TIP BOTTLING COMPANY
TRI-CITY BEVERAGE

According to Dick Bridgforth's Mountain Dew: The History, in 1946 Charlie Gordon and his brother-in-law Sam Y. Harding started the Tip Bottling Company on the corner of West Walnut Street and Cherokee Street. Of course their first drink was Tip Grape; however, in 1948 they decided to change the name of the company to Tri-City Beverage after they started bottling Hires Root Beer (1). Bridgeforth doesn't mention when they started bottling the Tri-City Beverage line of flavor sodas; however, I would assume it was at least before 1950, because that is the date of my bottle.

In 1951 they introduced what would become their signature drink, Dr. Enuf. I have devoted an entire page to Dr. Enuf HERE. Also in 1951 Charlie Gordon helped to create Sun-Drop, and Tri-City would start to bottle the drink (1). In 1954, Tri-City Beverage replaced Hires with Frostie Root Beer, they also created two brands Gordon's Club Soda, and Gordon's Ginger Ale. 1954 would also be the year that Tri-City would become the first franchise bottler of a 7-UP type mixer known as Mountain Dew (1).

Sometime between 1968 and 1972 they would move from the West Walnut location to their present location at 714 Rolling Hills Drive(2). At some point they started bottling Cheerwine; however, I don't know when. Today Tri-City Beverages is still bottling Dr. Enuf and the Tri-City Beverages flavors now known as TC's Old Fashioned Flavors. Tri-City Beverage is a good example of an independent neighborhood bottler, which in this world of colossal soda companies is a breath of fresh air and good old nostalgia.

Tri-City Beverage during the introduction of Dr. Enuf

The original location of Tri-City Beverage as it is today

Tri-City Beverages at it's present location on Rolling Hills Drive

The beginning, an ad introducing The Tip Bottling Company of Johnson City, Tenn. from February 11, 1947 Kingsport Times

6oz Tip Grape bottle from the Tip Bottling Company of Johnson City, TENN. dated 1946

An ad announcing the introduction of Hires Root Beer from the October 20, 1947 Kingsport Times

32oz Clear Tri-city Beverages bottles dated 1948

10oz Mil-Kay bottle dated 1949

Tri-City Beverage ad promoting Mil-Kay and Sun-Drop from 1950

8oz Clear Tri-city Beverages bottles dated 1950

8oz Green Tri-city Beverages bottle dated 1950

7oz Sun Drop bottle dated 1953

10oz Mil-Kay bottle dated 1954

12oz Frostie Root Beer bottles dated 1954

12oz Frostie Root Beer bottle dated 1955

9oz Mountain Dew "Charlie and Jim" bottle dated 1956, and a 10oz Mountain Dew "Charlie and Bill" bottle dated 1965. I bet you are wondering what that white dot is over the Hill Billy's head. This bottle was made in 1965 and was a step taken by Bill Bridgeforth to help in recognizing his bottles due to the different sizes and types of Mountain Dew bottles coming in from other bottling companies. Most of the mid sixties mountain dews didn't have the company names on them. Even the Charlie and Bill name on them didn't help because there was a 9oz running around with the same name on them(1).

8 3/4oz Mountain Dew "Charlie Jim and Bill" bottle dated 1955, and a 10oz Mountain Dew "By Charlie and Bill" bottle dated 1964.

24oz clear Tri-city Sparkling Soda bottle dated 1958

12oz Frostie Root Beer bottle dated 1958

A Frostie crate from the "Tri-City Bottling Company" of Johnson City, Tenn.; however, the company was never called the Tri-City Bottling Company, dated 1960.

10oz Frostie Root Beer bottle dated 1961

10oz Cott Low Calorie Dietary Beverages bottle dated 1963

10oz Tri-City Beverages bottle dated 1972

Foam labeled Tri-City Beverages bottles

12oz Frostie long neck bottle from the early 1990's.

Gordons Fine Cream Soda bottles

Bottles from the Charlie O's soda line, named after Charlie Gordon the founder of the company.

10oz TC’s Beverages bottles from 2007-09

Tri-City has started putting out Dr. Enuf in an ACL retro 12oz bottle which you can see above. If you want to find out more check out their site at the address below.

www.drenuf.com

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