Cheerwine from Asheville, NC

[SODAPOPBOB]

I honestly have no clue when they changed the name of Biltmore Club.

Biltmore Club Bottling became Orange Crush Bottling in late 1947 or early 1948

 

[morbious_fod]

I honestly have no clue when they changed the name of Biltmore Club.

Biltmore Club Bottling became Orange Crush Bottling in late 1947 or early 1948

About the time the company closed its plant in Durham, NC it seems.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I found this from ... The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ~ May 9, 1947 (But can't figure out how to save/print it) http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VAQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XWoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3285%2C2273729

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

This is another slightly-off-topic subject but I found it interesting because it involves territories. Notice the first article is from 1923 and states that the "Lithia Bottling Works" in Lincolton, N.C. bottled Cheerwine and Nu Grape and covered "all parts of the county" (Lincoln County). And then in the 1950 article it states that Mr. Nanny of the Gastonia Orange Crush Bottling (which is south of Lincolton) ended up with Lincoln County as a territory. (Nanny's Orange Crush Bottling also bottled Cheerwine and Nu Grape). I haven't been able to find any details about the Lithia Bottling Company in Lincolton and don't know if they shut down or sold and changed the name, but I thought it was interesting that Mr. Nanny eventually ended up with Lincoln County as part of his territory. (Gastonia Orange Crush Bottling was established in 1924. Nanny and a partner bought it in 1929). (I looked everywhere for a Lincolton Cheerwine bottle but could not find one). 1. and 2. From ... The Lincoln County News ~ Lincolton N.C. ~ November 29, 19233. Gastonia Gazette ~ October 17, 1950

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. I wrote Nu Grape instead of New Grape because I think that was a typo by the reporter/newspaper. The 1950 Nanny article has it right w/ Nu Grape ...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. ~ P.S. Morb Did you notice in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 9, 1947 article regarding Biltmore Club/Orange Crush where it says ... "Territory, all of western North Carolina." I realize we still don't know who bottled Cheerwine in Asheville at the time, but if it was Orange Crush after about 1947-48, this might explain a few things. I am currently searching to see if I can find exactly who was bottling and/or distributing Cheerwine in western North Carolina in the 1950s. If you already know the answer to this, please let me know and I will discontinue my search. Thanks Bob Here's the North Carolina counties map again for people like me who sometimes need visuals to see things clearly ...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Speculation/Clue ? If Biltmore Club was bottling Cheerwine when the plant was being sold in 1947, I can't help but suspect they would have listed Cheerwine in the classified ad. I'm thinking Cheerwine was a popular brand in North Carolina by that time. There was no mention of Cheerwine in the ad but it did headline "Red Rock Cola" and "Orange Crush." (Just food for thought). [] Incidentally, the 1947 Asheville directory list Biltmore Club Bottling but not Orange Crush Bottling. Whereas, the 1948 Asheville directory list Orange Crush Bottling but not Biltmore Club Bottling. [light]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. Because there are no known examples of Asheville Cheerwine bottles prior to about 1952, at least none I can find or am aware of, I'm wondering if Cheerwine maybe didn't make it's appearance in Asheville until after 1947? (Hint-hint) []

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

As a follow up to my last reply, I wanted to point out that I haven't forgotten this from a previous post, which establishes Cheerwine in Asheville as early as 1920. But what I can't figure out is what became of Mint Cola Bottling in Asheville and/or if/when it was sold and/or changed names or what? Maybe this was already discussed and dismissed - if so, I guess I forgot about it. From ... The Beverage Journal ~ October, 1920

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Regarding my question about what became of the Asheville Mint Cola Bottling Company, I forgot (Page 2 ~ Post 28) that Mint Cola shows up in Asheville in 1920 but was purchased in 1921 by the "Old Dominion Beverage Corporation" of Richmond, Virginia and relocated to Newport News, Virginia. But because Mint Cola bottled Cheerwine at the time, I'm still trying to determine who might have picked up the Cheerwine franchise/contract/rights after Mint Cola moved out. A Mr. J.J. Dell managed Mint Cola in Asheville in 1920-21, but I'm not sure if he relocated to Virginia or stayed in Asheville. If he stayed in Asheville and can be found there in later years, this might be a clue to a possible Cheerwine connection, especially if he can be found associated with another Asheville bottling company.

Another clue I looked into was the address for Mint Cola Bottling in Asheville in 1921, which was located at ...

15 Carolina Lane

As you will see below, Carolina Lane is actually an alley located in the downtown area between Broadway and Lexington. I already checked the phone and manufacturing directories from later years but could not find any bottlers with an address on Carolina Lane. Nor do I know who used the Carolina Lane building after Mint Cola moved out.

The latest map I could find showing 15 Carolina Lane is from 1917 and shows the building as a combination Wood Works/Auto Repair. The legend associated with the map indicates the building was constructed of brick and had concrete floors which, apparently, was a plus for Mint Cola Bottling when they used the building in 1920-1921.

The real questions here, which sort of takes us back to square one, are ...

1. When Mint Cola Bottling moved to Newport News, Virginia in 1921, who in Asheville
nabbed the Cheerwine bottling and/or distribution rights?

2. Or was there a gap in years and it wasn't until much later that Cheerwine was bottled
and/or distributed in Asheville again?

At the moment, the biggest question for me is ...

3. How many and which bottlers were in Asheville in 1921 when Mint Cola moved out?

I haven't determined the answer to this yet but hope to soon. I'm thinking that whichever bottler(s) were in Asheville in 1922 or a little later, that one of them might have nabbed the Cheerwine rights. ???

~ * ~

The pictures are as follows ...

1917 Asheville map(s) ~ Red arrows point to the building located at 15 Carolina Lane. Green arrows point to Carolina Lane (Alley). Shows the building as a Wood Works/Auto Repair at the time.

(More pictures to follow on next page).