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Family Owned Franchises

Currently, there are only two franchises that are still owned by the same families who obtained their Pepsi franchise licenses from Caleb Bradham. These franchises are Roxboro, North Carolina, and Charlottesville, Virginia. This year, the Charlottesville franchise will celebrate their 100th anniversary.

The Charlottesville franchise, now called Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Central Virginia, is very proud to still be a family-owned Pepsi franchise. Today, the franchise is owned by the grandchildren of the original founder, Samuel Jessup. They are very aware of the hard work and sacrifices made by their grandfather and other family members that have contributed to the success of Pepsi-Cola in Charlottesville.

To commemorate the efforts of family and employees over the years, the company will sponsor a number of activities and events in 2008. One of the first things the company will do to celebrate 100 years is the release of six commemorative cans. The initial artwork is represented below. The final cans may have some minor changes.

These cans will be distributed beginning in February, 2008, starting with can #1. The other five cans will be released in the spring and summer. The final can will be released by September of 2008.

Reproductions

What are reproductions?

Reproductions are remakes of original items. This can be done legally or illegally. You can find reproductions on eBay, at yard sales, flea markets or just about anywhere. You must always be careful not to buy a reproduction. When you're not totally sure it's an original, do a little investigating first. Of course, if you know it's a reproduction and you want to add it to your collection, that's fine too.

Reproduction

Original

Seen on eBay.

The most apparent thing that points out that this is a reproduction is the 15 cents in the price area. You can compare these two pictures and see other differences between the original and the reproduction.

This original paper sign was made in 1965 and measures 16" x 22".

This orginal is valued at $475.00.

~~~~~

1909 D+ $1800
Original

1973 B $20
Reproduction

1983 A $10
Reproduction

Pepsi-Cola was originally sold at soda fountains, which made serving trays an ideal way to promote and advertise the drink. To make these trays appealing, beautiful girls were used. One such girl on the 1909 tray is referred to as the Gibson girl. This is in reference to a style of woman used in advertising created by the famous illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. The woman of the 1909 tray may look like a Gibson girl, but there is no evidence that this artwork was done by Mr. Gibson. Pictured above is the original 1909 tray along with two reproductions. The key to distinguishing the differences in these trays is by their physical characteristics.

A) The original 1909 tray measures from top to bottom 13-9/16”, and from side to side 11-1/4”. These measurements were made at the widest points . Below the Pepsi-Cola script near the border is the manufacturer name “Niagara Buffalo”. The edge of the tray has a rolled rim that is colored light green. The back of the tray is painted olive drab.

B) The 1973 reproduction was made as a memento for the 75th anniversary of Pepsi-Cola. From top to bottom it measures 12-5/16” and from side to side it measures 10-1/8”. The rolled rim is white and the back of the tray is black.

C) This is from 1983 and is the more recent reproduction of the 1909 tray, and the most common. It measures 14-1/2” from top to bottom and 11-9/16” from side to side. The rim and back are both metallic gold. On the back, the manufacturer name appears - “Fabcraft Inc., Frenchtown, NJ, Made in USA.”

The 1973 reproduction tray was originally sold nationwide through newspaper and magazine ads. The tray was part of a set that included the tray and six glasses for $2.95. The offer was good from May of 1973 through March of 1974.

The 1908 tray has also been reproduced. The original size is close to that of the original tray. The reproduction tray is close to the size of the tray described in “C”.

Be careful when buying the early Pepsi trays. There have been numerous accounts of buyers being misled regarding the authenticity of their Pepsi trays. Spending several thousand dollars for a reproduction can be devastating. Remember to get a guarantee of authenticity in writing.

The Other Guy Blinked by Roger Enrico

Get your copy for FREE by sending $5 for shipping to:
PCCC, P.O. Box 817, Claremont, CA 91711

This is a 1966 plastic sign. It uses a foil for the bright colors on the front and is sometimes referred to as a "Foil Sign". It measures 12 inches high and 18.5 inches wide.