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'''John Gerald Schwegmann, Jr.''' (August 14, 1911 &ndash; March 6, 1995), was a pioneer in the development of the modern supermarket. Based at Metairie, [[Louisiana]], an unincorporated city in Jefferson Paris, he owned eighteen stores in the [[New Orleans]] metropolitan area. He was a state representative from 1961 to 1968<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}</ref> and a state senator for a single term from 1968 to 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/Documents/SenateMembership1880ForwardRevisedMar2011.pdf |title=Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880-Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}</ref>  

'''John Gerald Schwegmann, Jr.''' (August 14, 1911 &ndash; March 6, 1995), was a pioneer in the development of the modern supermarket. Based at Metairie, [[Louisiana]], an unincorporated city in Jefferson Paris, he owned eighteen stores in the [[New Orleans]] metropolitan area. He was a state representative from 1961 to 1968<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}</ref> and a state senator for a single term from 1968 to 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/Documents/SenateMembership1880ForwardRevisedMar2011.pdf |title=Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880-Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}</ref>  

A political maverick, he mounted an unconventional—and unsuccessful—campaign for [[governor]] in the 1971 [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]].

A political maverick, he mounted an unconventional—and unsuccessful—campaign for [[governor]] in the 1971 [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]]. And from 1975 to 1980, he was an elected member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, a utilities regulatory agency.

 

And from 1975 to 1980, he was an elected member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, a utilities regulatory agency.

==Humble beginnings==

==Humble beginnings==

Schwegmann was born above the small grocery store owned by his father, John Schwegmann, Sr.  Schwegmann's Grocery and Bar, located at the intersection of Burgundy and Piety streets in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. His [[Germany|German]]-born grandfather had founded the store in 1869. The business was later commemorated by Schwegmann's Old Piety & Burgundy Whiskey. In the early years, the store had no heat in the winter, and the front doors were left open. This allowed cold wind to blow into the business. John Schwegman reflected that "If the clerks complained, they were told [that] heat would make them drowsy and that it would take the bloom off the fruits and vegetables, even though [[olive oil]] was freezing and breaking on the shelves. However, the real reason for keeping the doors open was to show that the store was open and ready for business."​

Schwegmann was born above the small grocery store owned by his father, John Schwegmann, Sr.  Schwegmann's Grocery and Bar, located at the intersection of Burgundy and Piety streets in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. His [[Germany|German]]-born grandfather had founded the store in 1869. The business was later commemorated by Schwegmann's Old Piety & Burgundy Whiskey. In the early years, the store had no heat in the winter, and the front doors were left open. This allowed cold wind to blow into the business. John Schwegman reflected that "If the clerks complained, they were told [that] heat would make them drowsy and that it would take the bloom off the fruits and vegetables, even though [[olive oil]] was freezing and breaking on the shelves. However, the real reason for keeping the doors open was to show that the store was open and ready for business."

Schwegmann's formal education was limited to grammar school, a year at Holy Cross High School, and six months at Soule Business College, all institutions in New Orleans. He worked for the [[United States Postal Service]] and as a salesman for a [[margarine]] manufacturer. He took a job with Canal Bank & Trust Company, which closed in 1933. He worked in [[real estate]] until 1939, when he joined his father's store.​

Schwegmann's formal education was limited to grammar school, a year at Holy Cross High School, and six months at Soule Business College, all institutions in New Orleans. He worked for the [[United States Postal Service]] and as a salesman for a [[margarine]] manufacturer. He took a job with Canal Bank & Trust Company, which closed in 1933. He worked in [[real estate]] until 1939, when he joined his father's store.​

"Everything he's touched has turned to money", said Saul Stone, one of Schwegmann's attorneys, in a 1979 interview. "He's some lucky kind of guy." Stone added that "The best way to success was volume with a low markup. He [John Schwegmann] said [that] he would rather make $100 off $1,000 in sales than make $50 on $100 sales."​

"Everything he's touched has turned to money", said Saul Stone, one of Schwegmann's attorneys, in a 1979 interview. "He's some lucky kind of guy." Stone added that "The best way to success was volume with a low markup. He [John Schwegmann] said [that] he would rather make $100 off $1,000 in sales than make $50 on $100 sales."​

 

The Schwegmanns introduced New Orleans to self-service shopping, then a novelty that eventually became an ordinary feature of American life and doomed the smaller stores in which proprietors filled each customer's order. For a time, the Schwegmanns still offered full service for traditional shoppers, but they encouraged customers to gather their own items from the shelves and to take their baskets to the checkout counter. While this innovation was not initially well received, shoppers accepted the idea quickly so that they could obtain a 10 percent discount if they helped themselves.​

The Schwegmanns introduced New Orleans to self-service shopping, then a novelty that eventually became an ordinary feature of American life and doomed the smaller stores in which proprietors filled each customer's order. For a time, the Schwegmanns still offered full service for traditional shoppers, but they encouraged customers to gather their own items from the shelves and to take their baskets to the checkout counter. While this innovation was not initially well received, shoppers accepted the idea quickly so that they could obtain a 10 percent discount if they helped themselves.

 

"There are richer and smarter people in the world than I am, but they're no better," the self-confident Schwegmann said in an interview a generation after he opened his first supermarket. "We're all selling something to someone else. . . . I never look down; I always look up."​

"There are richer and smarter people in the world than I am, but they're no better," the self-confident Schwegmann said in an interview a generation after he opened his first supermarket. "We're all selling something to someone else. . . . I never look down; I always look up."

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He also founded Schwegmann Bank & Trust Co., which was later purchased by Jefferson Guaranty Bank.​

He also founded Schwegmann Bank & Trust Co., which was later purchased by Jefferson Guaranty Bank.​