Weigel’s Farm Stores, Inc. operates more than 60 dairy and convenience stores, all within a 50-mile (80 km) radius of corporate headquarters in Powell, TN. Weigel’s sells its own brand of milk, fruit juice, and iced tea. The company also has an award-winning selection of coffee, cappuccino, and hot chocolate.
The Weigel family entered the dairy business in 1931 with a “herd” of four cows, selling raw milk for nine cents a gallon. In 1936, a used pasteurizer was purchased, and the dairy became one of the first in East Tennessee to distribute pasteurized milk. A total of 12 people were employed by the farm and dairy at that time.
In 1938, management of the operation passed completely to Lynn B. and William W. Weigel, both men having graduated from the University of Tennessee’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 and cottage cheese 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. The first Weigel’s, a 500-square-foot location, opened on December 9, 1958. Walk-in stores didn’t appear until June 1964, when Store Number 12 opened on Oak Ridge Highway.
Today, Weigel’s stores are bright and modern, and the company is among the leaders in the retail convenience market. Our Markets At Choto location (convenient to residents of Choto, Farragut, and West Knoxville), is a testament to our commitment to serving our customers with quality and convenience throughout East Tennessee.
