Cherry Smash Co


Company Names, addresses, dates:
  Cherry Smash, 1401 Lee Hgwy, Rosslyn VA (1920-ca.1950) 1
  Dixie Brewing Corp, Rosslyn VA (1934)
  Cherry Smash Corp, 601 Randolph St, Arlington VA (ca.1962-ca.1963)2

Notes:
John E. Fowler (ca.1877-1960) developed Cherry Smash soda3.
His original plant was in Richmond VA. After prohibition hit Virginia and Washington DC, the Arlington Brewing Co went out of business, and the large brewery building in Rosslyn VA was abandoned. Fowler purchased the building and the 5-acre property for $125,000, and made approximately $50,000 worth of alterations & repairs, then moved his Cherry Smash company there.4

In 1933, as prohibition was about to be repealed, the Dixie Brewing Corporation was formed, and they planned to purchase Fowler's building as their brewery5. It's not clear if they actually purchased the building or not, but in any case, the Dixie Brewing Corporation folded without ever producing any beer, and Fowler retained ownership of the building.

It's not clear when Fowler stopped using the building for Cherry Smash. A 1950 phone book lists the Cherry Smash Company Inc. under the category "Soda Fountain Supplies". A email from a descendant said that his family purchased the Cherry Smash franchise (but not the building) from Fowler circa 1950.

The Brewery building was torn down in 1958 to make way for the Key Bridge Motel & Hot Shoppes Restaurant, which is now the Key Bridge Mariott Hotel.

Advertisements in the Washington-Lee Highschool yearbooks from 1962 & 1963 list the Cherry Smash Corp at 601 Randolph Street, Arlington VA. The 1962 ad said it was Arlington's oldest industry, and that they had 3 flavors: Grape, Orange & Cherry. The 1963 ad said it was sold by the gallon in concentrated form, and can be used to make punch or diluted in ginger ale.

By the 1970s, the Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co was selling Cherry Smash soda6.


Cherry Smash Bottles:

csmash This is a Cherry Smash jug. Cherry Smash took over the brewery during prohibition years.
label: CHERRY / SMASH / READY TO USE / CHERRY FLAVORED / FOUNTAIN SYRUP / ... / MANUFACTURED BY / CHERRY SMASH / ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA / SINCE 1901
csmash_02 This is another Cherry Smash jug, embossed "ONE GALLON", with the following label:
label: CHERRY SMASH / READY TO USE / CHERRY FLAVORED / FOUNTAIN SYRUP / ... / DISTRIBUTED BY / ROSSLYN STATION CHERRY SMASH ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
csmash_04 This is a textured, amber jug, embossed on both sides with "ONE GALLON". It also has a line with an arrow pointing to it, presumably where the one-gallon mark is. The label is the same as the one on the bottle above:
label: CHERRY SMASH / READY TO USE / CHERRY FLAVORED / FOUNTAIN SYRUP / ... / DISTRIBUTED BY / ROSSLYN STATION CHERRY SMASH ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
jet_01 This is a 10" tall clear glass jug embossed with "ONE HALF GALLON" on the shoulder. It has a label that says:
label: JET (picture of a jet plane) / READY TO USE SYRUP / ORANGE / California Juice Type / ... / MANUFACTURED BY / CHERRY SMASH / ROSSLYN STATION ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
csmash_05 book # 137
I suspect this bottle doesn't belong with the label. The label is similar to the labels on the gallon jugs above. But the embossing on the bottle says: "5 / Five * Points / REG U.S. PAT OFF". There was an area of Arlington called "Five Points", but I don't beleive there was ever bottling plant there. The label of this bottle says:
label: CHERRY SMASH / A BLEND OF CHERRY AND / OTHER TRUE FRUIT FLAVORS / ... ROSSLYN STATION CHERRY SMASH ARLINGTON, VA.
csmash_03 book # 134
This is a cherry smash soda bottle. I don't know if it was made in the Rosslyn facility, but it does say Arlington VA. It is a 9.6" clear bottle with white ACL label marked:
front: CHERRY SMASH / A True fruit blend / CHERRY SMASH / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / CARBONATED WATER, CANE SUGAR, / CHERRY AND OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS, / CITRIC ACID, ADDED ARTIFICIAL / FOOD COLOR, 1/20 of 1% SODIUM / BENZOATE / 10 FL. OZ.
back: CHERRY SMASH / A True fruit blend / A / DELICIOUS / DRINK / FRANCHISED BY / CHERRY SMASH CO., INC. / ARLINGTON, VA., U.S.A.
rock_creek_32 book # 591-(unlisted)
This bottle is listed in my Rock Creek bottle page, but shown again here. It is a stipled, clear 11" crown-top bottle embossed:
around shoulder: ROCK CREEK
base: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASH. D.C.
top label: CHERRY SMASH / DELICIOUS WITH ICE CREAM
lower label: CHERRY / SMASH / CONTENTS 1 PT 8 FL. OZS. / CONTAINS WATER, SUGAR, CHERRY EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, ESSENTIAL OILS, CITROL (ARTIFICIAL) / AND ARTIFICUAL FOOD COLOR. PRESERVED WITH LESS THAN 1/10 OF 1% SODIUM BENZOATE
lower label on the left side: BOTTLED BY / ROCK CREEK BEVERAGES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
lower label on the right side: BY SPECIAL AUTHORITY OF / CHERRY SMASH OF ARLINGTON, VA.


Other items:
csmash_06 This is a label. It says:
CHERRY SMASH / TRADE MARK REG. U.S. PATENT OFFICE / CARBONATED BEVERAGE / ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, COLOR AND FRUIT ACID ADDED / BOTTLED BY AUTHORITY OF / JOHN E. FOWLER, ROSSLYN ON THE POTOMAC, VA. / MINIMUM CONTENTS 12 FLUID OUNCES / "OUR NATION'S BEVERAGE"
letter This is a letter that is postmarked 1941. It has "JOHN E. FOWLER / ROSSLYN, VIRGINIA" on the top, and a picture of the "FOWLER BUILDING" on the bottom.
fowler_01 (front) fowler_02 (rear) This is a letter that is postmarked 1935. It says:
Fowler's / SMASH / "OUR NATIONS BEVERAGE"/ ROSSLYN-ON-THE-POTOMAC, VA.
on the front, and a picture of the "FOWLER BUILDING" (former brewery) on the back.
csmash_07a csmash_07b This is a small, red, address book, that advertises Cherry Smash Co. Inc. in Arlington Virginia. It has a 1951 calendar in the front and a 1952 calendar in the back, and room for you to write in peoples names & addresses on the pages in between.
letter This is a Cherry Smash bottle cap, with no city markings. It's marked:
front: CHERRY SMASH / REG US PAT OFF / CARBONATED WATER, CANE ...
letter This is a plastic Cherry Smash nickel holder (top view and bottom view shown). The top is marked in red:
front: CHERRY SMASH / (R) / ARLINGTON, VA.


1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 Washington-Lee High School yearbooks, 1962 & 1963, containing ads for Cherry Smash @ 601 Randolph Street
3 Washington Post Times Herald, 8-Apr-1960, page C2 (obituary for John Fowler)
4 Washington Post, 29-Feb-1920, page 42, article "Richmond Men Buy Brewery"
5 Washington Post, 11-Feb-1933, page 17, article "Brewery Property Deed is put on File"
6 Washington Post, 23-Feb-1978, page DC1, article "Brewing up a Fortune in Ginger Ale"


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This page last updated on June 18, 2023.