Weis Markets on The Rise

Sigfried Weis (2nd), born in 1916, was the staple and one of the Weis Supermarket chain’s foundations, graduating from Andover Academy with academic honors and attending Yale, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa for his exceptional academic efforts in 1937. After graduating from Yale, he married Janet Ruth Campner in 1938. Weis would then start his life contributing to the family business, wherein 1942, he would assist in heading the consumers’ division of the store. Mrs. Weis would give birth to three children and live in Sunbury. Weis made his way up in the company, attending the National Supermarket Convention in Chicago, and was elected Atlantic Coast States Regional Director at the Supermarket convention in 1946. This would earn

Weis a spot as vice president of sales in 1949. With this bump in position, Sigfried Weis began to increase the involvement of Weis Markets in the national supermarket world. Weis would speak at the American Foods Conference in 1952 and was named chairman of the Sunbury Finance Company, and donated over ten thousand dollars to the Geisinger Hospital efforts.

With the efforts of Sigfried Weis along with the help of his brother Robert Weis, by 1955, the Weis Supermarket chain had opened a cold storage unit in New York City and opened a store in York, PA, with plans of adding four more in that same area. Also, By 1958, Weis Markets across PA were advancing due to sales and profit success; that same year, three new Weis Markets were opened in the Harrisburg Area. With the rapid growth of stores across Central PA and new stores opening in State College and Berwick in 1959, Sigfried Weis was nominated as the Director of the Middle Atlantic Institute at their annual convention. In 1960, there were huge plans for Weis Markets as the largest modern outlet was prepared to open along Route 522 in Selinsgrove, right across the river from the founding place of the chain. Also, by 1960, Weis Markets had 38 stores spread across PA with no plans to slow down. 

By 1961, groundbreaking ceremonies were being held across PA for the addition of new Weis Markets. However, that same year, Harry Weis passed away when, just ten days later, Sigfried Weis was named the head of the Weis Market Chain. With the change in leadership, Weis aimed to record $100 million in sales for 1963 at the annual meeting for members of Weis Markets at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club.  

The 1960s showed substantial growth for the Weis Market chain. In 1964, 621 Weis employees were honored for their service among 49 stores in the supermarket chain. However, Weis did not stop there; they opened their 50th store that same year at State College, where it was coined the ‘Golden Market,’ marking another significant milestone in its history.  

In November of 1965, Weis Markets planned to build a large ice cream plant in Sunbury, where Bryan L. Berry was elected Dairy Plant Manager. With the growth in profits and $111 million being made in 1965 alone, Weis also gave back to the community around them, donating $200 thousand to the Geisinger Hospital project and creating scholarships for Weis Market employees, demonstrating their strong commitment to social responsibility. 

With the opening of the new markets, there were over 2100 members of the Weis Market chain, and the chain was also cited for excellent customer service and received an extraordinary citation from Good Housekeeping Magazine. The pace only continued to increase as the chain did not stop its growth. By the Summer of 1967, the Weis ice cream plant opened, and the first out-of-state Weis opened in Hagerstown, MD.

Business continued to skyrocket as the Fall of 1967 saw the acquirement of 5 Albany supermarkets. Along with achievements in the supermarket world, Sigfried Weis accepted a leadership position in the Geisinger Medical Center building fund, also recognized in “Who’s Who in America.”  With sales peaking over $172 million in 1968, Weis planned to open their largest market yet in Wilkes Barre, five new stores in 1969, and the formation of an entirely new division of Weis Markets, which would operate a chain of fast-food restaurants and ice cream shops.