ax ▁machines , ▁and ▁overhead ▁project ors . ▁The ▁company ▁changed ▁locations ▁within ▁the ▁Be arden ▁area ▁of ▁Kno x ville ▁several ▁times ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁until ▁moving ▁to ▁their ▁current ▁location ▁at ▁ 3 5 0 5 ▁S uther land ▁Avenue ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁Th erm oc opy ▁experienced ▁steady ▁growth ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁dec ades . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Steve ▁Sum ner ▁purchased ▁the ▁company ▁from ▁its ▁founder , ▁Rand all ▁Sum ner . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s ▁Th erm oc opy ▁increased ▁its ▁market ▁share , ▁and ▁expanded ▁its ▁operations ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁with ▁an ▁office ▁in ▁Johnson ▁City , ▁Tennessee . ▁Th erm oc opy ' s ▁Mountain ▁Empire ▁Branch ▁serves ▁the ▁Tri - C ities ▁region ▁of ▁N ortheast ▁Tennessee ▁and ▁South western ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Th erm oc opy ▁marked ▁five ▁dec ades ▁in ▁business ▁with ▁its ▁ 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁celebr ations . ▁ ▁Community ▁invol vement ▁ ▁Th erm oc opy ▁has ▁since ▁its ▁early ▁days ▁spons ored ▁organizations ▁and ▁char ities ▁including ▁the ▁Historic ▁Tennessee ▁Theatre , ▁Boys ▁and ▁Girls ▁Club s ▁of ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁Valley , ▁Give ▁H ait i ▁Hope , ▁Mer cy ▁Health ▁Part ners ▁Foundation , ▁Keep ▁Kno x ville ▁Beautiful , ▁and ▁C oven ant ▁Health ' s ▁Bud dy ' s ▁Race ▁for ▁the ▁C ure