Hamtramck Star

I have been looking for information of the owners of Atlas pop for years. Me and my family went and supported this beverage company for years, I still brag about the Cream Soda being the best ever. I still wish they were still in production! Does anyone know who the owners were? Are family members still alive? I would love to talk to family members about the memories that their family has given me! I wish I could of given it to my daughters! SOMEONE HELP ME!!! I NEED INFO! BEEN LOOKING FOR IT FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS!
TIM

I'm sorry but I also have to add! Remember what great times we all had at the Polish Festival?? Life was sooo Great them weekends! I sure miss my Grand-Parents! Bill Kenedy at the movies, 4:00 Movies on channel 7, Godzilla Week, Sir Graves, The Ghoul, Billy Bonds, Ally Fredder (did I spell that right?) Doctor Who? Remember Channel 62? Or the beeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppppp after the national anthem after 2:00am? CKLW! HONEY RADIO! Anyone remember TOWER 96??? WHOOO! I am showing me age! Wasn't DETROIT and HAMTRAMCK THE GREATEST??? HELL YES!
TIM (on a RANT)

Here's a start. I don't think they answer the question of what happened to the Atlas owners (or if they really turned into Town Club) but someone in that message board should have a better idea. Yeh, used to be a case of Atlas/Brownie in the basement of my Dad's Grandmother's house all the time (a little ways away from the case of Stroh's). House was on Shield's not far from the original Shield's Bar (and Pizza).

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/75336.html

Hi, I am the granddaughter of the owner. The business was started around 1929. My grandfather died in 1945. The business was then run by my uncles. The downfall of the business started when my cousins took over after my uncle died in 1993. They closed the shop around 1996?? The buildings then fell into terrible disrepair. They were sold around 2003. No one from the family wads allowed to go i nto the buildings to retrieve items. This broke my mothers heart.(She is 81) She remembers the meticulous care that her father took while running his business. It was a treat for me to visit the shop, even when I was young because their was so much family history there. My grandparents were from Poland. The pop was really good. We always had cases of it in our garage. The business was never turned into Towne Club. Several of my cousins and I collect items from the Atlas shop when we can find it.

Hey Tim, Remember Sonny Elliot? His weather reporting was more accurate with the stick on smiling sun faces and lightning bolts than all this doppler stuff now! I thought it was Tower 92? WTWR?

Sonny Elliot, (it will be colder tonight than a politicians hand shake!) Bill Bonds, (I'll take you on in a boxing match Mayor Young), How about Bill Kennedy?? Anyone remember him? Ollie Feddar?? How many pounds of coffee was that kids?? I remember! I loved the Four O'Clock Movies on Channel 7. Abbott and Costello week one of my favorites. TOWER 92!?!? YIKES SCOOB! Haven't heard that for years!! WABX?? KEENER 13? (did I spell that right?). The Ghoul. THE GREAT SIR GRAVES! Cunninghams? Buy-Lo? ALEXANDER'S...Grandpa stopped there right after getting Atlas pop to play the numbers, and smokes. Okay my mind draws a blank, what was the grocery store name on the corner of Garvin? It became Five Brothers I think, but what was it orignally? Ahhh the memories you bring back....THAT is what Hamtramck was...wish it still could be. Some people don't understand that!
TIM

You forgot about Angelines Pizza on Capenter and Conant...

Johnny Ginger, Milky the clown, The Three Stooges, Bozo the clown, Poop deck Paul, Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Greenjeans, The Golden era in television. Big time wrestling.

Just came upon this post about Atlas. The owners were my relatives, the Tomaszewski family of Warren. It was run by Butch and Leonard, two of the brothers in the family, both now past on. I share many wonderful memories of Atlas too and have several of the crates with me here in Portland, OR.

I am so glad I found this, was on line and something made me think of Atlas, I wish I could get some. Im only 37 but I remember my granparents keeping it at thier house.

good stuff, im sad its gone.

I remember Atlas Beverages and some of the fine flavors they had such as Cheer-Up (7-Up), V-Mix (Squirt), Brownie Root Beer, Golden & Pale Dry Ginger Ale and especially Bulldog Ginger Beer. Just about every bar/club in Hamtramck and the east side carried Atlas as well as my grandparents at their store.

I just happened upon this site. My Dad had a Gulf Gas station in Redford and from 1961 and on he carried Atlas pop (the only pop I drank growing up) I believe my brothers still carried the pop into the 90's. I was always curious who else ever carried it. I never saw it anywhere but my family service station. I remember my Dad saying it was carried in a lot small bars in the city. If the family reads this they will probably remember the Walshs Service account!

I have 1 unopened bottle of Strawberry Soda and several wood cases someone threw out years ago. Anyone interested?
You can leave a comment here, I think.

If it's about Atlas, you can post it here.

I have one bottle of club soda, and no, you can't have it.

You must have misunderstood, Hillary. I don't want your club soda. I also have an unopened bottle and was wondering if someone collects them and would like to buy it (cheap).

Hello - I am trying to reach Harth Huffman about your post. Please email me if you get this message. thanks,
Kit

Hey there!
If we remember right it was A&P. Also the meat store called Ferdo, the German lady was neat. The $.5 & $.10, with the Soda Fountain, Cunningham's Drug store. So much history.
Ernie

slipwrench...i might be interested in that unopened bottle...still available?

Ok, further clarifications.

The Tomaszewski family DID own Atlas beverages, and no, contrary to some posts here, it was never turned into Towne Club. Yes, the business was run by Butch and Leonard Tomaszewski, before THAT, however, it was run by my grandfather, Walter Tomaszewski. His family, including his wife, Wanda, my aunt, Sharon, and my mother, Marcia, lived in Detroit on Lantz avenue near Our Lady Queen of Heaven parish for many years, Walter learned the soda making business from their father, who founded the company as a first generation Polish immigrant to this country. Walter sold his interest in the firm to Butch and Leonard, and retired to the city's east side suburbs. His wife passed on March 27, 1996, Walter passed April, 5th, 2000.

As a child growing up, many responses to the age old children's question: "Grandpa, tell me a story" were stories from the "Popshop" as he called it. One such story involved his own father, and a rather creative response to some young hooligans who had been vandalizing the building. Staying late at work one night, the youngsters, who had been warned several times to stay away, came back. Great Grandpa had mixed a large bucket of water with large quantities of Strawberry soda dye. Opening an upper window, he poured the dye on the youngsters, who were never to return, and would have been easily recognizable if they had! In this day and age of so much violence, it's amazing what a simple bucket of water could do back then.

I heard all about the bottling works, driving the trucks, working festivals and fairs, and the competition that drove my grandfather to sell, and the business to eventually close. I know I'm not alone when I wish that it, and many more like it, had been allowed to survive. Thank you to the starter of this thread, and to all those who posted memories. It was refreshing to see that others have fondness for something that was so dear to my Grandfather's heart. On a side note, I am looking for Atlas items to give to my mother, who was unable to save any of her own. Should you have some, please send me a message.

Thank you so much.

Thank you!

Here is some additional clarification on Atlas beverages. Butch and Walter Tomaszewski bought out their other siblings after the death of their father. They ran the busines together with Walter in the office and Butch as salesman and running the line. Butch bought Walter out upon his retirement. This business was truly a family run operation. Uncles, cousins, in-laws and sometimes even 2nd. cousins working together. I am Butch's daughter and had spent some time at the "shop". I remember when I was in school and we had a party in class. My dad would deliver a case of pop for the class to share. Many people, I run into all around Michigan and sometimes even Ohio, have fond memories of Atlas Pop. Maybe some day it will be restarted with that family pride and flare.

Hey Tim Valik, this is Raelynn Deel-Lauderbach. We lived by eachother and went to school with eachother. I was great friends with you and your wife. Have "D" look me up and call me.

I have a wooden crate that says Drink Brownie Club Beverages. I would like to give it to a collector who would appreciates it.

Tim

It was WTWR-FM Tower 92 from the Renaissance Center in Detroit. I worked there in 1979-1982 ish when we hit the top ratings in the Motor-City. My broadcasts where live from "DJ's Lounge" nightly [Kurt Kelly], Tom Shannon, Ron Tavernit, Joey Ryan, Kevin Sanderson, Ted Anthony, Steve Edwards where also on the air staff during that period.

Hope this helps with Motor City memories! Feel free to contact me if you have other questions about Detroit Radio & Television of this period. Oh, by the way, I was also "The Voice" for WKBD-TV 50 at that time for Bill Kennedy at The Movies, Mash & anything else that aired on Channel 50 during this period. In addition to during work on Channel 2, 4, 7, & 56 during this same period.

Kurt Kelly
kurtkelly@gmail.com

I came across 4 wooden boxes of atlas Beverages, in grat shape,also have 12 ful bottles of V mixers,18 full bottles of cheer up, 9 empty bottlesof v mixersand7 empty bottles of Cheer up, was wondering what they are worth, and if any any one is willing to buy them from me, they are all in great condition. I have picture of them you cn get intouch with me at the e-mail that Ihave on here, Beverly Harris

I grew up drinking Bull Dog Ginger Beer. I still miss drinking it. It is too bad what has happened to so many of the old neighborhoods in and around Hamtramck. I spent a lot of time exploring that area. I also miss Sanders and their ice cream. Does anyone have any Bull Dog Ginger Beer bottles for sale or even one unopened? Detroit and Hamtramck were the nicest places to explore and enjoy at one time.

You may be able to find bottles of Atlas on eBay.

The internet rocks. I just ran a search on Bulldog Ginger Beer and got to this great group of memories. Here's my Atlas story. I worked at Atlas in the early 1970's. Sorting empties, stacking orders, driving hi-lo, cleaning up. I showed up after school and stayed till the last delivery trucks returned. It was a wonderful experience; great ethnically diverse neighborhood and customers. The plant backed up to a neighborhood, so when you were unloading trucks, local kids (who called me ponytail because of my long hair at the time) would try to get free pop. The Tomaszewski brothers ran the place. Butch was an tough taskmaster with a surly demeanor. But I kinda admire him for instilling me with a work ethic that served me well all these years. Edwin Tomaszewski (previously not mentioned is the comments) was a really great guy. Funny, charming good-looking dude. my girlfriend picked me up one evening and he flirted with her relentlessly and kept looking back at me, winking. Sadly, He passed away just last fall. I went to the funeral and reconnected with his sons Gary and Gregg who worked at the plant during the summer. The crew at Atlas was a really interesting bunch of characters. Would have made a great TV sit-com. During my stay at Atlas, the old green "German Grenade" Bulldog ginger beer bottle had been phased out and were being returned. Eventually, they stopped showing up and Butch asked me to smash the slightly less (breakage) than 2 pallet of bottles known to exist. I stuck 2 of the least worn bottles in my car. My wife sold one for a dime in a garage sold years ago, and I still have one. A few years ago, I was at a wedding and there were wooden cases of Atlas behind the bar. I almost fell over when I saw an faint angular "DJ" chalked on the upper right-hand corner (when we stacked an order we wrote our initials at the top of the stack). Note to Tim Valik: did you live on Charest?