EAST TENNESSEE CHERO-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY / CUNNINGHAM BEVERAGES

East Tennessee Chero-Cola Bottling Company first shows up at 214-216 West Market Street between 1919 and 1921 with William H. Treadwell, who helped start the Bristol Chero-Cola Bottling Company in Bristol, VA in May 1916, listed as Proprietor.(1) They are listed as being located at 212 West Market Street as of 1923, William H. Treadwell is now listed as President / Manager with T. E. Regland as Security-Treasurer.(1) By 1925 Scott E. Cunningham is President and T. E. Regland is still Security-Treasurer. Leslie R. Driver is Vice President of the company by 1928 with Cunningham still president. Around 1930 the name of the company has been changed to the Nehi Bottling Company located at 226 West Market, which is the same building as 212 according to the Sanborn Maps. Scott E. Cunningham is President and Leslie R. Driver is Vice President of this company.(1) This all changes by 1932 when the Nehi Bottling Company, which has moved to 244 West Market, has William C. Adams as President, and Scott E. Cunningham is President of Cunningham Beverage Company Inc. at 226 West Market(2) which is bottling 7-Up by 1936.(3) Scott E. Cunningham sold out his shares of the stock in the company to Wiley McCoy in September 1936 due to Cunningham having health issues.(3)
This is the location of the East Tennessee Chero-Cola Bottling Company at 212 West Market Street. This building would later be the first home of the Seven-Up Bottling Company.




6 1/2oz Chero-Cola bottle
August 27, 1922 ad announcing the arrival of the Chero-Cola Dolls, which were apparently a premium given away on the underside of Chero-Cola bottle caps.

From the collection of Geff Moore, photo by Joseph Lee
6 1/2oz Chero-Cola bottle
June 8, 1923 ad announcing the introduction of the new "twist" style Chero-Cola bottle.




6 oz Twist style Chero-Cola bottle
May 21, 1928 ad announcing the introduction of the new CherO bottle. Chero-Cola had to change their name due to losing a lawsuit with Coca-Cola, the brand never recovered it's former popularity even though it lasted in one form or another until the 1950's.




6 1/2oz Cunningham Beverage bottle from the 1930's


This page is only part of a much larger site. To see the rest then just click TAZEWELL-ORANGE.COM
Bibliography:

(1) Commercial Johnson City, Tenn. City Directory 1919, 1921, 1925-26, and 1932-33

(2) Baldwin's Johnson City, Tenn. City Directory 1923-24, 1928 through 1941

(3) Cummins V. McCoy et al. 125sw.2d 509