Free to a good home

[johnieG]

An associate of mine is clearing out an old independent Bottlers facility ( Old National Bottling Co. from Saginaw MI.) to make way for his metal stamping business,

 So, what he has is a Pallet full of of 124 cases (24/bottles per case) of New Old Stock light green 12oz. refillable Glass Bottles, as pictured.
These are Brand New, never filled, still shrink-wraped on their original pallet, I've got to find a home for these, or it's off to the land fill with them (and Yes, we've checked with recyclers in the area & no one will accept them) it would be a shame & a waste to dump these pristine bottles, and Yes they are Free shipping is up to you.

So contact your local independant bottler, this is a deal! AND he has a matching Bottle washing/refilling line to find a home for, I remember a while back, someone here told a sad story of a local/independant Pepsi refiller with a busted bottle washer that couldn't be fixed, & they'd have to shut down the line. well here is a fully functional Bottle washer, FREE!!!
Come & get it! or it too will be busted up for scrap & hauled away.

(it'll wash between 6oz. up to 24oz. glass bottles) , Yes it's hugh, & YES I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow, (my digital cameras battery went dead today  '> ) I've recharge the darn thing & here are the bottle pic's...

[johnieG]

an the front side...

[dr galaga]

That's a shame.  I think it would be cool to have your own little "hometown" bottling operation.  Oh well, no money, space or time. '>

I'm surprised that the recycler will not accept the green glass.

[johnieG]

Nope, you have to pay them to come & get them, if it were clear glass, they'd trip over themselves to get at them, these would be perfect for a small home-town micro brewer too!  '> , soda, beer, sparkling water...we'll see if someone can use them, who was it that took that trip down  to that little mall town "garage" bottlers ? they could use the filling line equipment, & the washer too!  '>

[vend_dr]

I wonder if one of the small bottlers in Wisconsin would be interested in them. I will try to contact them tomorrow to see. JohnieG I sent you a pm but I am not sure it worked, so if you have contact information about these bottles that I can pass on email it to me at sodacans@sherbtel.net

[johnieG]

That would be great vend_dr! they are already wrapped & palleted & ready to roll to there new life filling machines with happiness & fizzy joys of soda, or the adult beverages of your choice, he also has a broken (unwrapped/incomplete) pallet of some cases of these too, if you guys want them, contact me & I can UPS them to your door, shippings on you  :'>

he said he has/had some pre-mix dispensers somewhere in the building (it's a mess) I'll see what he has! wish & I could find the matching bottle caps for my collection!

[dr galaga]

Quote (johnieG @ Aug. 23 2005,9:35)

who was it that took that trip down  to that little mall town "garage" bottlers ?

That was me, but they were a little bigger than a garage  '> .
Actually, it was from the other good doctor (vend_dr) that I found out about them (probably the same ones he's contacting).

If they were Coca-Cola, I'd be freaking over them right now. '>
But still cool.

[vend_dr]

I contacted Twig's beverage in wisconsin and he was interested in them. I gave him your number I hope he calls you.

[glassbottlesrule]

What's really funny Johnie is I just ran across almost the same situation in Detroit.  A friend of mine is into urban exploration and came across a vacant,small independent bottler in the hood.  Everything is still there.  Line, bottles, empty cases the whole nine yards.  Looks like it was just shut down and locked up.  The weirdest part,  I've never heard of the beverage and I've been a pop hound for a long time.  I wonder how many places like this exist just waiting to be rediscovered.

[johnieG]

Really? weird, the ghost in the machine, (great album) now you have to tell me, because you know I gotta know! Who was the bottler/brand ? post if you would or PM me.

and vend_dr, yes! he's been in contact & I'll forward all the info/pictures I have, and I'll get him in contact with the buildings new owner. hopfully they can strike a deal, I went back & dug around & located some of the old plastic cases label "The Pop-Stop" this was a national franchise as I recall, after looking in the bottle-cappers' loaded bin (still stuffed with crowns) the last run was for a local brewer (Big Buck Beer) & there are still brown beer bottles in the washer, just sitting there, like they shut down for the evening & never returned, kinda creepy!  

[vend_dr]

Good I am glad he called you.

Yes glassbottlesrule please post the brand!

What's really sad is I have wanted to start a small soda bottling (with returnable bottles) business for quite some time but I just don't have the funds. Too bad as this would have been a great opportunity to lower the start up costs.

Quote (johnieG @ Aug. 24 2005,6:33)

...I went back & dug around & located some of the old plastic cases label "The Pop-Stop" this was a national franchise as I recall...

Are you sure it wasn't "Pop Shop" I remember that from my childhood in the 1970's.

[johnieG]

Quote (Markito @ Aug. 24 2005,11:47)

Quote (johnieG @ Aug. 24 2005,6:33) ...I went back & dug around & located some of the old plastic cases label "The Pop-Stop" this was a national franchise as I recall... Are you sure it wasn't "Pop Shop" I remember that from my childhood in the 1970's.

Dooh! Yep , it is the "Pop Shop" , I'll have to put on some reading glasses I guess.

[vend_dr]

The "Pop Shop" recently reopened in canada, there is also a company in Saratoga Falls NY that still uses the pop shop bottles.

[glassbottlesrule]

Here's the pictures I have.  It was Brownie Root Beer and Atlas beverages.    I didn't blur out the street signs so please don't smear these all over the web so this place gets destroyed even more.

[glassbottlesrule]

And another.....

[glassbottlesrule]

The inside, what a mess.

[glassbottlesrule]

The line

[johnieG]

Yea, I know this place! too late about the web though, here's what I got on a google search of "atlas beverages"

http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroitpix/BrownieRootBeer.html

[glassbottlesrule]

That website isn't frequented too much.  Good site.  The place is surprisingly intact.  At least about a year ago it was.

[dr galaga]

I got my bottle today. Thanks JohnieG!
Just like you described - brand new.

[johnieG]

Glad it arrived safely!

well, the total no. of pallets is up to 8! so thats 8 pallets x 80/cases ea. x 24 bottle/case=15,360bottles! (not counting the incomplete pallet) & we found a buch more of the plastic "Pop-Shop" cases, hopefully our friend at twigs beverages can put these to good use.

[johnieG]

The monster washer itself!

[johnieG]

The bottle filler...

[johnieG]

the capper, still full of bottle caps (crowns) do you see the giant 220 volt bug zapper in the upper/rear portion of the picture? I'd like to have had that in my back yard this summer!

[johnieG]

and the case filler, it would take the bottles 24 at a time & drop them down to the case to be filled below, then the case would roll of to the warehouse, but that part of the line has been removed, sold for scrap...this equipment is still all functonal too, the water pumps & carbonator have been disconnected from the line, for all of you dispencer guys, they trashed a bunch of pe-mix fountains too, all were working with roll around stainless bases/self refrigerated & held four pre-mix canisters & the CO2 tank for special events, etc.  & they scraped about 1000+ of the pre-mix tanks/canisters themselves... '>

[dr galaga]

Thanks both of you for sharing the pictures.  
JohnieG- Everything looks like it's in good shape.  How long ago did they close up?

glassbottlesrule-
do you know if they are going to keep that sign on the side of the building or tear it down, it seems it would be a shame to tear it down, those types of signs are what give small towns their character

[johnieG]

Quote (dr galaga @ Aug. 26 2005,9:05)

Thanks both of you for sharing the pictures.   JohnieG- Everything looks like it's in good shape.  How long ago did they close up?

Well the labeler (put the bottling date on the bottles) was last set at 6-94, & there are a bunch of syrup concentrate 1 gallon jugs in the store room with an expiration date of 10/96, this would suggest mid-1993 to early-1994, the bottles that were left inside the washer are brown 12oz. glass longnecks & the bottle-crowns in the capper's hopper are labeled for "Big Buck Beer" , so it looks like that was the last run on the line, taking into consideration maybe a 6 month expiration date on the beer. '>

[glassbottlesrule]

I don't see that sign/building diappearing anytime soon.  It is Detroit  and the only time we tear anything down is if it's historically important or we need the space for a stadium or casino.  Everything else we just let sit and decay.  Do not get me started on Detroit's woes, that's for a different forum and website.

[johnieG]

just an up date on the old national bottling plant in Saginaw, MI.

good news, my contact from Twigs' is in the process of striking a deal with the current owner, (of the National bottlers building),it looks like it may be saved after all!
 '>

[dr galaga]

Does this mean that the plant will produce pop again?

[johnieG]

Quote (dr galaga @ Sep. 19 2005,6:35)

Does this mean that the plant will produce pop again?

Nope, the plant is in the process of being converted into a metal fabrication shop. ( a good person to keep in touch with for thoses odd bit's & pieces need for old soda-machines!  :'> ) but the line equipment will be transfered & used to produce soda at the Twigs' beverages plant in Wisconson, as will the 10+ pallats of those green-glass bottles. so sort of  a happy ending. better than the scrap-heap.

[Kilroy]

Atlas was THE soda in the 1940's well into the 60's. I remember the brand fondly, it was served at union halls and bars all around the Detroit area.
As far as I remember, the bottles were in a 32 oz size, great for gatherings, but couldn't compete with the easy to carry 12 oz and 8oz bottles available.

thanks GLassBottles, I hadn't thought about atlas pop in ages.
Now if Towne Club could only make a comeback

[dr galaga]

Quote (johnieG @ Sep. 19 2005,7:24)

...but the line equipment will be transfered & used to produce soda at the twigs' beverages plant in Wisconson, as will the 10+ palattes of those green-glass bottles. so sort of  a happy ending. better than the scrap-heap.

That's good.  I wonder if I might get some of those bottles when I go there next summer.
Their equipment was looking pretty worn in Shawano.
Here's a pic of the current bottling line at Twig's that I stole from vend_dr's trip page '>

[vend_dr]

Quote (johnieG @ Sep. 19 2005,6:24)

but the line equipment will be transfered & used to produce soda at the twigs' beverages plant in Wisconson, as will the 10+ palattes of those green-glass bottles. so sort of  a happy ending. better than the scrap-heap.

Great news! I was hoping they would come through maybe my prodding of Catawisa bottling did the trick as they were going to contact Twig's about the bottles and equipment.

[glassbottlesrule]

Down get me started about Towne Club.  Would love to be 10 years old again at the store filling up assorted cases of it.