FYI : Former employee reflects on recent renovation of 64-year-old office

From Jerry Watkinson, Imperial Beach, Ca. : I have some steins available at $12 each + postage. Descriptions follow:
1. Avon Sports Stein - one side "The Strike- Rainbow Trout" The other side, "At Point-English Setter" 8.5" tall 4.25" across base. High relief, beautifully done. Bottom says "AVON, Handcrafted in Brazil exclusively for Avon products, 1978, 75742". In perfect Condition. Weighs about 3#.
2. Avon Aircraft Stein - 9.5 tall, 4" across bottom. Has various old aircraft in high relief. Around base says "Wright Bros. 1903, Montgollier 1783, Piper cub J-3 1940, Sikorsky Seaplane, 1931,Waco Bi-plane 1930, Ford Tri-motor 1927, Bleriot 1909." Bottom similar to Sports Stein but dated 1981, #58623. Excellent + condition. Weight about the same as above. I would figure 5# with packing at least.
3. Cowboy stein- About 9.5 tall and 4" across base. Around base it says "Chuck Wagon, Cattle Drive, Stage Coach, Roping". These scenes in high relief on stein. Bottom says same but dated 1980 #54826. Stein in really beautiful condition. Weight about the same.
4. German Stein- Bottom says Original DMF Bierseidel as near as I can make out. About 8.5" tall 4.3" across base. in full color depicts a German beer garden in a rather comical mode. Stein is excellent. Weight the same. (Funny, these are all different shapes and styles but weigh almost exactly the same.)
5. Anheuser Busch Stein-6.5 tall, 4" across base. Pictures the famous Clydesdale team in relief pulling Wagon in winter scene. Bottom says, "Handcrafted expressly for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. 1988 Collectors Series, The tradition of the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales Continues. This special edition stein shows the hitch in festive holiday harness crossing a country bridge." Stein is in beautiful condition.
(I have digital photos available of these, available upon request.)

From Richard Mix, Mix International : Click on the links below to view photos and additional information at: bottleworld.com.

Also if anyone else has bottles or other soda-related items to offer, E-mail and let us all know.

From David : Liquid Loot Points Wanted - I am looking to buy some Liquid Loot points if anyone has them. Payment would be made through paypal.

From Liss Michini : Wanted: Coca-Cola Straight-sided bottles from: Atlantic City and Newark, N.J.; Kansas City and Clinton, Mo., Albertville, Guntersville, Frisco City, Gadsden, Jasper, Lineville, Nostasulga, Sylacauga, Tuskegee and West Blockton, Ala.; Amory, Belzoni, Biloxi, Houston, Leland, Clarksdale, Corinth, Sardis, Holly Springs and Tupelo, Miss. Also Wanted: Coca-Cola seltzer bottle from any city in Miss., Ala. (except Montgomery) and any city in Louisiana (except Monroe).

From Doug McCoy : WANTED - a 16-ounce Coca-Cola hobbleskirt from 1955 or 1956. Contact: Doug McCoy, 2851 Milford View, Marietta, GA 30008; Phone: (770) 435-9138 or by E-mail.

Do you have a particular item, or items, that you have been looking for a long time to complete part of your collection, or something you want - but have not as yet been able to find? Send it so all of us can help you look. You never know where it may turn up! E-mail it to My Missing Item

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From Blair Matthews: Issue #30 of Soda Pop Dreams Magazine is well on the way to being completed and will go into the mail soon. This is the annual Christmas edition and is my favorite edition to put together. Lots of great old bottler info and tidbits about Coke, Pepsi, Chero, a feature story about Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge soda, and much more. Our 'everything Coca-Cola' Soda Spectrum Series magazine is now available for pre-order on our website for only $5.95 US funds (for a limited time). This edition is full of only Coca-Cola collectibles, articles, stories, old photos, thoughts from Coke collectors, and tons more. If you haven't yet checked out our Soda Spectrum Series publication, you're missing something special! Click on over to here: http://www.pww.on.ca/soda-mag2.htm And finally, a couple of polls still up and running at the Soda Pop Dreams Magazine website and we want your thoughts about these issues. The first one: do you have your collection of soda memorabilia insured? If not, why not? And the second question, do you think there are too many Coca-Cola licensed products/collectibles on the market today? Vote at: http://www.sodapopdreams.org - and e-mail your comments to me today!! Also still looking for any eBay thoughts/opinions... Is it good/bad for the soda collecting hobby; what are the pros/cons? Drop us a line!

London - Coca-Cola will no longer aim its TV commercials at young children, abandoning its so-called "pester power" - advertising that goes over the heads of adults and tries to persuade children to bully their parents into purchasing decisions. The technique, though effective, has long been hugely controversial. Criticism has been aimed at food and drinks companies who encourage children to consume sweet and fatty products which have led to an alarming growth in childhood obesity.

Martin Norris, communications director of Coca-Cola UK, said: "We recognize that in the case of children under 12 the responsibility for consumption should be left in the hands of parents and guardians." He also said the company had not advertised its fizzy drinks to children for many years - and was now extending the policy to all its brands. The ruling means that none of these drinks will appear during children's television programs. The move was greeted with a guarded welcome by children's campaigners. - Independent Foreign Service

EAGAN, Minn. - Due to a need for an updated, larger facility, Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Co. will close its distribution centers in Rochester and Mankato and combine their operations in Owatonna. Kevin Morris, spokesman for Midwest Coca-Cola, said the Rochester and Mankato operations each have about 50 employees. The center in Owatonna will employ 100 and is set to open in late summer or early fall of 2004. Several locations south of the Twin Cities were considered, but Owatonna was chosen because of its central location between Mankato and Rochester and its access to distribution routes, including Interstate 35 and Highway 14. Midwest bought the Rochester facility in August 2002, as well as a similar center in Austin which it closed three months later, in November 2002. David Strand, Owatonna community development director, said Midwest received free land and tax-increment financing to cover the costs of ground preparations. Midwest is the Coca-Cola bottler and distributor for much of Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa and portions of South Dakota and Wisconsin.

New bottles or cans, or anything soda, in your area ?
Please send the info so all of us can know @ Whats New

NOVEMBER 30 - BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA
Forks of the Delaware Bottle Collectors Association’s 30^th Annual Show & Sale (Sun. 9 AM – 3 PM, early admission 7:30 AM) at Bethlehem Catholic High School, Madison & Dewberry Ave., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. INFO: BILL HEGEDUS, 20 Cambridge Pl., Catasauqua, PA 18032, PH: (610) 264-5945

If you would like to view the full 'events calendar' that I now maintain < click here>.
Any new events in your area? E-mail it so all of us can know, to: Upcoming Events

I am in the final hours of finishing up the next issue of Bottles & Extras (the Winter 2004 issue, due for mailing in January). This one has been the most challenging out of all the others I've done, but I can't really explain how, or why - it just is. I will be glad when this one gets burned and mailed to the printers.

Noted is the fact that there are only three shows remaining for this year. The one next weekend in Bethelehem, Pa. and two next month at Auburn, Calif. and Terre Haute, Ind. I have attended more shows in the past year than my whole life, I think - and I have enjoyed each and every one. Even from the shows where I did not bring anything home with me (IF that happened, hehe), I was happy to have attended based on those people I managed to see, or meet for the first time, while I was there. Nothing replaces that!

Do remember the EXPO in Memphis next August , 2004. It will be here before we know it. I received a letter from Charlie Perry in Middleport, Ohio about it a couple of days ago. He says, "Please push the 2004 EXPO in Memphis. ACL collectors UNITE!" I can't agree with Charlie more - we'll have a great time - so please plan on attending. This thing only happens once every four years - and it will be my first one - so I am excited about it.

At the show in Greensboro, N.C., Jimmie Wood and a few of his friends spent some time coordinating their plans to attend. Some were planning to stay at the hosting motel for the Expo, others had found a better rate nearby - so it doesn't matter where you sleep - JUST BE THERE! Jimmie also stated he is planning to do a display of his North Carolina ACLs - so do mail me if you are interested in participating in ANY way.

The old Coca-Cola building on Roswell Street has undergone so much renovation that Clarence Rohner barely recognizes the inside of the building where he worked for 28 years. "Words can't express it," the 82-year-old Marietta native said. "Most of this just looked like a warehouse. It definitely looks a lot different now."

Rohner served in a variety of capacities while working in the old brick Coca-Cola building right across the street from the National Cemetery. Rohner, a 1938 graduate of Marietta High School, said he first started working with Coke in 1940. "There were no jobs, no nothing, so I helped out on the truck route making 50-cents a day," he said. "It was rough."

Rohner, a former Air Force veteran from 1941 to 1945, said he was promoted to manager of the Marietta Coca-Cola Bottling Company in 1956, a position he held until 1968. "1968 was the last time I have been in this building," he said. "That was 35 years ago. Isn't that unbelievable?"

Rohner retired from the Coca-Cola Sales Center in Dunwoody in 1983 after 43 years of service with the company. "I've seen a lot of change and a lot of expansion within the company," he said.

Roger DeBoy, current owner of the building, said the two-story structure was built in 1939 by longtime Marietta resident Charles Thomas. DeBoy, who has lived in Marietta for the past 15 years, said that due to the expansion, Coke moved out in 1968, and the building became home to the administrative offices for Cobb County Schools.

"Then, in 1983, Bach Properties bought it from them, and Cobb Schools moved over to Glover Street," he said. Without disclosing the amount, DeBoy said he bought the building from Bach Properties in August of last year. "It's so close to the square, and there is a historical good feeling about it," he said. "I've never seen a building so solid."

DeBoy said he began a $1 million renovation on the office complex, where construction workers put in new windows, new wiring and a new elevator.

"We wanted to keep the character of the building because we liked the brick, wooden floors and steel columns," he said. "We also kept the old Coke logo on the front of the building because everyone remembers this as the old Coca-Cola building. We didn't want to change that."

Rohner recognized that the front doors and the lighting outside had not been changed. "I spent a lot of hours in this building, and I know a lot of it has changed, but I remember those doors," he said. "Those are the same doors I grabbed 40 years ago."

DeBoy said he decided to name the building Emerson Court after his father. "I lost my father at the age of 22, and he had a strong impact on my life," he said. "He was a strong man, and this is a strong building, so I though Emerson would be fitting. That's my son's name as well."

DeBoy said he currently has 11 tenants in the 35,000-square-foot building. "We are hoping to fill out the last lease within the next...days, and then the building will be completely occupied," he said.

Emerson Court's rent costs $15.50 per square foot and the building's largest tenant is de Oplossing Inc., a Marietta-based construction consultant firm. "We hope to be here a long time," DeBoy said. DeBoy owns the whole block from Roswell Street to Waterman Street bordered by Lakewood and Coryell streets and plans to construct about 24 $200,000 brick town homes behind the old Coke building if he receives city approval.

"They will be three-story structures in a gated community with a gorgeous view because they will be built on the highest point in Marietta at 1,198 feet," he said. "Residents will be able to see downtown Atlanta." DeBoy hopes to get started on that project at the beginning of the year.

If you have a soda-related subject that you would like to see here as an "FYI" article, or have information you yourself would like to contribute, don't be shy, send it to: FYI Idea