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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.

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==Launching a supermarket chain==​

​==Launching a supermarket chain==​

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[[World War II]] interrupted his business career. Thereafter, on August 23, 1946, he and two brothers, Anthony Schwegmann and Paul Schwegmann, opened the first Schwegmann Brothers Giant Super Market, located on St. Claude Avenue near the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue. The operation in time grew to eighteen stores with five thousand employees. Schwegmann's massive modern supermarket sold everything from gourmet food to garden supplies.​ The Schwegmanns revolutionized grocery shopping in New Orleans, and their outlets soon mushroomed. By 1957, there were Schwegmann stores, large in size, all over New Orleans. The largest store was the one on Old Gentilly Road. At the time, it was the biggest supermarket in the world, 55,000 square feet. The supermarket attracted both customers and onlookers, who came by tour buses to see the structure.

[[World War II]] interrupted his business career. Thereafter, on August 23, 1946, he and two brothers, Anthony Schwegmann and Paul Schwegmann, opened the first Schwegmann Brothers Giant Super Market, located on St. Claude Avenue near the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue. The operation in time grew to eighteen stores with five thousand employees. Schwegmann's massive modern supermarket sold everything from gourmet food to garden supplies.​ The Schwegmanns revolutionized grocery shopping in New Orleans, and their outlets soon mushroomed. By 1957, there were Schwegmann stores, large in size, all over New Orleans. The largest store was the one on Old Gentilly Road. At the time, it was the biggest supermarket in the world, 55,000 square feet. The supermarket attracted both customers and onlookers, who came by tour buses to see the structure.

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.​

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==Schwegmann as public service litigant==

==Schwegmann as public service litigant==

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In 1948, Schwegmann entered a new field of activity: litigation. The Louisiana legislature had passed a law requiring a minimum markup on alcoholic beverages at all levels of the merchandising chain. Schwegmann was convinced that stores should be able to set their own prices. He volunteered to be the [[plaintiff]] in a test case to oppose the law, and Stone agreed to represent him. "That made him a litigator. He liked it. He wanted to fight," Stone said.​ The Louisiana Supreme Court declared the markup law on alcohol unconstitutional.​

In 1948, Schwegmann entered a new field of activity: litigation. The Louisiana legislature had passed a law requiring a minimum markup on alcoholic beverages at all levels of the merchandising chain. Schwegmann was convinced that stores should be able to set their own prices. He volunteered to be the [[plaintiff]] in a test case to oppose the law, and Stone agreed to represent him. "That made him a litigator. He liked it. He wanted to fight," Stone said.​ The Louisiana Supreme Court declared the markup law on alcohol unconstitutional.​

Schwegmann's next fight was against the state's fair-trade law, which permitted manufacturers to set retail prices for an entire area by entering into a contract with just one retailer in that​ region.​ The crusade was successful in the U.S. District Court, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. While the Supreme Court did not technically strike down the law, it held that merchants could not be forced to charge certain prices.​ "The next move was to get the state's fair-trade law thrown out", Stone said. "It was. A second law was passed, but the state Supreme Court threw it out in 1965."

Schwegmann's next fight was against the state's fair-trade law, which permitted manufacturers to set retail prices for an entire area by entering into a contract with just one retailer in that​ region.​ The crusade was successful in the U.S. District Court, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. While the Supreme Court did not technically strike down the law, it held that merchants could not be forced to charge certain prices.​ "The next move was to get the state's fair-trade law thrown out … It was. A second law was passed, but the state Supreme Court threw it out in 1965," said Stone.

In 1965, state Revenue Collector Ashton J. Mouton (1916-1988), a former [[mayor]] of [[Lafayette]], sued Schwegmann Brothers to collect for the state sales, use and occupational license taxes plus interest in the amount of $62,517.98. Schwegmann appealed the assessments to the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. Ten years later, the tax board ruled in Mouton's favor, some five years after he had left the collector's position. Thereafter, the state sued to collect another $103,290.59. Schwegmann answered and denied liability. The two cases were consolidated in the trial court by consent of the parties. In the trial, Mouton was upheld in both cases.​

In 1965, state Revenue Collector Ashton J. Mouton (1916-1988), a former [[mayor]] of [[Lafayette]], sued Schwegmann Brothers to collect for the state sales, use and occupational license taxes plus interest in the amount of $62,517.98. Schwegmann appealed the assessments to the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. Ten years later, the tax board ruled in Mouton's favor, some five years after he had left the collector's position. Thereafter, the state sued to collect another $103,290.59. Schwegmann answered and denied liability. The two cases were consolidated in the trial court by consent of the parties. In the trial, Mouton was upheld in both cases.​

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==The fight against milk price-fixing==

==The fight against milk price-fixing==

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Schwegmann's political career actually began as early as 1955, when he lost a primary for a Jefferson Parish seat in the state Senate. After an unsuccessful campaign in 1959 for the Jefferson Parish presidency (an administrative position equivalent to a county commission chairmanship), he won a seat in the state House of Representatives in 1961. In 1968, he was elected to the state Senate, and in 1974, he was elected to the Public Service Commission, which was at the time expanded from three to five members, chosen by districts.​

Schwegmann's political career actually began as early as 1955, when he lost a primary for a Jefferson Parish seat in the state Senate. After an unsuccessful campaign in 1959 for the Jefferson Parish presidency (an administrative position equivalent to a county commission chairmanship), he won a seat in the state House of Representatives in 1961. In 1968, he was elected to the state Senate, and in 1974, he was elected to the Public Service Commission, which was at the time expanded from three to five members, chosen by districts.​

Schwegmann became a persistent critic of the administrations of his fellow Democrats, Governors [[Jimmie Davis]] and [[John J. McKeithen]], and he acquired a wide variety of enemies. Former New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Maurice Edwin Landrieu|Moon Landrieu]], a Democrat and the father of the later [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], once declared that Schwegmann was "so poorly informed on the governmental process, you have to excuse him on the basis of ignorance." On several occasions thereafter, the Landrieus and Schwegmanns would find themselves fighting each other politically.​

 

Schwegmann became a persistent critic of the administrations of his fellow Democrats, Governors [[Jimmie Davis]] and [[John J. McKeithen]], and he acquired a wide variety of enemies. Former New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Maurice Edwin Landrieu|Moon Landrieu]], a Democrat and the father of the later [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], once declared that Schwegmann was "so poorly informed on the governmental process, you have to excuse him on the basis of ignorance." On several occasions thereafter, the Landrieus and Schwegmanns would find themselves fighting each other politically.

In the legislature, Schwegmann voted against such measures as pay raises for public officials and tax increases. He also opposed building with state bonds the Louisiana Superdome in downtown New Orleans, since renamed the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He filed three lawsuits in an attempt to block construction. The original estimate of the cost of the stadium was $35 million, but years before it was finished, Schwegmann predicted that it would cost between $150 million and $200 million. The final cost was $179 million.​

In the legislature, Schwegmann voted against such measures as pay raises for public officials and tax increases. He also opposed building with state bonds the Louisiana Superdome in downtown New Orleans, since renamed the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He filed three lawsuits in an attempt to block construction. The original estimate of the cost of the stadium was $35 million, but years before it was finished, Schwegmann predicted that it would cost between $150 million and $200 million. The final cost was $179 million.​

The Superdome was one of McKeithen's pet projects, and the governor tried to use his legendary charm to win Schwegmann over to his side. During one exchange, McKeithen said, "Now, John's going to be reasonable about this. After all, we can help him. John, what can we do for you?"​

The Superdome was one of McKeithen's pet projects, and the governor tried to use his legendary charm to win Schwegmann over to his side. During one exchange, McKeithen said, "Now, John's going to be reasonable about this. After all, we can help him. John, what can we do for you? "​Governor, you can't do nothin' for me," Schwegmann replied.​

 

"Governor, you can't do nothin' for me," Schwegmann replied.​

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==Two ex-wives die three days apart==​

==Two ex-wives die three days apart==​

Schwegmann and both of his wives are interred at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.​

Schwegmann and both of his wives are interred at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.​

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==References==​

==References==

{{reflist}}​

{{reflist}}

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwegmann, John G.}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwegmann, John G.}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​