Weis Markets Because of recent vandalism or other disruption , editing of this article by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled . Such users may discuss changes , request unprotection , or create an account . Weis Markets , Inc . Slogan Where Freshness Matters ( 2006 ) ; formerly We Do What Works For You and The Power to Save You More Type Supermarket and pet store operator ; publicly traded Founded 1912 ( Sunbury , Pennsylvania ) by Harry and Sigmund Weis Headquarters Sunbury , Pennsylvania Key people Norman Rich , President and CEO Robert Weis , Chairman Industry Retail grocery , pet supplies Products Operates as Weis Markets , King's , Mr. Z.'s , Cressler's , Scot 's Lo-Cost , Superpetz Website www.weis.com Weis Markets , Inc. is a chain of supermarkets based in Sunbury , Pennsylvania , with a presence in Pennsylvania , New York , New Jersey , West Virginia , and Maryland . The company also operates Superpetz , a chain of pet supply stores . History Weis Markets was founded as Weis Pure Foods in 1912 in Sunbury , Pennsylvania by two brothers , Harry and Sigmund Weis . Their store has been noted as `` revolutionary , `` as it did not operate on credit -- sales were only for cash . At the time , similar stores operated on credit , allowing customers to build a tab that would be paid periodically . Cash sales were a sign of a growing working class earning steady paychecks -- and they also helped lower prices by up to 25% . The second Weis store opened in 1915 in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania . Harrisburg would remain an important market for Weis , helping to anchor the central Pennsylvania region that Weis would dominate for decades . A Weis supermarket in Mifflintown , Pennsylvania . The Weis brothers expanded their chain rapidly , opening dozens of small , in-town grocery stores throughout central Pennsylvania . Their chain peaked at 115 stores in 15 central Pennsylvania counties by 1933 . At the time , the modern self-service supermarket was coming into its own . The format was pitted against the traditional model , followed by Weis Pure Foods , in which customers gave their orders to a clerk who would retrieve the requested items . As the modern supermarket model began to take hold , the Weis brothers began to adapt . They closed several corner grocery stores in Harrisburg in 1938 , replacing them with their first self-service , consolidated supermarket , which they dubbed the Weis Super Market . Over the next two decades , the company continued with this strategy , and it had consolidated all of its corner grocery stores into supermarkets -- 35 in total -- by 1955 . In the 1950s and 1960s , Weis Markets ( as it was known by then ) expanded out of its familiar territory , first reaching York and then Lancaster by 1960 . The company expanded into adjacent states in the 1960s , 70s , and 80s . In 1967 , the company ventured outside of Pennsylvania for the first time . It opened stores in Hagerstown and Frederick Maryland , and it also purchased the six-store Albany Public Markets chain based in Albany , New York . Those expansions brought the company to a total of 65 stores . Weis would later shutter the Albany Public Markets chain . A couple were later occupied by Grand Union . Weis bought at least one former Kings location when the company went out in 1984 . Weis 's territorial expansions came with mixed results . A company with rural , central Pennsylvania roots , it was able to expand into Maryland with great success , taking on such established players as Giant ( Landover ) and Safeway . The company expanded further in Maryland toward Washington , D.C. , with much less success . It retreated from that market , first closing its stores in Montgomery County , Maryland , and finally closing its Manassas , Virginia , store -- its lone store in that state -- by 2006 . Weis 's foray into New Jersey came with mixed results as well , as it was forced to close a new store in Flanders in 2002 -- only two years after opening it . The three stores currently in New Jersey continue to face stiff competition from Supervalu-owned Acme , the Shop Rite cooperative , and , to a lesser extent , A & P . Today , Weis thrives in the rural areas , small towns , and medium-sized cities of northeastern , central , and southern Pennsylvania . It has expanded to the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre markets successfully , but it has been unable to penetrate the penumbra surrounding Philadelphia and Pittsburgh . Banners In addition to the Weis Markets banner , the company operates supermarkets under the King 's and Mr. Z 's banners . Those two banners are centered primarily in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania and were acquired in mid-1990s acquisitions . While these stores operate under a different banner , all products and even most signs inside the stores feature the Weis name . Weis also operates one store in Shippensburg , Pennsylvania , as Cressler 's ( a name that was part of the local marketplace for decades before Weis took over that store ) , operates some stores as Sav-a-Lot under license from Supervalu , and operates some supermarkets as Scot 's Lo-Cost , an experimental warehouse prototype . At one time , the company operated a few stores as Big-Top Market , but as of 2006 , no more stores exist under this banner . Weis also owns and operates the Superpetz pet store chain . Competition Weis 's chief competition comes in its traditional home base of central Pennsylvania . Giant ( Carlisle ) , a supermarket chain owned by Ahold , began aggressive expansion during the 1990s , building newer , larger stores with vast selections . The expansion caught Weis off-guard . While Weis was able to kick into gear with an expansion project of its own , it has not yet fully recovered . Giant still remains the market leader throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania . Weis also faces tough competition in Lancaster County , Pennsylvania . Although it is the market leader , Giant ( Carlisle ) and Stauffer 's of Kissel Hill are worthy competitors . In Maryland , Weis competes with Acme , Safeway , and Giant ( Landover ) . In New Jersey , Weis 's chief competition includes A & P , Acme , and Shop Rite . Private label brands Weis Markets sells a variety of house brands under the following private labels : Weis Quality From the Field ( produce ) Big Top Carnival Dutch Valley Weis Choice ( premium brands , advertised as equivalent to national brands ) The Way It Was ( former house brand for health and beauty aids ; has been eliminated ) From The Dock ( seafood ) From The Oven ( bakery ) Corporate officers Robert Weis — Chairman Norman Rich — President , CEO , Director Jonathan Weis — Vice Chairman , Secretary William Mills — CFO , Senior Vice President , Treasurer , Director Steven Michaelson — Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing References DeKok , David . `` The Weis Dynasty. '' The Patriot-News , February 20 , 1994 . Southall , Brook . `` Old-Line Weis Plans Basket of Changes. '' Central Penn Business Journal , June 14 , 1996 . Weis Markets Annual Report , 1967 Weis Markets Web Site External links Weis Markets Corporate Site Weis Markets History Site Categories : Semi-protected | Companies established in 1912 | Fortune 1000 | Supermarkets of the United States | Companies based in Pennsylvania Weis Markets , Inc . Supermarket and pet store operator ; publicly traded Where Freshness Matters ( 2006 ) ; formerly We Do What Works For You and The Power to Save You More 1912 ( Sunbury , Pennsylvania ) by Harry and Sigmund Weis Sunbury , Pennsylvania Norman Rich , President and CEO Robert Weis , Chairman Retail grocery , pet supplies Operates as Weis Markets , King's , Mr. Z.'s , Cressler's , Scot 's Lo-Cost , Superpetz www.weis.com 