Anyone know the history of O-So Grape Soda or the company

[SODABOB]

I found an earlier reference for So-Grape in the Chicago newspapers. The last one I posted was from an Iowa newspaper dated Jan 21, 1942. This one is dated Dec 21, 1941. I had to do some detective work to figure out who the 1941 ad was by and used the address and phone number to find it.

Address = 4842 S St. Louis
Phone = Lafayette 8950

Even though the attached 1941 Chicago directory listing does not include So-Grape as one of their products, the address and phone number are the same as those in the 1941 newspaper ad. Another common denominator is "Clicquot." So, I guess this changes things slightly in that So-Grape appears to have been available at least as early as December of 1941.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

I found the So-Grape Trademark from 1941 ...

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Next Question ...

Who was Judge & Dolph Ltd. ...

 

[SODABOB]

Vwgto

Please note that I haven't forgotten about your question as to where your crate fits in. I'm just going about it in a round-about way. Based on what we have seen so far it likely dates sometime between 1941 and 1946. As you probably know it was made by GACO / Tufbilt / Boxes which is stamped on the crate and similar to the one that member Vwpyland1 posted in 2020. GACO stands for the Gideon-Anderson Co. who were located in Gideon, Missouri. I don't know the company's full history but it's probably not all that important to this discussion. The main thing is the So-Grape that is also on the crate.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

I discovered that Judge & Dolph Ltd. was a major distributor of liquor and non alcoholic beverages who apparently had various operations in the early 1900s. I'm not sure when they started their operation in Chicago, but I found another listing for them connected with So-Grape in a 1943 directory. Notice that one of their locations was at 700 W Cermak Rd. I'm not sure if they actually bottled So-Grape at that location or if someone else bottled it and they were just the distributor. The attached photo was not dated but it shows one of their trucks in front of their location on 700 W Cermak Rd. Like I said, I'm still not sure if it was a bottling plant or just a distribution center.

More to follow.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

This 1943 help wanted ad for Judge & Dolph doesn't sound like a bottling plant to me. It sounds more like a warehouse operation. Everything I am seeing for them during the 1940s is similar. So, if they didn't BOTTLE So-Grape then who did?

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

According to these Trademarks the transition from So-Grape to O-So Grape was in 1946. Although it still doesn't fully answer the following questions ...

1. Why did Judge & Dolph Ltd. secure the So-Grape Trademark in 1941?

2. Did Judge & Dolph bottle So-Grape between 1941 and 1946? Or did they just distribute it between 1941 and 1946?

3. Who was the O-So Grape Co. in the 1946 Trademark?

4. Was Judge & Dolph's So-Grape and the O-So Grape Co. the same or different company?

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

I don't know the exact date of this So-Grape bottle but if we rely on the Trademarks it should date sometime between 1941 and 1946. Notice it has the So-Grape Co. on the back. The Trademark document from 1946 shows the O-So Grape Co. However, the question still remains unanswered if they were the same exact company. Maybe I missed something earlier but I can't find any official documents that indicate Judge & Dolph transferred or sold out to anyone. I think we might be missing something but I'm not sure what it is.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Is this the missing link? If so, who operated it?

Chicago Tribune
August 2, 1946
Chicago So-Grape Bottling Co.
Bottling Plant
1307 S. Pulaski Road

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Even though we may never be able to figure out everything that's related to Judge & Dolph, I'm almost certain now that the key to the bottling operation is linked to ...

1307 S Pulaski Road

I will be back later with what I hope will be some documented proof.

Bob