Wetzel's Pretzels founding (1994)
Rick Wetzel and Bill Phelps, former Nestlé executives, founded the chain in Redondo Beach, California, after seeing a busy mall pretzel shop. They used $200,000 in personal savings, with Wetzel selling his Harley-Davidson to buy a mixer.
The first store opened at South Bay Galleria and drew long lines.
The chain grew to 100 locations by 2001 and more than 400 by 2024.
Shows the brand's origin and growth model, context for why a new Walmart location is part of a larger expansion.
