GIN-GERA BOTTLING COMPANY
1914-1916

The Gin-Gera Bottling Company of Bluefield is first announced as opening on May 1, 1914 in the April 17, 1914 issue of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.(2) The $10,000 bottling plant (2) was to be located at 121 Stewart Street (1) which was known at the time as the Bluefield Dry Goods and Notion Company building.(2) S. N. Shephard of Norfolk, VA, which is the home office of the Gin-Gera brand, was the first manager of the company.(2) In an article printed in the May 23, 1914, it is apparent that they didn’t meet the May 1 opening, and that the plant should be open within the next few days, on which they were to have a "Gin-Gera Day".(2) This day was to be an open house type of celebration where the public would be invited to visit the plant.(2) In the 1915-1916 city directory S. N. Shephard has been replaced by Samuel E. Delano as manager of the company.(1)

The March 3, 1916 Bluefield Daily Telegraph published a classified ad for the sale of a "Complete bottling plant now in active operation".(2) The said bottling company was the Gin-Gera Bottling Company of Bluefield, W. VA. For sale was the "complete bottling plant, delivery trucks, book accounts, etc." and all bids were to be received no later than March 11, 1916. The plant did sell to H. M. Mitchell and C. S. Angel of the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company as reported in the April 9, 1916 edition of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.(2) I have a feeling that the main office in Norfolk, VA actually owned this plant, and when the main company went bankrupt then the local plant had to be sold, even though it may have been doing decent business.

This is 121 Stewart Street that was home to the Gin-Gera Bottling Company back in 1915, it has been added on to; however, it still stands today.

7oz Gin-Gera bottle

A Gin-Gera advertising ink blotter featuring the Gin-Gera Bear mascots

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