yesterday's tennessee

Oldest Plant In Area Is Salant

from the collection of Brenda Fiddler

October 8, 1970
Lexington Progress

In October 1932, Salant and Salant opened its first department on Pine [Elm] Street.  This was the second Salant plant opened in Tennessee.  We started with about 10 employees making men’s work shirts.

We continued to employ more fine people of this area and in January 1951, we started making boys shirts in the old gym on First Street.

In 1953 the warehouse and shipping department was built behind the plant on First Street.

The plant on Pine Street was converted to making pants in 1959 and now makes some of our most styled jeans.  They are made here because our employees have the know-how and capabilities to make many different styles.

The introduction of permanent press fabrics in 1964 required the installation of an oven department to cure these pants.  This department continues to makepants, not only for Lexington but for other Salant plants.

Due to imports into the U. S. we stopped making boys shirts here in 1968 but transferred all these employees to the Pine Street plant.

Salant is proud to be part of this fine community and always tries to be a good neighbor.

Since 1960 we have had the privilege of assisting 10 young people to continue their college education through our Salant scholarship.  This four year scholarship for $2000 is awarded each year to the most outstanding child of one of our Lexington employees.

Our employment has grown from 10 to about 400 since 1932.  We thank our employees and the citizens of this area for your support during this period of growth and look forward to being your employer and good neighbor for many more years.