Made in CHATTANOOGA

Long before Chattanooga had an official “innovation district” the city and region incubated some of America’s most iconic product brands.

In the 21st century, the city may come to be known as a cradle for automotive innovation (Volkswagen) and high-tech start-ups, but the city’s 20th century business legacy was built on bottled soft drinks (Coca-Cola) and little square hamburgers (Krystals).

Feeding America’s sweet tooth was another Chattanooga-area specialty. Both the Little Debbie snack cake empire based in Collegedale and the MoonPie, introduced by Chattanooga Bakery, became part of the nation’s comfort-food tradition.

And the early decades of the 20th century Chattanooga was the birthplace of the tow truck and by the beginning of the 21st century citizens here were assembling automo- biles — including the Volkswagen Atlas seven-passenger SUVs, which first rolled off the line here in 2017.

The region has also had its share of forward-thinking entrepreneurs: the Lookout Mountain Tom Thumb golf course helped start a national fad and Cleveland Tennessee’s Check Into Cash company helped pioneer the payday lending industry.

BOTTLED COCA-COLA

Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by an enterprising Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John S. Pemberton. At first, the kicky new beverage sold for a nickle a glass, and was available only at drug

Volkswagen and Little Debbie snack cakes are among the many Chattanooga-area specialties.

All here in Chattanooga, the first Krystal restaurant opened in 1932, Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1899, and the MoonPie originated in 1917.