A Centennial Celebration in Columbus, Indiana!

One hundred years is a long time….but it goes quickly when you are in a business you love. This year the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Columbus reached its “Coca-Cola” 100 year anniversary.
As a matter of fact, what is now the CCBC of Columbus, began in 1912, when A. E. “Junie” Schumaker purchased some bottling equipment and rented a building on Jackson Street in Columbus, IN. In the beginning, Mr. Schumaker only bottled fruit flavored soft drinks, but only a few years later, in 1916, during WWI, he obtained the franchise to bottle and distribute Coca-Cola in Bartholomew, Decatur and Johnson counties.

Also during this period, the creation of the Coca-Cola Contour Bottle was still in the early stages of becoming the icon it is today AND had its start not far away — down Third Street in Terre Haute, IN.

Ever industrious, Mr. Schumaker expanded the business to include ice cream production, (branded Puritian Ice Cream) until 1936, when it was sold to Thompson Dairy Co. of Columbus, Indiana. In the meantime, the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. business continued to grow and was moved to 816 Jackson Street.

Then in 1942, the company built a new plant at the site where it is today — 1334 Washington Street. In 1956 A. E. sold the bottling business to his son, Albert H. Schumaker, who then passed ownership on to his son (Hutch) and daughter, Nan (Schumaker) Russell.

On behalf of our members and the Coca-Cola System, CCBA congratulates the Schumaker and Russell families on this exciting and inspiring milestone.

To the next 100 years!

Photos courtesy of Mike Washington Photography