Must See CHATTANOOGA Factory Stores - Lodge Cast Iron, Little Debbie and Moon Pie Made in Tennessee

Описание: #chattanooga #lodgecastiron #littledebbie #moonpie #tennessee

We are in Chattanooga Tennessee and it is the perfect place for a family vacation and a must see when here are factory stores! So many Iconic goods are made in and around Chattanooga. So If you are gonna get any souveniers from your Chattanooga Tennessee vaca, may we suggest something made right here!!!

Here are our top 3 best must see factory stores in Chattanooga Tennessee

1. The lodge Cast Iron Museum and the Lodge Cast Iron Factory Store. Lets just say you can't go wrong here because it starts with a yummy breakfast at Big Bad Breakfast inside the Lodge Factory Store and Museum. So many great breakfast items and many of them are served to your table in Lodge Cast Iron. South Pittsburg, Tennessee. A small town hugging the Tennessee River, surrounded by low hills and the hum of a foundry that’s been pouring molten iron for more than a century. And right here, in its heart, sits the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron — part history lesson, part love letter to a craft that refuses to die.

Step inside, and it’s like walking into the soul of the kitchen. The air is cool, the lighting warm, and every wall tells a story. The museum isn’t just a display of cookware — it’s a timeline of American grit. You start at the beginning: 1896, when Joseph Lodge fired up his first foundry. Black-and-white photographs of men in overalls, their faces lined from heat and hard work. Early skillets and Dutch ovens sit behind glass, their surfaces smooth from decades of use, proof that good tools only get better with time.

You move through rooms filled with strange and wonderful shapes — cornbread molds shaped like ears of corn, long-handled fish fry pans, campfire ovens from another era. There are skillets the size of a dinner plate… and skillets so massive they could cook breakfast for a football team. A section of the museum honors “factory seconds” — pieces that never made it to market — some warped, some pitted, all still undeniably beautiful.
Interactive exhibits let you see the process — the raw sand molds, the glowing pour of molten iron, the seasoning process that gives each piece its iconic black sheen. It’s mesmerizing, almost hypnotic, to watch the old footage of foundry workers, the clang and roar of the machinery echoing in your ears.
But the museum is more than tools and technique — it’s memory. Old advertisements promise “cookware for a lifetime,” and you realize they meant it. Families pass these pans down like heirlooms. The same skillet that seared your grandmother’s Sunday chicken might be the one you use today.
Before you leave, you pass through the store — shelves lined with modern Lodge pieces, bright enamel finishes, and stacks of well-seasoned cast iron ready for a new life. You walk out with more than a pan. You walk out with a piece of American history — something forged in fire, shaped by hand, and made to last for generations.

And in a world obsessed with the next new thing, that feels rare. That feels right. Next is Little Debbies Snake Cakes Made by the Mckee Factory and Family. McKee Foods, the maker of Little Debbie, was born in Chattanooga during the Great Depression. In 1934, O.D. and Ruth McKee began selling cakes out of their car before opening a bakery in town.
Collegedale legacy: Today, McKee Foods is headquartered just outside Chattanooga in Collegedale, TN, where it employs thousands and helps define the town’s character.

Little Debbie isn’t just a snack—she’s Chattanooga’s sweetest ambassador. A symbol of homegrown success, Southern charm, and community roots that stretch deep and wide. From brown paper packages to bronze statues, her legacy is alive and well just outside the Scenic City.

Mckee food Store is a must visit on your trip. If you're looking to visit an actual McKee Bakery location near Chattanooga, you're in luck! McKee Foods, known for Little Debbie, operates a couple of factory bakery stores in the area where you can buy fresh-baked treats, merchandise, and more.
A wide range of freshly discounted Little Debbie products—cosmic brownies, Zebra cakes, Swiss Rolls, Oatmeal Creme Pies, Nutty Buddy bars, Honey Buns, and seasonal goodies

Merchandise like branded mugs, T‑shirts, hats, and lunch boxes

Next we went to the Little Debbie Park. Just a 20-minute drive from Chattanooga, Little Debbie Park is a sweet 10‑acre gem nestled in Collegedale. Opened in June 2023 on land donated by the McKee family, this park combines family fun with a playful tribute to the iconic Little Debbie snack brand
What You'll Discover
Oversized snack sculptures: Climb on giant Cosmic Brownies, balance on Nutty Buddy beams, lounge on Oatmeal Creme Pie benches, and find seasonal Christmas Tree Cake
Inclusive playground & zip line: Traditional play structures include climbing nets, spider-webs, spinning chairs, and a kid-friendly zip line
long-weekends.com
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3. Moon Pie General Store located in downtown Chattanooga TN
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