Selling a Business in Lewis County

Lewis County has 237 employer businesses, and 87% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Lewis County by the numbers

237

237

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,000

1,000

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,703

2,703

EMPLOYMENT

$135 million

$135 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

103

103

BUSINESSES WITH 5 TO 49 EMPLOYEES

U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024. Counts are employer establishments, meaning business locations with paid employees.

How Lewis County compares

  • Lewis County ranks 75th of 95 Tennessee counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 12.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 9% of employer businesses in Lewis County, compared with 4% in Tennessee.

  • 103 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Lewis County ranks 75th of 95 Tennessee counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 12.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 9% of employer businesses in Lewis County, compared with 4% in Tennessee.

  • 103 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 47 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 29 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 27 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 22 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 21 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 47 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 29 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 27 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 22 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 21 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Lewis County

Retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services, accommodation and food service

Every kind of business we sell in Lewis County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Lewis County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Restaurants & Food

15 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

13 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

10 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Construction & Engineering

9 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Interior Finishing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • General Contracting: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

8 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Financial & Professional Services

7 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Insurance Agencies: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Retail Stores

7 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Automotive & Boat

6 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

3 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Lewis County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Restaurants & Food

15 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

13 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

10 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Construction & Engineering

9 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Interior Finishing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • General Contracting: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

8 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Financial & Professional Services

7 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Insurance Agencies: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Retail Stores

7 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Automotive & Boat

6 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

3 related employer businesses in Lewis County.

Working with owners in Lewis County

Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Lewis County. Contact us to talk about a sale.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Lewis County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Lewis County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers. Many sales take six months or longer from the start of the process to closing.

How is a business valued in Lewis County?

Valuation starts with the earnings the business produces for an owner, then adjusts for assets, size, industry and the terms a buyer is likely to accept. The result is a range, and the asking price is set inside it.

Is the sale confidential?

Buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they see the name of the business or its financial statements.

FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Lewis County

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article