Popeye tropical beverage / porto rico pale dry co. / philadelphia

[guzzijason]

I have nothing to add to this thread, except the fact that the original poster's name reminded me of one of my favorite sodas (or "pop" where i come from) when I was a kid in 70's and 80's. I don't know if it was a regional brand or not (Western NY state), but it came in (8 oz?) pony bottles, and was usually found in those old vending machines with the the narrow vertical glass door that you had to open to get your bottle. It was called "Bobby Grape"...



OK, now I return you to your regularly scheduled Popeye search :-)

__Jason

[BOBO]

Jason ~

I have seen other variations of Bobby, including "Bobby Burns Soda" and "London Bobby Ale" but never just "Bobby" like the cap you posted a picture of. I'm thinking it was most likely a local brand. Does the cap say where the bottler was located? I suspect it might have come in other flavors as well like Orange - Strawberry - Lemon - etc., but I am only guessing about this.

As for getting back to Popeye ...

Official Notice!

Until something substantial presents itself to prove otherwise, I am currently of the opinion that "Popeye Tropical Beverage" never made it to the marketplace, which explains why, other than an "unused" bottle cap and a black & white picture of a paper label, there is nothing that I know of to support that it was ever actually sold in Philadelphia or elsewhere. Thus, for the time being, I am going to shift my focus and see what, if anything, I can find related to a dispute or lawsuit between the Porto Rico Pale Dry Company and the Popeye Enterprise (or whoever it was that held the Popeye trademark/copyright in the 1930s through the 1960s). I'll let you know if I find anything.

BOB-O

[guzzijason]

Jason ~

I have seen other variations of Bobby, including "Bobby Burns Soda" and "London Bobby Ale" but never just "Bobby" like the cap you posted a picture of. I'm thinking it was most likely a local brand. Does the cap say where the bottler was located? I suspect it might have come in other flavors as well like Orange - Strawberry - Lemon - etc., but I am only guessing about this.

Nope - no other info, and I haven't seen it in years (especially after moving away from Western NYS). I also assume it was a local brand. The cap image I found via google. There *may* have been other flavors, but grape is the only one I recall ever seeing.

__Jason

[BOBO]

I think I may have opened a new can of worms with the following. I just hope it doesn't take another two years to figure this one out.

I was looking around for some Popeye related stuff when I came across this Google Books reference to a "Popeye Punch." And as most of us know who have been following this thread, the only reference to a "Popeye Punch" I recall was from the tin sign pictured below that was discounted as being a fantasy/fake item. But now I'm not so sure about it. Check out the links and see what you make of it.

The reference on the first link reads as follows ...

Beverage World - Google Books

"Debuting with sales of $10,000 in March, 1983, Popeye Punch is projected to have first year earnings in excess of $1 million while sales are expected to hit $3.7 million in 1985. The drink's ... "

And then I dug a little deeper and found this link (Scroll to where it says Beverage World - Volume 104) where it continues with ...

popeye punch - Google Search

"The drink's maker, International Beverage importers ... "

I searched "International Beverage," but there appears to be more than one by the same or similar name and will require more research to narrow down the right one.

In the meantime, I have a few "Quick Questions."

1. Are the above references referring to a "bottled" soda pop or something else?
2. Is the so called fake Popeye Punch sign actually referring to a real 1980s product?
3. If real, then where are the bottles?
4. Or am I just crazy and misreading/misunderstanding the Google Book references?

SPBOB

"POPEYE'S PUNCH" ... real or fake 1980s soda pop?

[BOBO]

loveisnoise ~

I want to acknowledge your earlier reference to this brand. But I'm still not sure if it was a real product or not. Stand by.

Bob

[Litter Box]

Five cents seems too cheap for the 80's.

[BOBO]

False alarm! A buddy of mine from another forum figured it out in two minutes ...

Vtg Scarce 1983 Popeye Punch Can Full Drink Mix King Features Intl Beverage | eBay

[BOBO]

I still haven't found anything specifically related to confirm the existence of a Popeye Tropical Beverage soda pop bottle, but I did receive this picture from a fellow collector, which is dated 1953. We are not 100% certain what it says on the truck's door, but it might be "San Lorenzo" Disrtibution. Does this ring a bell with any of you Philadelphians? There is a city in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico by that name, but I am not sure if the two are related in some way.

BOB-O

[BOBO]

PS ~

I am also looking to confirm that "Germantown Avenue" (which is the original address of the Porto Rico Pale Dry Co.) was located in the Puerto Rican section of north Philadelphia? I did some research and believe Germantown Avenue is just slightly west of the heart of the so called Puerto Rican barrio, but I'm not 100% certain of this.

Thanks again.

Bob

[Phillyxpat]

I still haven't found anything specifically related to confirm the existence of a Popeye Tropical Beverage soda pop bottle, but I did receive this picture from a fellow collector, which is dated 1953. We are not 100% certain what it says on the truck's door, but it might be "San Lorenzo" Disrtibution. Does this ring a bell with any of you Philadelphians? There is a city in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico by that name, but I am not sure if the two are related in some way.

BOB-O

Probably need a 1953 Philly Yellow Pages to look up Sam Le-something, probable owner of distributorship. Beer and Soda is still sold in bulk by distributors in Philly I think.

My gut reaction to the photo besides it being a great photo is that the background may be Hunting Park west end which is near Nicetown/Germantown etc.

[BOBO]

I haven't posted for about a month and wanted to do this update and share this Popeye advertising sign I recently won on ebay. I already had it appraised by a paper expert who provided me with documentation stating the sign is vintage circa late 1930s or early 1940s.

1. It has a glossy finish and is made of paper similar to that used for comic book covers.
2. It measures 12 3/8" tall x 6 1/4" rounded top x 5 1/2" squared bottom.
3. As far as I know it is a one-of-a-kind item and is considered extremely rare.
4. A Popeye collector I contacted suspects it might be a salesmen's sample used to advertise "Popeye Tropical Beverage," which in all liklihood never made it beyond a brief prototype/promotional phase.
5. Near the bottom, in red, it reads ... "WATCH IN YOUR LOCAL STORE FOR THE DRINK WILL BE HERE SOON."
6. Below that is ... COPR. 1929 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE INC.
7. It is torn in two places which has been repaired on the back with scotch tape.
8. It was printed using the four-color process which reveals thousands of tiny dots when seen through a magnifying loupe.

There is still no bona fide evidence I know of to support that the brand ever made it to the marketplace. But because the sign has been examined and deemed vintage 1930s-1940s, it is a clear indication that something was definitely going on back in the day regarding a Popeye soda pop. But just what that "something" was is still the subject of controversy which will require more research to determine. If nothing else, the sign is a clue and one more piece of the puzzle to add to the bottle cap and bottle label previously discussed. Speculation suggest the sign might be one of the origionals that proceeded all of the fake tin and cardboard signs that are so abundant today. Again, more research is required before any final conclusions can be established.

BOB-O

[ Front ]




[ Back - Showing Tape and Bleed-through Ink ]



[ Close Up of Popeye's Left Arm ]

[Phillyxpat]

Now that you have dated your sign, I think that only two factors that may have stopped a prototype product like a Popeye soda from failing, either financing because of the tail end of the Depression or WWII sugar rationing. Read an article about Yacht Club soda in Rhode Island, still in business, that might have gone under because of sugar rationing and gas rationing during WWII in another article I cannot find at the moment that put the squeeze on the soda business. The dates on your poster seems to fit into that period of soda businesses trying to survive. With soda under siege, Yacht Club - This Just In

[BOBO]

Phillyxpat ~

Thanks for the link. I found the article very interesting. I tried posting a reply last week but the site was locked down for some reason. ???

Because my sign has "King Features" printed on it, I suspect they may have been involved with Porto Rico Beverages during the initial promotion of the drink, but due to licensing problems or other legal technicalities the two compaines may have been unable to get it marketed. I'm speculating about this, of course, but I did contact King Features, who is still in operation, and sent them an inquiry to see what, if anything, they might be able to tell me about all of this. I have yet to hear back from them but will let you know if/when I do.

Bob

Link: King Features

[BOBO]

I also sent an inquiry to Ted Hake (Hake's Americana) to see what they might know about this. A cardboard sign is pictured in one of their books. I have not heard back from them either, but will let you know if/when I do.

Bob

Link: Hake's

[ Item #26 ]

[BOBO]

I found this picture of a "Porto-Kola" paper bottle label while thumbing through a copy of Alan Petretti's 1996 book, "Soda Pop Collectibles Price Guide." Notice where it says "TOPS EM ALL" which is similar to the "I Yam What I Yam And I Yam Tops" that is on the Popeye signs.




And while researching "Porto-Kola" I found this reference from 1947 ...

Library of Congress. Copyright Office - 1947 - Snippet view
Porto-Kola. (Soft drink) Label. © 3Febk8; KK2122k. Porto Rico old fashioned punch. (Fruit flavor soft drink) Label.

This reference is the first time I have seen the word "Punch" used in connection with the Porto Rico Beverages Co. But I'm not sure if it is indicating that "Porto-Kola" was a tropical punch flavor or whether it is referring to something else? As far as I know, terms like "Kola" always mean "Cola" and not some form of "Punch." Nor do I know if the 1947 use of the word "Tops" preceeded the Popeye version or vice versa?

Anyway, I thought this new discovery of mine was interesting and wanted to share it with all of you fine Philadelphians.

Bob-O

[BOBO]

I wanted to share my latest research results with the following Google Books links that discuss Pepsi Cola's failed attempt to secure the rights to use Popeye in 1938-39. If a huge company like Pepsi Cola was unable to secure the rights, this might also explain why Porto Rico Beverages was unable to ... if in fact that was the case and why there isn't more evidence regarding the existence of a Popeye Tropical Beverage.

Bob

Note: The last link indicates it was a matter of "cost" more than anything else that prevented Pepsi from securing the Popeye rights.

1.
Http://books.Google.com/books?id=QYY...verage&f=false

2.
For God, Country, and Coca-Cola - Mark Pendergrast - Google Books

3.
Encyclopedia of Pepsi-Cola Collectibles - Stoddard Stoddard - Google Books

[MariusPontmercy]

PS ~

I am also looking to confirm that "Germantown Avenue" (which is the original address of the Porto Rico Pale Dry Co.) was located in the Puerto Rican section of north Philadelphia? I did some research and believe Germantown Avenue is just slightly west of the heart of the so called Puerto Rican barrio, but I'm not 100% certain of this.

Thanks again.

Bob

Just west of it, yes. I'm not sure about that area pre-1950s though. I understand the Puerto Ricans preceded other latino immigrant groups, but not sure by how much or where the boundaries of any latino community in North Philly was at that date.

[BOBO]

Just west of it, yes. I'm not sure about that area pre-1950s though. I understand the Puerto Ricans preceded other latino immigrant groups, but not sure by how much or where the boundaries of any latino community in North Philly was at that date.

MP ~

Thanks for confirming that for me. Here's what the Porto Rico Beverages former location on Germantown Ave looks like today ...

[BOBO]

Oops / Error / Can't Delete

[Brandy Wine]

I've got a bottle that I dug out of Delaware Bay from Porto Rico Pale Dry. It's called Golden Slipper. With enough posts, I'll put some pictures.