The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas is the story of Dublin Dr
Pepper Bottling Co., a David-Goliath case study of the world's
first Dr Pepper bottling plant and the only one that has always
used pure cane sugar in spite of compelling reasons to switch
sweeteners.
The book traces the story from the founder's birth through the
contemporary struggles of a tiny independent, family-owned
franchise against industry giants.
Owners of the plant have been touched by every major social,
economic, and political issue of the past 114 years, and many of
those forces threatened the survival of the plant.
The Dublin plant's 100th birthday in 1991 was a turning point
because the national media created an identity so unique that it
has taken on a life of its own. Thanks to the Travel Channel,
Food Network, Texas Monthly, Southern Living, and others, the
Dublin plant and museum attract tens of thousands of tourists
every year, and Dublin Dr Pepper is consumed around the world
through internet sales.
The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas tells how a small plant ignored
most of the cherished rules of production and marketing–and
succeeded–in spite of not speeding up production, not expanding
its franchise area, not cutting production costs, and not adapting
to changing times.
_________________________________________________________
KAREN WRIGHT is a Dublin civic leader, founder and former
publisher of The Dublin Citizen, and former director of Old Doc's
Soda Shop and Dr Pepper Museum in Dublin. She does freelance
writing, marketing and public relations with emphasis on historic
preservation, and can be reached for interview at kawright@earthlink.net.
What people are saying about this book
". . . a very enjoyable book for casual reading or for the college
marketing student doing research in niche marketing by small
businesses competing with the 'big players.' . . . recommended for
all public and academic libraries."—Review of Texas Books
"The narrative is good, the pictures great."—East Texas Historical
Journal
". . . very entertaining book."—Texas Illustrated Magazine
"If you like an interesting story with a touch of sweetness, get a copy
of The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas: The Story of Dublin Dr Pepper. . . . a
charming little book."—Mexia Daily News
"Wright, a former director of Dublin, Texas' Dr Pepper Museum, pulls
together everything anyone might want to know about the first Dr
Pepper bottling plant, still in operation and drawing thousands of
tourists to Dublin every year. The story starts in 1882 when 19-year-old
Sam Prin and his cousin B.A. Prin, 21, buy the City Bookstore in
Sulphur Springs. Three years later, they put in a soda machine and
begin mixing a popular drink called 'Dr. Pepper' (the period was later
dropped), developed by Waco pharmacist Charles Alderton. Sam
sees the mass market potential of soft drinks once they could 'bottle
it, cap it, preserve its bubbles, and make it widely available and
affordable,' and so in 1891 he sells his interest in the bookstore,
buys a bottling machine and relocates to Dublin. Between his 1891
handshake deal to bottle and sell Dr Pepper to his formal 1925
franchise agreement, Sam's Dublin Bottling Works becomes a
success, one which would survive through to the present day. Wright's
straightforward story packs in plenty of historical details, following the
soft drink business as well as the plant itself, making this a
comprehensive read for Dr Pepper and industry fans."—Publisher's
Weekly
For an article featuring this book, see the March 2006 issue of South
Texas Traveler Magazine.
". . . richly researched."—The Beaumont Enterprise
Other Histories about Texas Travel Destinations
