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Soda Water History
Posted By: Charlie Barrett
Date: Monday, 29 May 2000, at 9:27 p.m.
Tom: I enjoyed reading your marvelously and scholarly researched piece on the TC site regarding Willmantic's soda water industry. You will find that Frederick Meyer and family ran the Hosmer Mountain firm from mid 40s-late 50s, I know so well since I spent a lot of time there with my school pal - the late Teddy Meyer, who died prematurely in 1956 in an auto accident in Coventry. The Meyer signature soda pop best seller was Hires' Orange Crush, which my father Russell for a short time sold in the Capitol Theatre until the state said "no bottled soda in the theatre"!!!.
The Meyer family lived upstairs over the soda bottling plant (it's still there run now by a new owner as you know) and their house always had this sweet smell of soda syrup. Mr. Meyer died in 1957 while working in the plant downstairs and his wife, Sally and two daughters, Susan and Judy moved to Florida.
They also had a plant in Taftville too and Mr. Meyer had a partner whose name escapes me. Anyway....a bit of soda industry history for you and the site readers.....
Posted By: Tom Beardsley
Date: Tuesday, 30 May 2000, at 7:49 a.m.
In Response To: Soda Water History (Charlie Barrett)
Thanks Charles -- that's great stuff. It's always interesting to see first hand accounts, like a few weeks ago when a gentleman wrote to the forum and recalled celebrating VE night in 1945 at the Wonder Bar on Jackson Street -- and losing his car in the process.
I can fully appreciate the danger of exploding soda pop bottles in the Capitol Cinema! Talking of the Capitol, there's a fund-raising event at Windham Mills on June 23. We'll post more details on the Capitol Cinema section on the site.
Posted By: Betty(Elizabeth Mock) <ElizMock@aol.com>
Date: Monday, 4 September 2000, at 9:47 a.m.
1 post missing
In Response To: Re: Soda Water History (Shirley Ashton Merritt)
Thanks Shirley for a wonderful post concerning my Uncle Arthur and Aunt Laura! Yes, they have been a hard working and dedicated family all their lives. I remember when they first took over the business in the late 50's and moved from out near the airport into the home above the bottling shop. I never worked in the shop but I was upstairs a lot babysitting my 6 cousins weekends and summers. The "boys" have sure helped their dad turn that place into a great family owned business, something you sure don't find much these days! I am sure "proud" to call them "family"! Hope their kids will find the same interest in the business.
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