The Illustrated History of Hires Root Beer

• Home
• Steve Sourapas
• FAQ
• Chapter Directory
• Subject Index
• Sources
• Contact Us
• What's New

1937 

In early 1937 Hires opened several company-owned facilities, including a bottling plant in Long Island City, New York in January, a bottling and syrup plant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a bottling plant in Baltimore, Maryland in March, and a bottling and syrup plant in Somerville, Massachusetts in April.  Somerville is located directly northwest of Boston.

Hires’ 1937 marketing campaign focused on placing a multitude of full page advertisements in the leading U.S. magazines.  Early in the year a few magazine advertisements were placed that still promoted Hires Household Extract, but that approach ended abruptly by mid-year when the company’s sales focus totally switched to selling Hires R-J Root Beer in bottles.

Harold Anderson, a highly popular American illustrator, created the artwork for these two colorful advertisements.

(Figure 1937-01, Saturday Evening Post, May 22, 1937)

(Figure 1937-02, Saturday Evening Post, June 26, 1937)

Hires produced numerous full page, black-and-white advertisements with a similar format and theme during 1937.  The pictured 12 ounce bottle is the design patented by Hires in 1936.  Note the Hires R-J Root Beer paper label and foil wrap on the crown. 

(Figure 1937-03, magazine advertisement)

(Figure 1937-04, Life, July 12, 1937)

(Figure 1937-05, magazine advertisement)

Charles Elmer Hires suffered an apoplectic stroke and died at his home in Haverford, Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 31, 1937.  The Philadelphia Public Ledger published this obituary the next day:

CHARLES E. HIRES: ROOT BEER MAKER

Founder of Noted Beverage Company, Who Retired in 1926, Succumbs at 85

Charles E. Hires, root beer magnate and founder of the company which bears his name, died last night at his home on Buck Lane, Haverford.  He had been in declining health for some years and retired from active business in 1926.  He would have been 86 next month.

Mr. Hires was born in Roadstown, N.J. near Salem, in 1851.  He was the son of John D. and Mary Hires.  He came to this city when 16 as a pharmacist, having served an apprenticeship in New Jersey.  He worked in a small shop here and in later years purchased a business of his own.  He entered the brokerage business selling extracts and vanilla beans.

After diligent research, the young man hit upon the discovery that later developed into the perfected root beer.  The business grew by leaps and bounds until today the name is known the world over.

In 1910, Mr. Hires’ first wife, Clara K. Smith, died.  Two years later he married Emma Waln, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Waln, Jr.  She died in December, 1936.

Mr. Hires was chairman of the Board of Directors of Hires & Co.  He was a member of Merion Golf Club and the Penn Athletic Club.  He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

He leaves two daughters, Linda and Clara, and three sons, John Edgar, Harrison S., and Charles E. Jr.  Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 2 P.M. at the Oliver H. Bair Bldg., 1820 Chestnut Street.  Int. private.  Friends may call Monday.

Charles Elmer Hires was buried in Westminster Cemetery, 701 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.  Memberships and affiliations not noted in his obituary included the Society of Friends, Republican party, Manufacturers’ Club, Merion Cricket Club, Poor Richard Club, numerous yachting clubs, Merchant’s Bank of Philadelphia (director), Philadelphia Drug Exchange (director and former president), and the City Club.  He was posthumously elected to the Beverage World Soft Drink Hall of Fame, “Credited with establishing many of the techniques of modern soft drink advertising, through which he built Hires Root Beer into the nation’s leading brand at one time.” 

An August 13, 1937 Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger article indicated Charles E. Hires “left an estate of more than $300,000…His wife, Emma W. Hires, was bequeathed one-third of the estate, but she preceded him in death…The other third shares are placed in trust, the income to go to two daughters, Linda S. and Clara S.  A $25,000 trust fund, to yield a monthly income of $100, is created for a sister, Sallie H. Kirkley, Pitman, N.J…A secretary, Josephine Lucas, is given $2500…Personal holdings are valued at $200,000 ‘and upward;’ realty, $106,450.  Mr. Hires, who had been in declining health for some years, died at his home on Buck Lane, Haverford.”

(Figure 1937-06, Life, August 9. 1937)

(Figure 1937-07, Saturday Evening Post)

(Figure 1937-08, Saturday Evening Post)

This stereotyped train porter portrayal is totally inappropriate today, but atypical for 1937.

(Figure 1937-09, Life, September 6, 1937)

(Figure 1937-10, Saturday Evening Post)

(Figure 1937-11, Saturday Evening Post and Life)

This advertisement mentions “For 64 years, it’s been famous for its real root juice flavor,” incorrectly suggesting Hires Root Beer was founded in 1873.  Note a family size bottle is pictured, rather than a 12 ounce bottle. 

(Figure 1937-12, September 30, 1937)

(Figure 1937-13, Life)

These “Good Fellows” (apparently a grandfather and grandson) are sharing a Family Size bottle of Hires R-J Root Beer.

(Figure 1937-14, Life)

(Figure 1937-15, Life)

(Figure 1937-16, Life)

(Figure 1937-17, Life, October 18, 1937)

This advertisement was reprinted and included in a packet of marketing materials sent to Hires bottlers in 1986.

(Figure 1937-18, Life)

(Figure 1937-19, Saturday Evening Post)

(Figure 1937-20, Life)

(Figure 1937-21, Life)

(Figure 1937-22, Life)

(Figure 1937-23, Life, November 1, 1937)

(Figure 1937-24, metal bottle opener, 4.0” x 4.0”)

Cloth patches were sewn onto route men’s uniforms, jackets, and caps.  A 3.0” diameter version of this patch was also produced.

(Figure 1937-25, felt cloth back patch, 8.0” diameter)

A 12 ounce Hires Root Beer bottle was placed in this die-cut, cardboard, easel-backed, counter or window sign’s cutout to complete the display.

(Figure 1937-26, counter or window display sign, 10.75” x 10.25”)

(Figure 1937-27, die-cut, cardboard wall sign, courtesy of the Wong collection)

These three newspaper advertisements ran in 1937:

(Figure 1937-28, newspaper advertisement)

(Figure 1937-29, newspaper advertisement)

(Figure 1937-30, newspaper advertisement)

The Columbia Box Factory in St. Louis, Missouri manufactured this wooden city case for the Smith Beverage Company in Columbia, Missouri.  It measures 15.0" long, 11.0" wide, and 12.0" high and held a dozen quart bottles separated by cardboard dividers.  Note the end panels document the 1937 manufacturing date.

(Figure 1937-30.5, wooden city case)

These die-cut, cardboard signs have chrome-like lettering.  Both measure 7.25" x 9.0".

(Figure 1937-31, It Tastes So Good die-cut, cardboard sign)

(Figure 1937-31, Please Pay Cashier die-cut, cardboard sign)

H. D. Blossom at the Charles E. Hires Company’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania branch office sent the following cover letter and an attached Distributor’s Agreement to a newly appointed Hires franchisee November 13, 1937:

 

November 15, 1937 - Hires leased their Los Angeles, California, Rochester, New York, and Minneapolis, Minnesota locations.

(Figure 1937-32, Life, November 22, 1937)

During the 1930s the playing of contract bridge, a highly popular partnership card game, boomed across the United States, inspiring Hires to market the “Hires R-J Root Beer Bridge Score – The ‘Hole-in-1’ Idea for Bridge.”  A folder sent to Hires bottlers and dealers explained the intent of the program and included a sample score pad.

(Figure 1937-33, Bridge Score folder)

 

Home | Steve Sourapas | FAQ | Chapter Directory | Subject Index | Sources | Contact Us | What's New

Copyright 2018-2024, Seattle History Company