Musical Pepsi Cooler and a good story

[BeaYoung]

I've been meaning to post some pictures of this cooler since we got it this spring but first a little history. I hope not to bore you too much!

I grew up in a little town outside of Winnipeg, Canada where my grandparents had a small neighborhood store. In the very center of this store was a musical Pepsi cooler. When you opened the lid, it played, "Pepsi-cola hits the spot." Time passed, the store was closed, my grandparents passed and no one knew whatever happened to the musical Pepsi cooler. I've lived in the Wisconsin for a long time and over the years I've looked for the cooler and because it was a "Canada only" cooler, no one in the USA had ever heard of it.

About a year ago at the Chicago show, I ended up sitting next across from George and Shane from George's Custom Paint & Nostalgic Station, fellow Canadians. I happened to mention to them the story and the hunt for the cooler. Imagine my surprise when George told me that someone had contacted him about a musical Pepsi cooler.  George had kept the contact information from the gentleman. When we called, the seller still had the cooler and we were able to buy it! It is same make and model as the one in that small country store I grew up with and the music box still works! Greg, the gentleman I bought the cooler from had bought it 30+ years ago and had kept it in a nice clean garage.

So a BIG THANKS to George and Shane for making that connection! Here are a few shots of the cooler. It's a Frigidaire with original paint and embossed sides. Even the graphics on the lid are original.  If someone can tell me how to post files with sound, I'll post the jingle it plays too.

B.

[Larry]

That's really cool.  I never heard of a singing Pepsi machine.  I would like to hear that song when you figure it out.

[Eric]

Great story and find... there is also a small Pepsi dispenser that plays the jingle....
that looks like a nice cooler.... Leaving it as is?

[GreenMo]

who'd  a  thunk it?

[HowDueYouDue]

A music box cooler; very cool. Thanks for sharing

[BONOVOX]

Great story!!!
Is there any chance that this might be the exact same cooler?

 

[Creighton]

Outstanding!! Thanks for the story.
Creighton

[sc1101]

That is cool. I saw someone last year posted a picture of a musical cooler just like that one on the Pepsi collectors page. Wonder if its the same one. Great story

[kbareit]

Great story, glad you were able to find one. I saw the dispenser that plays the jingle but didn't know there was a cooler that it.

[BeaYoung]

Here is a youtube link to the chimes playing. It is only audio- we couldn't figure out how to get close enough with the camera to capture the chimes loud enough and also the machine.
You may have to turn the speakers up a bit.  Hopefully it works!

http://youtu.be/IwQ5RZjpFl0

I don't think that it's the same cooler. Greg, the gent I bought it from, found this one in Vancouver BC 30+ years ago, and I had followed the trial on my grandparents cooler to someone who had it as recently as 6-8 years ago in the Winnipeg area.

My mom is 75 years old and had a lot more history with the cooler and the Country Store than I did- when we finally got the cooler home and got it in the rec room, I think she had a tear or two when she first heard it. It just brought back so many memories for everyone. Too bad there are no photos of the little store or the Pepsi machine in it. I do remember the visable gas pump in front of the store. 

Neat to think that there may be another one in the world! I wonder how to find out more about the one shown on the Pepsi site/group?


B.

[BeaYoung]

And yes to the previous question, we will be leaving it as is... A nice survivor. 

[Slider-Bob]

Great story Brenda!

Congrats on your awesome find, and kudos to George and Shane for the lead/connection. Nice teamwork!

[Rebel]

Great story and history of your families store and cooler. Reminds me of some of my car buddies searching years for their High school rides, some finding them 20 30 years later. I'm betting, if the search continues, you'll run across the one in store. Great story.

[BeaYoung]

If anyone caught the Lambrecht auction a week or two ago in Nebraska covered by the History Channel, a lot of people who had traded their cars with that dealership 30-50 years ago- found their cars at this auction. The dealership had never sold a used car- they parked them in a field until they were sold at the recent auction. The History Channel interviewed a man who was trying to buy his first "dating" car back. LOL!

[sc1101]

Here is the posts and pictures on the site. His name is Steve and he is a member on here under the name coinopgullwing if you have any questions he's a very helpful and knowledgeable guy. I tried to copy pics three times with no luck so here's the links instead.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=489904397694314&set=gm.10151015401076396&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=508175505867203&set=gm.10151067436291396&type=1&theater

[BeaYoung]

That is awesome!!! Thanks so much for the links. That machine looks to be a nice original as well.

How neat that there are at least two of these still around!! Is that machine in the USA or in Canada now?

B.

[sc1101]

Glad I could help. I new I saw one but took me a couple to find it. It is in the US. Kansas to be exact.

[Rebel]

This great story also reminds me of, I think it was a Coke machine at a local Gulf station back in the 80's I think. It also talked when you approached the machine.  First time I walked by it started I almost jumped out of my socks.

[tkaz]

I'm always amazed that no matter how many machines I see or come across on this site, there is always something new that is really cool.  Interesting that Pepsi went with yellow on the cooler, you see that on some of the thermometers and signs, but I can't think of any coolers that are yellow.  I like it.

[sc1101]

I like it also. The yellow stands out for sure. It's not a machine you see everyday. That's my kind of machine.

[Rebel]

I'm always amazed that no matter how many machines I see or come across on this site, there is always something new that is really cool.  Interesting that Pepsi went with yellow on the cooler, you see that on some of the thermometers and signs, but I can't think of any coolers that are yellow.  I like it.

Seems I remember a class in college discussing the color yellow. I believe to see yellow, your brain has to do something different for your eyes to see it and this process makes what you saw stick in your memory much longer. It's also a home seller trick by placing yellow flowers on the front porch and buyers will remember. Just a little trivia,,sorry.

[cola62]

Great looking cooler. Like the colors.

[coinopgullwing]

Hello, Thanks Seth for posting my pictuces of my Canadian Frigidaire pepsi cooler, I bought the Cooler from Harry Hladun in Beausejour Manitoba, Canada In December of 2001. The cooler is a wet bath type with a stainless steel liner. Canadian Pepsi Company used yellow on their coolers. The yellow color is not the same that royal crown used. The color is a little darker with mustard color to it.

[georgescustompaint]

Thanks for posting the pictures Brenda.
My dad and I are very happy that the rare cooler went to a good home! I bet there is nobody on earth who would appreciate that cooler more than Brenda, as she has a neat story and connection that brings her back to the general store and her childhood.


Brenda has returned the favor, finding us a few nice machines.

Glad to meet such a good friend !

Shane.

[BrianS]

A wonderful story and another example of what makes this such a great site!