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As many of you know, and some dont' but I have been working on my Collection of Ol' Smoothie Rootbeer items for pretty much as long as I have been collecting..
to Summarize, My Grandfather and his brothers invented, patented, bottled and distributed Ol Smoothie Rootbeer from 1953 to 1986 in the upper midwest..
(I have a summary and story on the history on my website at www.popmachineshop.com  click on Ol smoothie near the bottom.

Anyways... I've been working on find anything related to the brand,, I have all three bottles used, I have the Cans, I have 2 of the carboard bottle carriers and I also have one example of the advertising used.

Keep in mind this was a small brand and the advertising budget was low back in the day so not much was created.  THe advertising standup cardboard I have several examples of, but I was told there was another smaller cardboard / paper sign made as well.

well noone in my family had a sample of this or even a drawing or photo of it... I was only told they made maybe 200 of these paper signs for some local marketing.  I was told they where blue with the yellow lettering and thats about it..

so fast forward about 18 years now to today....

I got a lead on a local auto body guy about 20 miles from my hometown that also "had some old machines laying around"... so I had some time today to go check it out...
I get there, and run into his son and started talking with him about the soda machines that they had in the front of the building , couple 81's some chest coolers a jacobs and more misc STUFF, and lots of junk...
he asks me if I want to see the backroom of his dads collection, and being a collector I'm like SURE... we go into the backroom which is about a 100x 60 polebarn filled with older restored cars, jukes, and just alot of stuff and junk too.. but lots of cool stuff.. He had stuff like the original marquee of the old Skating Rink and the movie theatre that was popular in the 50's in town and go the sign before the tore it down.  just some neat stufff.

so I'm looking around and talking with the guy when my eyes caught something.... here on his wall amongst lots of other items was THE SIGN that I've been looking for all these years!... I did a double take as I have never actually seen one and had to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing...

he has it framed and it's in actually really good condition..... and it's Here Hanging on this guys wall about 20 miles from my house!

by this time the ol man shows up and eyes me up and down, and after introductions I tell him the story and we he starts warming up to me as we know some of the same people.. blah blah blah..

I get around to asking him if it's something he'd sell me... and never said yes or no... long story short, I still DON'T have the sign , but I know where its at, and he did let me take a photo of it...

of course I said I'd be bugging him again next week, and he seemed ok with that and also accepted my card and phone number... I plan on going back next week with some other Ol Smoothie items I have extra of and a cap catcher he was missing off a small cooler and see if I can sweet talk him into a sale or trade?

But overall..  I thought a pretty cool story to share, I'm still excited about it and the hunt is still on ... but now I know what it looks like and it's pretty Killer I think!

I've attached the photo for the world to enjoy as this may be the only one left in existance? who knows?

Very cool story.  Hope you are able to get that sign back in the family collecction!

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

Cool story. I hope you talk him into selling or better yet a trade!

Brian

Everything is for sale, and if not keep and eye out for an alarm system next time!!!

Im with Maine.... did he have an alarm on the place? lol

Unless he thought you were pulling his leg and making up this story to get him to part with this sign blah blah blah, why didnt he at least ask you to make an offer or heck, even say it belongs to you and let ya have it! Lol!!!

I mean, does the guy have an attachement to it?

ANYWAYS, it really is an awesome story, and I am glad that you found your HOLY GRAIL of signs, and I HOPE that it goes to it's rightful heir!! (now you got me thinking of that movie BEERFEST... if any of you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about!! lol)

Good luck, and if luck is'nt on your side, I'm sure the Michigan Mafia can be used here!

Great story...Find out what his interest are and temp him with a deal he can't pass up..even if you have to overpay!

At the least get me some straight on shots of the man and lettering... I can rebuild that for sure....
Take an extra easle sign and some of your other signs... to trade.... It'll be yours.. I can't see
someone keeping a sign from a family member especially if you have some nice trading pieces.
Keep us posted!

     Get him to realize that when it does come time to sell this sign, he will be hard pressed to find another Smoothie collector.
     Also, maybe he needs some help servicing those soda machines?

Cool story. Good luck getting the sign.

Pretty Cool sign looks in great shape, I dont think I would sell it if it was mine .
Good luck John :smile:  and a  Great story.

Awesome story and very cool sign. Thanks for sharing and good luck.

I enjoyed reading your story... I hope you eventually get that sign!  I have suddenly become interested in brewing my own root beer and/or ginger ale.  Does anyone on the board brew?

Cool story John.  Hope you get your sign!  Just got back from a week of vacation in the Wisconsin Dells.  Beautiful country up your way.

Thanks for the Comment... we are heading to the Dells on Thursday for the weekend... if you want to see real beautiful country , next time head Farther North.. I am actually 3.5 hours North of WI. Dells yet...

I looked up where you were located, hoped to maybe stop by your shop and say hello.  Just a bit too far away.  Kids enjoyed the jet boat ride and House on the Rock though.

Well, I let it sit for a few weeks and went out to see the guy with the Ol Smoothie sign after lunch today...

I brought some stuff to trade that I thought he'd be interested in... but he was more interested in cash...

after about 45 minutes of small talk and little offers that kept going up and up... he finally gave me a figure that would take it off the wall... I countered one more time and we agreed on a price... a bit more than what I was hoping for , but for due to the situation.. I just had to have it...

Its in the back of my truck now and can't wait to get home to take the frame apart , clean it up and really inspect the sign....

needless to say.. pretty stoked right now! 

Congratulations on sealing the deal!  I'd be stoked, too.

That sign was meant to be back in your family, great story and that's going to be an amazing piece on the wall and hopefully with your family for years to come...congrats!

Congrats! So glad you were able to make a deal and get it back into the family... :happydrinkers:

FREAKIN AWESOME!

Congrats John ! ! !
A great success story ! ! !

Well done and congratulations

It always feels great to get that one piece that you really want. Way to go John.   :happydrinkers:

Awesome!

Can't wait to see pics

Read this story with great intrest, but where are the Pics  :hopefull:

I took it out of the frame and inspected it more... little water staining and some slight warping.. it's actually a thick cardboard about the thickness of a credit card or more... so pretty durable...  

going to reframe it... also going to make a cooler with the same graphics as the sign, I'm going to use my SS 700 Cooler and have the panels made to match this sign... think the color will be the blue that is on this sign I think... or looking for any other suggestions... That project will come up later in the year.. or spring of 13..

Still excited to have it.!

The guy kind of reminds me of "Ol' Doc" on Dublin DP stuff

     He reminds me of Mr Peanut.  :biggrin:

Ok,
 more to add to this... so I'm at my relatives house to pick up the Coke and 7up items he wants me to sell for him.. and we are talking about Ol Smoothie Rootbeer as his Father was one of the brothers who invented it... and I asked if he had seen this carboard..

he said he remembered it but said .. "Do you have one of these" .. and he pulled out some more advertising that I've never seen before...

one very cool Paper advertising Ol Smoothie Rootbeer Floats and another couple versions of the Cardboard I have but one was smaller with a different bottle design they where contemplating and also another version that I have never seen ... it has some water staining , but still very cool.

I'm like a Kid at Christmas today with all my new finds!

Those are outstanding. This is a good story and you are making out great on your collection.