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A Century of Service: The Naifeh’s Food Stores Legacy


Naifeh’s Food Stores began in 1910 with Joseph S. Naifeh, an immigrant from Beirut, Lebanon, who opened a grocery store in Covington, TN. Known as “Uncle Joe,” he was succeeded by his son Oney in 1929. Oney brought innovations like the first in-store meat market and shopping carts to Covington. The family expanded by acquiring Kroger and Piggly Wiggly stores in the late 1940s and 1950s. In 1963, Oney’s son Joe built Naifeh’s Lucky Food Store on Highway 51 North. Judson, Joe’s son, joined in 1994, and the store expanded further. Judson was the first store in town with electronic shelf tags and automatic meat cutters. His son Oney joined in 2024 and together they will continue to remain dedicated to customer service and community, thriving through 5 generations. Naifeh’s remains dedicated to customer service and community, thriving through five generations.

Our Timeline

1910

Joseph S. Naifeh, known as Uncle Joe,came to the United States and opened the first grocery store in the town square of Covington, TN. Under the Banner Joseph S. Naifeh

1920

Oney Naifeh, Josephs son, came to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon.

1923

Uncle Joe, expanded and moved the grocery store to a larger space down the street.

1928

Oney Naifeh better known as Mr. Oneyjoined the business with his father Joseph.

1929

Uncle Joe dies, Mr. Oney then took over and began remodeling the store. The store was operated under the banner Oney J. Naifeh and said “EVERYTHING GOOD TO EAT” on the building.

1935

Joe was born.

Oney extends credit to customers during the great depression and allows them to pay their bills as resources come available.

1940

Oney sold the first bottle of milk, first slice of bread, first frozen orange juice, first meat market and had the first shopping carts around this time.

1950-1960

Oney operated three more stores during this time. Hyde Park Grocery (on College St), New Model Gin Grocery (on Shelton St), and Liberty Cash Grocery (111 West Court Square). We do not know much about these stores. We do know that Oney bought out the Piggly Wiggly and Kroger stores in Covington. Joe, Oney’s son, began working alongside his father learning the ways of the business.

1963

Mr. Oney expanded, opening “Naifehs Lucky” on the highway of Covington, TN.


Joe Naifeh, known as “Mr. Joe,” came back into the business with his father Oney. Joe ran the modern new grocery store while Oney remained on the square.

1968

Mr. Oney closed the “Oney J. Naifeh” store on the Covington town square.

1972

Judson was born.

1983

“Naifeh’s Lucky” joined the Food Rite group.

1987

Joe completes a major remodel and expansion in advance of a 45,000 square foot Kroger store being built down the street. 

1994

Judson Naifeh, known as “Judson,” came back into the business with his father Mr. Joe and grandfather Mr. Oney.

1997

Judson expands to Munford, Tennessee, buying out Carter’s Food Rite. He begins operating his new store alongside his father’s store.

 The Naifehs transitioned from “Naifeh’s Food Rite” to simply “Naifehs Food Markets”.

1998

A Grand Opening Celebration was held for the Munford location. Pizza Pro was also added at that time.

2000

Oney Naifeh passed away.

 Mr. Joe and Judson buy out the Piggly Wiggly store in Covington, TN and had a grand opening celebration later that year.

2001

Mr. Joe and Judson close Piggly Wiggly in Covington, TN.

Oney was born.

2010

Naifeh’s celebrated the company’s  100th Birthday!

Judson receives a grant to install energy efficient LED Lights in all equipment. 

2012

Judson brings in Certified Angus Beef, the first in Tipton County.

2014

The Naifeh’s drop the Food Market Banner in the Covington location, changing to a cost plus format.

The Naifeh’s bring Yeti coolers and Big Green Eggs into the stores.

2015

An automatic meat wrapper was purchased for the Covington location meat department.

2016

Naifeh’s Food Market sells the 2nd Largest Powerball ticket in America.

The Naifeh’s start selling wine in the grocery stores.

2019

The Naifeh’s install self checkouts into the Covington location.

2021

The Naifeh’s expand their Covington location, buying out the Kroger on the North end of town. Joe retires at this time.

Self checkouts were installed at the Munford location. 

2023

Electronic shelf tags were installed in both stores. Also, automatic meat cutters were installed in the meat departments. 

2024

Oney Naifeh Oney” came back into the business with his father Judson.

Oney implements the first online shopping program for groceries as well as home delivery through Instacart.

A Little History
Behind Our
Family Store

It all started when an immigrant from Beirut, Lebanon arrived in Covington, Tennessee in 1910. Joseph S. Naifeh entered the country through Ellis Island in New York. He opened his first grocery store on the East Side of the Covington Square at 116 East Court Square. Joseph was known as Uncle Joeto the community.

In 1920, just a few years later, Oney Joseph Naifeh arrived in Covington to help his father run the grocery store. They moved locations in 1923, but remained on the East Side of the Square. The name of this store was J. S. Naifehand it was located at 102 East Court Square.

In 1929, Oneys Father, Uncle Joedied. At a very young age, Oney took over his fathers store. He remodeled it and changed the name to Oney J. Naifeh. The building had Oney J. Naifehand said Everything Good to Eaton the front. Oney had a lot of firsts. He had the first meat market in a grocery store in Covington. He also sold the first bottle of milk and loaf of bread. This store was also the first store in Covington to have shopping carts.

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, Oney bought out the Covington Kroger and the Covington Piggly Wiggly. Oney named these stores Liberty Cash Grocery and Hyde Park Grocery, respectively. Oney’s primary store was still the Oney J. Naifeh store located on the Square. At a very young age, Joe began working alongside his father.

In 1963, Oneys son Joe built a new store, Naifeh’s Lucky Food Storelocated at 738 Highway 51 North. It was the only new building on the North side of town.

Oney kept his store on the square open until 1968, at that time he closed the doors to the Square location and moved into the building with Joe. The Naifehs joined the Food Rite group in 1983. They had several remodels and expansions with a major one in 1987 in response to a new 45,000 square foot Kroger.

In 1994, Joe’s son, Judson, graduated from college and came back into the family business with his grandfather and father. In 1997, the Naifeh’s expanded into the South end of the county. They purchased an existing store, Carter’s Food Rite. It was at this time, they dropped the Food Rite Group and simply became Naifeh’s Food Markets.

In 2000, the family purchased  a second Covington location, on the South end of town, Coopers Piggly Wiggly. They operated it as a Piggly Wiggly for about a year before they closed it.

In 2014, due to the struggling market conditions, the Naifehs made a tough decision to convert their Covington store into a cost plus ten percent format store. It was the right move for the Company. The conversion increased the sales volume and made the store profitable again.

In 2020, in the middle of the world wide pandemic, the “Naifeh’s” bought out the Kroger store in Covington. They did an extensive remodel of the property. In March of 2021, they closed the doors to the original highway location and they moved further North of town to 951 Highway 51 North.

In January 2024, the fifth generation, Judson William Oney Naifeh Jr., Oneyjoined forces. Oneys first major undertaking was implementing online shopping.

Over the past 100 years, the grocery business has changed tremendously. Our countrys economy has fluctuated with Wars, the Great Depression, Pandemics and more. The competition has come and gone. History has even repeated itself with the buyout of Piggly Wiggly and Kroger twice in the companys history. For five generations, the Naifeh Family has made great efforts to stayahead of the ever changing market. The year 2020 brought unprecedented times like none other in our country and our community. Our family is committed to working hard to serve you for the next 100 years.

We are very proud of our stores and of the way we do business. It is personal for us. At our stores, the customer comes first and is always right. Our goal is to treat every customer as a valued guest in our home. This is the way a Naifeh’s customer expects to be treated from their past experiences at our stores. After over 114 years in the grocery business, our grassroots remain. The grocery gene spans five generations of Naifeh men. Starting with Uncle Joe, the importance of relationships has been instilled in the next generation.  Our family is forever grateful for you, the most loyal customers a merchant could ask for and we appreciate you more than you will ever know. 

Naifehs Food Stores

…Everything Good To Eat…And More

Generations

Joseph Salami Naifeh

1876 – 1929

Oney Joseph Naifeh

1907 – 2000

Henry Joseph Naifeh

1935 – Present

Judson William Oney Naifeh

1972 – Present

Judson William Oney Naifeh, Jr.

2001 – Present