A Brief History of Weber Grills
Weber grills (gas and charcoal) are the main products manufactured and marketed by Weber-Stephen Products Co., a family-owned business headquartered in Palatine, Illinois. Though the company was established in 1893, it was only in 1952 when the Weber grills became known. Since then, Weber grills have been widely recognized as high-end grills not only in the United States but also in many other countries around the world.
How Did The Brand Weber Grills Become So Popular?
It was in 1952 when George Stephen, Sr., frustrated with the uncontrollable and uneven flame of open brazier at his home, decided to build a much better grill that comes with a lid to allow him to grill outdoors regardless of the weather condition. Stephen worked at the Weber Brothers Metal Works, a custom-order metal sheet shop that produced half-spheres used to make buoys. He used his metal works experience to create a dome-shaped barbecue grill with rounded lid. This marked the birth of the original Weber kettle grill. This grill was called by George’s neighbors as the ‘Sputnik’ but George called it as the George’s Barbecue Kettle. This was such in a hot demand that he couldn’t help but create other Weber grills.
Made in America - Charcoal Weber Grills
It was also in 1952 when George formed the barbecue grill division of Web Brothers Metal Works and decided to buy it in the late 1950′s. He devoted all his professional time to manufacturing Weber grills and selling them. Soon thereafter, the company’s name was changed to Weber-Stephen Products Co. The company’s reputation grew from Illinois to the Midwest as it became known nationally with Weber grills being sold and distributed in retail stores throughout the United States. Weber grills were so entrenched that the term “Weber” became exclusive for barbecue grill.
In 1989, Weber-Stephen Products Co. opened up its first grill restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois which was later branched out in three more locations: Lombard, Illinois, Downtown Chicago, and Schaumburg, Illinois. In 2007, another branch of Weber Grill Restaurant was opened in Indianapolis.The quality barbecue and grilled meals cooked using the Weber grills in the Weber restaurants seemed to have convinced homeowners to have their own set of Weber grills in their home.