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Forget startup businesses, Chattanooga is home to many 100-year-old stalwarts

A worker moves appliance parts from a press at the Whirlpool manufacturing plant on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, in Cleveland, Tenn. The plant gave tours of its facility for National Manufacturing Week.
A worker moves appliance parts from a press at the Whirlpool manufacturing plant on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, in Cleveland, Tenn. The plant gave tours of its facility for National Manufacturing Week. A worker moves appliance parts from a press at the Whirlpool manufacturing plant on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, in Cleveland, Tenn. The plant gave tours of its facility for National Manufacturing Week.

By Dave Flessner, Tim Omarzu 1 min read

Turning 100 in 2017

› MoonPie brand made by Chattanooga Bakery› Dixie Foundry in Cleveland, which grew into today’s Whirlpool appliances› Hubbuch Glass, which began as a mirror-making business in Chattanooga› The Chattanooga Mill making recycled cardboard today for WestRock Chattanooga› Citizens Savings & Loan offers consumer loans and has grown to 19 offices

Chattanooga aims to nurture startup businesses.

Chattanooga is home to Tennessee’s biggest business incubator on the North Shore and a 140-acre Innovation District downtown, anchored by the 11-story Edney Innovation Center that caters to creative workers in Chattanooga’s “entrepreneurial ecosystem.” GigTank programs run through the summer, Startup Week Chattanooga is held every October and business accelerator programs are regularly conducted by The Company Lab, the Lamp Post Group and LaunchTN.

While startups may be sexy, the U.S. Small Business Administration says only about half of all businesses survive more than five years, fewer than a third last beyond 12 years and only a tiny fraction of 1 percent are still in business after 100 years.

But for all its focus on new business startups, Southeast Tennessee is still home to stalwart businesses that launched 100 years ago – and are still going strong.