JOHNSON CITY BOTTLING WORKS

By 1908-09 Johnson City Bottling Works was already in operation at 103 West Market Street. It is being run by Paul E. Divine as President, and James E. Crockett as Secretary-Treasurer. They are bottling Hires Root Beer and Koca-Nola, which makes me wonder if there is perhaps a connection between this bottling company and the Holston Bottling Company in Bristol, VA.(1)

Thomas J. Cox seems to have taken over the reigns as manager by 1911. Thomas Cox would start the T. J. Cox Ice Cream Co. at the 103 West Market address by 1913. Johnson City Bottling Company moves to 116 East Market Street by 1913, and is being run by Granville A. Barlow. James M. Gaunt is listed as President of the company in 1915, with Granville A. Barlow returning as Manager by 1917.(1) Barlow would be President by 1919 with Charles S. Crockett as Secretary-Treasurer.(2)

Something strange happens by 1921, when they change their name to the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company and Richard S. Edwards is over the company, they are still located at 116 East Market. According to a advertisement in the 1921 Piedmont City directory they are also bottling Orange, Lemon, and Lime Crush.(2) This is the first attempt that I have found so far to bring Pepsi-Cola to Johnson City. It would take two more attempts before the brand finally stays. By 1923 they are listed as Johnson City Bottling Works and appear to have moved to 103 South Boone and Robert M. Tunnell is President. Tunnell is still president in the 1925-26 City Directory (2); however, by 1928 the company has moved to Knob Creek Pike with W. Erastus Trivette as President. The company seems to have shut down by 1930.(3)

This was once 103 West Market street which would be the location of Johnson City Bottling Works in 1908, and would remain so until the establishment of T. J. Cox Ice Cream Co. around 1913. Like a lot of these old buildings this area is now a parking lot.

116 East Market street location from 1913-1923

Applied top clear slug plate bottle from Johnson City Bottling Works

Early machine made slug plate bottle from Johnson City Bottling Works

Watermelon slug plate bottle from Johnson City Bottling Works

Advertisement for Johnson City Bottling Works from the 1908-09 City Directory. It appears that the publishers of the city directory have misspelled Koca-Nola and put the hyphen in the wrong place. This doesn't effect my belief that this is indeed Koca-Nola, because they also misspelled Coca Cola as Coco-Cola.

7oz Johnson City Bottling Works Bottle dated 1916

6 1/2oz Johnson City Bottling Works Bottles

Advertisement for Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company from the 1921 City Directory

6 1/2oz deco Johnson City Bottling Works bottle

8oz deco Johnson City Bottling Works bottle

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