chilled, added sugar, sweetened, dairy-based sweetened beverage, beverage traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolk ...
for their convenience stores, as well as its own bakery, Red Barn Foods.
History
The Weigel family entered the dairy business in 1931 with a "herd" of four cows on a 600-acre farm selling raw milk in 10-gallon cans. William Weigel Sr. began bottling pasteurized milk in 1935 and the company soon built a home delivery service.
In 1938, management of the operation passed completely to Lynn B. and William W. Weigel, both men having graduated from the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (or The University of Tennessee; UT; UT Knoxville; or colloquially UTK or Tennessee) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United St ...
's School of Dairy Science. Lynn was in charge of the office and dairy operations and William was in charge of farm operations and marketing. In 1947, the new plant was modernized, and
ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...
and
cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a curdled milk product with a mild flavour and a creamy, heterogeneous, soupy texture, made from skimmed milk. An essential step in the manufacturing process distinguishing cottage cheese from other fresh cheeses is the additio ...
production were added.
Primarily to provide an outlet for their returnable gallon milk jugs and other dairy products, the Weigel brothers opened drive-through stores in
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...
. Store Number 1, on Sanderson Road in
Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...
, opened on December 9, 1958. Current CEO Billy Weigel expanded on that idea when he opened the company's first walk-in milk store, in 1964, which became one of the first convenience stores in Knoxville.
The company opened its own bakery, Red Barn Foods, in 2014. The 12,000-square-foot facility makes daily delivers of donuts, cookies and muffins to Weigel's locations throughout the region. The company is expanding on that fresh concept with Weigel's Kitchens inside some locations.
Between 1999 and 2015, Weigel's invested more than $120 million in new store builds, opening about 40 new and replacement locations.
Weigel's Milk
In 1958, Weigel's introduced its Jug O’Milk brand. All Weigel's milk is produced at the Broadacre Dairy dairy farm in Powell, Tennessee. The milk is cold pasteurized the old-fashioned way, allowing it to retain a natural creamy flavor. Being a small and local dairy, the company's localized supply chain is able to bring the milk from farm-to-store within 24 hours.
Weigel's chocolate milk has won three Tennessee State Fair Blue Ribbon awards.