Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

[hemihampton]

Here's a nice sign. LEON.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Yeah, I've always liked that picture.

Speaking of pictures ...

Eye winking seems to run in the family. I wonder if they're trying to tell us something?

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Rich / Leon / Vernor's Collectors

Ever since I found this link I have been keeping it to myself. I apologize for that but want to share it now. It contains an incredible amount of Vernor's information and is where I found the various trademark documents and paper labels. It contains 119 pages and I have been reading through it for a couple of days but still haven't digested all of it yet. As far as I know it is the most extensive file of its kind. Its printer friendly and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

https://tsdrsec.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle-download.pdf?rn=83107

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Hmmm ...

It seems like photo-trickery also runs in the family ...

 

[M.C.Glass]

I don't believe the "tile roof" building picture is 33 Woodward. I think it could be Pontiac or Flint, MI. I have a better 1916 image of the 33 Woodward building showing and talking about the block, with its cigar stores, etc. You can see the addresses, 27, 29 and two doors down, Vernor's.
Detroit did a major address changeover city wide in 1920. If you want to see various postcard and other pics of the 33 Woodward area, a search of Bob-Lo Island and docks and related show the area over the years.
I think they tore down the area to build Cobo Hall and the [acoustically perfect] Fischer Theatre where the DSO played, when we had one.

 

[M.C.Glass]

Yes, it is Pontiac, according to Vernor's GA by Keith Wunderlich & Images of America.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

MC

Great pictures - especially the one of the Pontiac location. One of these days I'd like to find a good close up profile of the sign on the Woodward Avenue building. I'm still thinking its an extract bottle with a soda fountain handle. Does Keith Wunderlich's book say anything about it?

 

[M.C.Glass]

He doesn't say anything particular about the sign on the 235 Woodward building. His picture in the book crops the sign out. It does mention that in 1896, he retired after 30 years of pharmacy work, during which he held Michigan State Pharmacy license #1. His son, James II joined him and focused their efforts on the Ginger Ale business. At that time it was just the 2 Vernors and their horse, Dick.
It says at one point that Vernor grew his business out of extract sales to hundreds of fountains across Detroit and beyond and his sales literature spoke to how little extract was needed for big profits. The pic covers the timeline of the growth of the bottling plant.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

MC

Thanks for the info - very helpful.

Does the book happen to say by who and when they started saying Vernor's Ginger Ale has been served ...

"Since 1866"

I'm currently trying to find the earliest reference for "Since 1866" but haven't narrowed it down yet.

 

[M.C.Glass]

I'll check tonight. It occurs to me that a barrel of extract could have been the funding for the pharmacy. He surely served it in 1866 even if it took til 1870 to get it really rolling.
here's a pic of the Pontiac store now.