3 C Nectar : The Drink of the God's
45 East All Saints Street
Frederick, MD
Date: c. 1920
http://www.tazewell-orange.com/3cnectar.html
The Columbia Chemical Corporation of Roanoke, VA was incorporated on March 13, 1917.(2) This company would later create a brand of soda by the name of 3-C Nectar, which is reported to be a cola, that they wanted to bring to market in late 1920. In the September 17, 1920 edition of the Clinch Valley News it was reported that, "Mr. M.J. Hankins, of this town, has been elected Treasurer and General Manager of the Columbia Chemical Corporation, manufacturers of 3-C Nectar, and will move to Roanoke. The manufacturers of this popular drink are building factories in different sections of the country, and are preparing to begin a campaign of advertising for the sale of their goods. A number of Tazewell People have stock in the company. Mr. Hankins and family will leave Tazewell shortly after the first of October for their new home."(3)
According to Wythe Hull's book "The History of the Marion Bottling Company, Inc", Hull explains what became of the company. "The company was organized as a corporation and one of their promotional gimmicks was to sell every merchant who handled soft drinks a share of stock in the company, thus encouraging them to push the product for better sales. It was said that stock certificate book was used very much as a check book and other items such as automobiles, etc. were purchased with stock certificates in the new company by its president, a Mr. Carmichael, of Roanoke."(1) The Mr. Carmichael referred to was John H. Carmichael. Wythe Hull goes on to mention that the bottlers went out of business after the collapse of the parent company, because they didn’t have any other brands to bottle.(1) Hull also mentions that 3-C Nectar was a cola.(1)
I have found that there were quite a few bottlers of 3-C Nectar aside from the two covered by my local area firms in Graham, VA and Marion, VA. There was 3-C Nectar Sales Company which was incorporated on January 11, 1921(4), 3-C Nectar Bottling Company of Manassas VA incorporated on April 29, 1921(4), 3-C Nectar Bottling Co. Norfolk-Newport News incorporated on July 12, 1921(4), and 3-C Nectar Bottling Corporation of Winchester, VA incorporated in 1921.(5) I have also seen a painted wall sign from Frederick, MD, which makes me sure they had one there as well. Recently discovered bottles and ads put the reach of the company as far away as Coney Island New York, Philadelphia PA, and Greensboro, NC. There were more than likely more 3-C Nectar Bottling Companies; however, they didn’t last very long at all, and with the mishandling of the company, would declare bankruptcy a few years later.
According to Wythe Hull's book "The History of the Marion Bottling Company, Inc", Hull explains what became of the company. "The company was organized as a corporation and one of their promotional gimmicks was to sell every merchant who handled soft drinks a share of stock in the company, thus encouraging them to push the product for better sales. It was said that stock certificate book was used very much as a check book and other items such as automobiles, etc. were purchased with stock certificates in the new company by its president, a Mr. Carmichael, of Roanoke."(1) The Mr. Carmichael referred to was John H. Carmichael. Wythe Hull goes on to mention that the bottlers went out of business after the collapse of the parent company, because they didn’t have any other brands to bottle.(1) Hull also mentions that 3-C Nectar was a cola.(1)
I have found that there were quite a few bottlers of 3-C Nectar aside from the two covered by my local area firms in Graham, VA and Marion, VA. There was 3-C Nectar Sales Company which was incorporated on January 11, 1921(4), 3-C Nectar Bottling Company of Manassas VA incorporated on April 29, 1921(4), 3-C Nectar Bottling Co. Norfolk-Newport News incorporated on July 12, 1921(4), and 3-C Nectar Bottling Corporation of Winchester, VA incorporated in 1921.(5) I have also seen a painted wall sign from Frederick, MD, which makes me sure they had one there as well. Recently discovered bottles and ads put the reach of the company as far away as Coney Island New York, Philadelphia PA, and Greensboro, NC. There were more than likely more 3-C Nectar Bottling Companies; however, they didn’t last very long at all, and with the mishandling of the company, would declare bankruptcy a few years later.