THE DR. PEPPER BOTTLING COMPANY

The Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Marion, VA started up in Marion in February 1937 in the bottom floor of the newly completed at the time Gwyn building on Main street.(2) The Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Marion, VA established as a co-partnership January 15, 1941, with Clay F. Church of Marion, VA and N. S. Forester, Jr. of North Wilkesboro, NC. Church and Forester also created another co-partnership known as the Southwest Distributing Company on the same day as the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company. They built a new plant west of Marion on Lee Highway which opened on March 20, 1942.(2) Marion Bottling Company bought out the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Marion in 1971, thus acquiring the Dr. Pepper franchise for the area as well 7-UP franchise. This also eliminated a serious competitor to their Pepsi franchise in the process.(1)
The first location for Dr. Pepper of Marion, VA was located in the first floor of this building.
The second location of Dr. Pepper of Marion as it was the day it opened in 1942.
Dr. Pepper of Marion as it stands today






On the left is Clay Church and on the right is N. S. Forester, Jr. from the Smyth County News of March 17, 1942.






(Pre-Tip Corporation) 12oz Sunflower Beverages bottle dated 1939
Dr. Pepper of Marion ad from Janurary 1939.






6 1/2oz Dr. Pepper Good For Life bottle 1942






6 1/2oz Dr. Pepper Good For Life bottle 1944
Dr. Pepper of Marion ad from November 1946






6 1/2oz Dr. Pepper Good For Life bottle
Dr. Pepper of Marion reciept from 1948 which lists Sun Flower Beverages.




10oz Sunflower Beverages bottle dated 1950. The interesting thing about this bottle is that in 1950 the brand is still being bottled by the Tip Bottling Company, which is really being bottled by the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Marion; however, this bottle has the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company embossed in the bottom, and no mention of Tip.

The bottom of the Sunflower Beverages bottle





From the collection of Frank Anderson, photo by Joseph Lee
6 1/2 oz Dr. Pepper bottle dated 1951. Notice that this bottle has the earlier clock design of the "Good For Life" bottles; however, has the green color of the later no clock bottles.

The bottom of the bottle






6oz Dr. Pepper Bottles the one on the left dated 1952 and the other is 1954






10oz Sunflower beverages bottle dated 1955. It appears that Dr. Pepper has stopped bottling the brand for the Tip Corporation by this point.






10oz "Bottle Cap" painted label Dr. Pepper bottle dated 1955






10oz Dr. Pepper bottle with acl contents on front dated 1956






10oz Dr. Pepper bottle without acl contents on front dated 1956






From the collection of Frank Anderson, photo by Joseph Lee
10oz Sunflower beverages bottle while not dated note that the colors are inverted as compared to the bottles that would follow.






10oz Sunflower Beverages bottles the left one dated 1959 and the other one dated 1964






10oz Sunflower beverages bottle dated 1966
Dr. Pepper of Marion reciept from 1970.
The only artifact proof of 7-up in Marion, VA I have is the above crate, and archival evidence from Wythe Hull's book. Is there a Marion, VA 7-up bottle out there? It all depends upon when Dr. Pepper picked up the franchise.


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Biblography:

(1) The History of the Marion Bottling Company, Inc. By Wythe M. Hull, Jr Copyright 1985 by Wythe M. Hull, Jr

(2) The Smyth County News