Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant


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Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: WayOutWardell ()
Date: February 02, 2010 10:20PM

There were a lot of great signs along the Kennedy that are now long-gone, but the one I wish was still around is the big neon explosion on the old Dad's Root Beer bottling plant just off of Diversey. Even the smokestack had neon mounted on it.

The company website has a photo of it taken during daylight. Does anyone have a photo of it taken at night?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2010 10:22PM by WayOutWardell.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: 222psm ()
Date: February 03, 2010 12:37PM

I remember the one on the smokestack it would flash DAD'S-ROOT-BEER. We used to see it at night all the time, coming home from the south suburbs. I wish I would have taken a picture, as most of the time we had a camera from family functions. Is that plant still open? I also remember the Magic-kiss sign on the Dan Ryan.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: WayOutWardell ()
Date: February 03, 2010 04:41PM

The plant has been converted to living space, some time in the early 90s.

There was another MagiKist sign on the Kennedy which was taken down not long ago.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: adgorn ()
Date: February 03, 2010 10:52PM

THe address is 2827 N. Washtenaw, which deads ends south into the Kennedy. I drove over and took some pictures.
http://picasaweb.google.com/adgorn/DadS?feat=directlink

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: WayOutWardell ()
Date: February 04, 2010 12:43AM

That's the one. When the condo conversion was taking place and one of the outbuildings on the east side of the plant was being demolished, I happened by there and found a huge stack of old wooden crates painted yellow with the Dad's logo.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: backwardk4501 ()
Date: March 31, 2010 02:28AM

I would love to find a photo of the original Budweiser sign...Luckily on a few train sites I have found there pictures of the old Coca-Cola sign, the Beatrice sign and the Switzers sign....the last one was not a permanent one (at least I do not think it was) but I sure remember it being there for a while.

But no Budweiser sign.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: WayOutWardell ()
Date: March 31, 2010 04:38PM

Yeah, the Budweiser bowtie sign was far superior to the one that's there now. There was a Clark Bar sign near the Beatrice behemoth, and one advertising honey around there too.

Olson Rug had a great sign with a huge telephone on Diversey west of the Kennedy, and the FOP had one on top a building next to the YMCA on Irving Park & Keeler, which are gone now too.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: tomcat630 ()
Date: August 13, 2010 12:19AM

I miss the old signs! There was a smokestack at Keeler and Kennedy, painted as a man pointing to exit for Nickey Chevrolet.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: Chipast ()
Date: September 25, 2010 01:02AM

That was not Olson Rug, That was Walton Rug (circa 1963). The Honey sign you're probably referring to was just north of Foster for Lake Shore Honey.

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: Chipast ()
Date: September 25, 2010 05:53PM

backwardk4501 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would love to find a photo of the original
> Budweiser sign...Luckily on a few train sites I
> have found there pictures of the old Coca-Cola
> sign, the Beatrice sign and the Switzers
> sign....the last one was not a permanent one (at
> least I do not think it was) but I sure remember
> it being there for a while.
>
> But no Budweiser sign.


The Old Coca-Cola sign was originally a Meister Brau sign (1965-77), Switzer's was a more showy & Background bulbous Ma Brown Sign (probably 1963-73, when it changed to a more bland non-neon Milk Duds (1973-late 1970's-early 1980's).

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: Chipast ()
Date: September 25, 2010 05:55PM

WayOutWardell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, the Budweiser bowtie sign was far superior
> to the one that's there now. There was a Clark
> Bar sign near the Beatrice behemoth, and one
> advertising honey around there too.
>
> Olson Rug had a great sign with a huge telephone
> on Diversey west of the Kennedy, and the FOP had
> one on top a building next to the YMCA on Irving
> Park & Keeler, which are gone now too.


The Clark Bar sign was originally a Lambrecht's Coffee Cake sign (early 1960's-late 1970's).

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Re: Dad's Root Beer Bottling Plant
Posted by: murphman ()
Date: January 01, 2013 05:04AM

Wow thanks, Have forgotten these neon behemouths. Beatrice was unbelievable for its time. Still cant believe the powers that be removed the Magikist sign after I believe gained some sort of landmark status. Dads was visible from the IHOP at diversey and California. Used to stare at it while scarfing apple pancakes. The Delta airline sign at the Ohio on ramp should be mentioned as well. If they were still here we wouldn't remember them!

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