Barq's Root Beer

[SODAPOPBOB]

I haven't been able to find one of the Barq's "Orange Slice" bottles from Baton Rouge, and possibly never will if its true there are only two known examples, but I did find some other stuff that might help in the search. For starters, the following are the Louisiana territories held by Barq's Beverages, which were the territories originally granted to Jesse Robinson and later held by his heirs ...

Baton Rouge Territory

The geographic area of competition for Barq's Beverages of Baton Rouge as the Baton Rouge metropolitan area including the surrounding parishes of Tangipahoa, St. Helena, Livingston, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, Avoyelles, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Ascension, St. James, Assumption and part of Lafourche.

New Orleans Territory

The geographic area of effective competition for Barq's New Orleans as the New Orleans metropolitan area including the Parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. John and St. Tammany.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

And here's the old Barq's bottling plant located at ...

Barq's Beverages
535 North 49th Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana





Notice the rusted Barq's signs in the windows.




Note: I'm not sure when they first used this building, nor when they abandoned it, but as near as I can determine it was their location at least from sometime in the 1940s to sometime in the 1970s, and possibly 1980s.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Back to St. Paul, Minnesota ...

Both of these snippets are from the same 1949 Minnesota publication. Notice it shows Barq's Bottling and Pepsi Cola Bottling at the same address and H. C. Costello as the manager ...

1340 University Avenue

Barq's



Pepsi Cola



This picture is of the bottling plant from a 1950s Barq's pamphlet I have.



And here's the front/back cover of the 20 page Barq's pamphlet




(To be continued)

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Reminder: The Coca Cola Company did not purchase Barq's until 1995. So any lawsuits and/or feuds involving Barq's prior to 1995 did not involve the Coca Cola Company.

Note:

1. Barq's Beverages Inc. was the Louisiana branch of Barq's established by Jesse Robinson.
2. Barq's Inc. was the branch of Barq's established by Edward Barq after he moved to Biloxi.

Notice in this 1983 article where it says (in part) ...

[Barq's Beverages Inc.] "used labels ... different from those of Barq's Inc."




(To be continued)

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

To the best of my knowledge ...

1. Barq's Beverages Inc. / Jesse Robinson's territory was isolated to Louisiana only and not allowed in any other states.

2. If the St. Paul, Minnesota territory was under the umbrella of "Barq's Inc." (which apparently it was because it says as much in the 1950s pamphlet I posted) then I am inclined to believe there is no way that "Barq's Inc." would allow the St. Paul branch to produce and distribute a non-standard bottle like the "Orange Slice" bottle. And yet, St. Paul obviously did produce such a bottle as the examples of those bottles support.

Question:

If "Barq's Inc." was so adamant about all of their bottles being of the standard type, then how did it occur that the St. Paul branch produced a non-standard bottle such as the "Orange Slice" bottle?

(To be continued)

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Another Reminder ...

Barq's bottles such as those pictured here were used for various "fruit flavors" and not necessarily for root beer. The flavor was indicated on the caps that went on these bottles. Hence, no apparent reason for a different type of "fruit flavor" bottle such as the "orange slice" bottle!

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

By searching out various Barq's bottle caps, I have been able to confirm the following flavors ...

1. Black Cherry
2. Cherry
3. Club Soda
4. Cola
5. Cream Soda
6. Fruit Punch
7. Lemon
8. Lemon Lime
9. Orange
10. Orangeade
11. Pineapple
12. Root Beer

(And there could very well be a few more flavors that I'm not aware of)

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

All three of these bottle caps are described as being marked on the edge with St. Paul, Minnesota ...

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/barqs-used-cork-bottle-caps-crowns-6-sets-of-3



(And searching for other examples from St. Paul)

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

In search of ..

Any Barq's bottle (standard and/or non-standard) from St. Paul, Minnesota

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

The plot thickens even more ...

Notice ...

1. This cap has St. Paul, Minn. on the top
2. It also has "Twin City Bottling Company" on it but no mention of Pepsi Cola



(To be continued)