Saturday, September 19, 2009

Corona Soft Drinks Ltd

This add of the Corona Soft Drinks Ltd appeared in the 1954 Guardian. Judging by the numerous delivery trucks appearing on the photo, they must have done a lot of business specially in Verdun. The address shows 0650 Atwater wich would have been near Verdun Avenue. I know from previous research that they had an address on Verdun avenue near Atwater wich is now Henri Duhamel Avenue. I previously took photos of that area including in the lane and saw some old buildings wich may have been part of their bottling plant. There was mention of this company on the old site so I guess there are still some Verdun old timers around that remember the CORONA solft drinks.

Guy

17 comments:

Les F said...

Guy,can you also check your Lovell's directory for the address of KIK Cola,.because I seem to recall it being the same building ,once being Corona (which I do Remember) & once being KIK Cola using the same Big Sign in the Shape of a Big Softdrink Bottle......................HF&RV

Walter Ryan said...

Hi Guy,
I remember Corona and I remember the Corona Bottling Plant on Atwater Avenue. I did not enjoy the taste of Corona and it was probably the only soda I did not enjoy. To me it had a strange taste. Pepsi, KiK-Cola, Peers, Denis Cola, Uptown, Snow White Cream Soda, Coca-Cola, 7up, Uptown, Nesbitt's Orange, Allans, Orange Crush, Royal Stewart, Gurds, Biere D'epinett, Hires Root Beer, Cott, Canada Dry, Ice Castle Ginger Ale...loved em all except Corona. It was almost like Corona tasted like a diet soda to me and this at a time when there were no diet sodas on the market.

Les F said...

Perhaps that's why they disappeared & KIK took over their facilities...who knows ,maybe it was just a poor product ,but KIK did seem to have a hold over us kids in Verdun,...........and I'm sure Price had nothing to do with it .......a family size bottle for .15 cents..........when a regular coke or pepsi was .10cents.........

Walter Ryan said...

Les,
I will check Lovell's. I recall Kik-Cola being at this location however in the late fifties I remember Kik-Cola had a bran new Bottling Plant in the east end-Walter

Les F said...

Thanks Walter .........Cheers !!! Still checking out Coast 2 Coast,..............? HF&RV

Walter Ryan said...

Me too Les. I still listen to Coast To Coast on most nights. Now here's a mystery. I checked Lovell's 1949, 1955, 1963 and 1965. It shows Kik-Cola Bottling Company at 1387 Villeray Avenue. Telephone 272-1104. I remember Kik at The Atwater location and then a newer building in east end of Montreal. I also recall two large Kik-Cola signs. One on the southwest corner of Atwater & Ste Catherine. You could see it while waiting for the bus. The other huge Kik-Cola sign was across the street from The Montreal & Southern Counties Streetcar Terminal Station at Youville Square. The sign on Atwater used to say "Kik-Cola. Montreal's largest selling quart bottle of cola." This before Pepsi and Coke had introduced quart bottle sizes.

Les F said...

That's interesting info .......I wonder if there's a photo around of those ads........I will do my best to check ,& post them if possible..Thanks HF&RV

Louise Lafontaine said...

I remember Corona. If I am not mistaken, they used to have a lime softdrink.

Diane Roberts said...

Didn't like Corona at all...KIK was my favourite!....Diane

Diane Luft said...

I remember KIK cola in Osoyoos B.C. (in the Okanagan) in the early 50's - thought I was losing my mind as no one else seemed to remember it - I loved it and although someone said Dr Pepper is as good I don't find it to be so. thanls for letting me know I wasn't imagining it
Diane (kelowna B.C.)

Les F said...

Didn't I post a photo of KIK cola in BC , a real old photo,..??? HF&RV
Or was it here on this site that I saw it ??
Eileen's Snapshots, Roaring 20's

The Roaring Twenties Dance, Kik Cola

Hey, look at this bottle in Bill's hand, "KiK" Cola. That's history. How many people remember Kik Cola? Here Eileen shows us Bill Wilcox, Sharon Henderson and Bruce Gorley pausing for refreshment at the "Roaring Twenties" dance in May of 1963. Bill was at the reunion and the author had a brief chat with him. He was working in Victoria at the time. He was a psychologist with his own practice.
......sorry you will have to check this webaddress,.as I'm too lazy ( read making spagetti for supper) to post the photo's again......
http://www.munrotechnical.com/EileensPage03Twenties.htm HF&RV


Would you believe: a pristine Kik cola bottle today will bring US$30 or so? No? Ok, look here.



The Head Table
Look at this great picture! Here are more faces we remember so very well. This is a table at the same "Roaring Twenties" dance of May, 1963.

[Audio ambiance]

The ever debonair Ken Hart (Ken and Jeff Yuen were two guys who invariably had a smart "turn out") sits at the left. His lady is not identified, can somebody help? Pat Daniel sits with her escort, Lorne Bradshaw. To Lorne's left sits Bruce McFarlane with Wendy Brinkworth. That dishy flapper on the right is Eileen Davies.



"Roaring Twenties" dance. Now let's see, what kind of dance is it that high school students go to these days, "Swinging Sixties"? Can you imagine today's kids with flowers in their hair saying: "Peace, man."?


So right you were KIK COLA made an Okanagan & BC appearance years ago.......HF&RV

robert jomphe said...

My scanner doesn't work anymore shame. I had a picture of me in front of our depanneur on Chateauguay in the point. There are Coca-Cola signs also Kik and Gurd's sweet ginger ale.

Wayne Ashby said...

Does anyone remember Allan's Velvet Cream Soda and Allan's Sparkling Root Beer. It was bottled by Allan's Beveridges in Montreal, but I have two bottles with labels saying Bottled under License by Allan's (Ontario) Ltd., Ottawa with three lines running thru these words. These are clear bottles with the Allan's name raised just before the neck and I also have a green on with no label. Could this be ginger ale? Any info would be appreciated. E-mail Wayne at washby2832@xplornet.com Thanks

Les F said...

I remember the Allan's Gingerale,..my brother won an Alouette Snowmobile from them in the late 60's & sold it to their milkman on 6th av. HF&RV

Mitchell Hodge said...

Great times - as a kid working with 3 others in Victoria B.C Ross Bay cemetery in the early 50's we would drink at least 3 kik cola.s a day. The corner store was at the west entrance. She gave us credit. We would have chug -a -lug contests at our morning, lunch and afternoon breaks. I'm now 75 but have had false teeth since I was 30 -- Hmmm I wonder?

Anonymous said...

Corona was my first job back in 1970. The adress was 0650 Atwater, this was the offices and at the rear the bottling plant. Across the lane was "the garage" where empty bottles were off loaded from trucks through a small square door with a conveyor to bring the bottles on the second floor. Trucks (only 2 during my time) were parked below. The owner's name was Claude Laniel and the company was started by his parents. His mother was still alive in 1970. They produced 16 flavors in 30 ounces bottles and 12 in small 5 cents bottles. Worked there approx 2 years on the bottle washing machine, tabbe where full bottles were put in wood cases, in the warehouse and finally as a truck driver helper.

Hires Root Beer said...

In a 1932 ad their address is listed at 3159 Verdun Ave in Verdun. My question is what was the name of their business, was it Corona Co. LTD or Corona Soft Drinks Co. LTD ?