The Grapette Bottling Company opened next door in 1942, and, for the next few years, they conducted the actual bottling operations for Randle, while the Seven-Up Bottling Company distributed the products.  Soon, however, Randle acquired a Burns bottling machine that enabled the company to containerize their own beverages.  The company was small at that time, maintaining around seven employees, including Horace Stovall, the bookkeeper; Nolan Richardson (later coach for the University of Oklahoma) as bottle carrier; one supervisor; and four salesmen/drivers.  The drivers delivered their routes in late-1930s model Dodge trucks, one for each route and one as a spare.  Along with El Paso County, the company early on extended its range to include Doña Ana County, New Mexico, with Leonard Bullard as the driver salesman on the Las Cruces route (Echaniz interview). 

     Randle conceived of an advertising ploy in the 1940s that was somewhat unique.  He had several hundred markers placed in the crosswalks of downtown El Paso.  The markers were flat brass disks about 4.5 inches in diameter embossed with the 7-Up logo.  Each disk was attached to a brass pin that terminated in an "eye" socket which was then strung on a cable that ran under the pavement preventing the possibility of theft.  Downtown pedestrians were forever reminded of the presence of Seven-Up (Randle interview).  The disks were marked, DRINK/7up/SAFETY FIRST (Robert Sproull collection). 
 

Figure 10a-1 - Brass Street Ad [Robert Sproull collection]

     A second advertising idea was both unique and heartwarming.  The one-year-old Al Randle, Jr., was playing at his mother's dressing table where she had placed a bottle of Seven-Up on the seat.  The tiny toddler pulled himself up on to the edge of the seat and was captured by the camera with a baby smile beside the soft drink.  The ad suggested, "Fresh Him Up Early" and "7up TUNES TINY TUMMIES (1939 ad in Rick Chavez collection). 
 

Figure 10a-2 - Al Randle,Jr. in 1939 ad [Rick Chavez collection]

     Along with the El Paso bottlers in general, Seven-Up thrived in the 1950s.  The fifteen people employed by the company produced sufficient beverages to allow a fleet of seven trucks to serve both El Paso County, Texas, and Doña Ana County, New Mexico.  Seven-Up received its crown caps and bottles from out-of-state sources, notably, in the case of bottles, from the Owens Illinois Glass Company in Toledo, Ohio.  The company produced Seven-Up in quart bottles for the first time in 1956.  The following year, Sarah M. Randle joined the Board of Directors as vice president (EPCD 1951-1957; EPT 4/25/1954 E11:2; EPHP 4/24/1954 39:1; 4/28/1956 F12:1.  Mrs. Randle is variously listed as Sarah C. or Sarah M.  It is possible that one initial represents a middle name, the other her maiden name). 

      The Randles and Pete Echaniz were proud of their quality control--with good reason.  The Seven- Up parent company would send agents to El Paso (along with all other franchises) to randomly sample local bottled products.  Sporadically and unpredictably, an agent would arrive in town, buy several bottles of Seven-Up from different locations (supermarkets, convenience stores, machines, etc.), and send them to the parent company for testing.  Local franchises were presented with awards for consistency in maintaining parent company specifications for beverage quality.  The El Paso franchise won the coveted award twenty years in a row.  Randle attributed the success to the high standards set by the plant's long-standing production manager, Leonard Bullard (Randle interview). 
 

Figure 10a-3 - Plant at 5607 El Paso Dr. [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz]

     By 1960, business had increased to the point where Seven-Up had outgrown its original plant, necessitating a move to a new location at 5607 El Paso Dr.  Later in the decade, Pete Echaniz announced the addition of a product new to El Paso--Kickapoo Joy Juice created by cartoonist, Al Capp.  Capp's product, a taste-alike competing with Pepsi's Mountain Dew, was first marketed in February, 1965.  The new drink, franchised by the Nu-Grape Company of Atlanta, Georgia, was based on characters in the Li'l Abner comic strip.  Echaniz predicted (incorrectly) that the new drink would be a hit (EPCD 1960-1969; EPHP 7/2/1965 B12:8).  The new drink, similar to Squirt, was a complete failure, and Randle withdrew it from the market less than five years after its initial promotion.  The company had also bottled such other drinks as Sun Spot, Howdy Orange, and Frostie Root Beer, although none had attained the popularity of Seven-Up.  Near the end of the decade, the Herald Post boasted that the El Paso St. plant was "turning out 7-Up at the rate of 19,000 per hour not once touched by human hands" (EPHP 1/1/1968 B8:2).   Kickapoo Joy Juice was forgotten, and the company was ready to expand. 
 

Figure 10b-4 - 1974 El Paso City Directory	Figure 10b-5 - Boeing Location  [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz]

Seven-Up Royal Crown Bottling Company (1969-1986) 
     Al Randle, Jr. had a dream; he wanted to expand the company.  At the age of thirty-two, he was more and more involved with the business and had his eye on Royal Crown Cola.  Royal Crown offered two major opportunities:  1) a cola drink to compete with Coke and Pepsi; and 2) Diet Rite Cola, the fastest-selling diet soft drink on the market.  Although the Nehi-Royal Crown parent company had been willing to run the El Paso operation for the past four years in order to "keep the territory from drying up,"  competition from Coke and Pepsi kept sales volume low.  To Randle, however, Royal Crown sales added to Seven-Up sales equaled a vastly improved business.  He negotiated with the RC representative and reached a price that was acceptable to both parties.  The Seven-Up Royal Crown Bottling Company was born.  As part of the agreement, the Randles took over trucks, building lease, franchise, bottles--everything.  The company moved into its new, more spacious location at 7328 Boeing Dr. ( EPCD 1970; Randle interview). 
 

Figure 10b-6 - Seven-Up Co. Employees, ca. 1950 - Al Randel, Sr. in cengter with Pete Echaniz to his right.  Standing from left to right:  1) Willy Rodriguez; 3) Frank Heredia; 5) Leonard Bullard; 7) Raul Echaniz; 9) Pablo Reyes?  Others are unidentified. [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz; indentification by Al Randle, Jr.

     Within ten days after the Randles bought the Royal Crown franchise, disaster struck.  The Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamates, the basis of Diet Rite Cola (Cyclamates, approved by the FDA in 1949, were officially banned on Saturday, October 18, 1969 [Vaughn 1995a:34]).  The #1 diet soda in America was withdrawn from the market.  The new franchise owners were not even allowed to sell off existing stock; they had to pick it up off of the customers' shelves.  Al Randle, Jr. remembered that they "poured out gallons of it."  The smell of cyclamates permeated the plant for weeks.  The timing had been really bad; obtaining Diet Rite Cola had been one of the major assets that led to the buying of the franchise.  In time, new sweeteners were found, Diet Rite returned to the market, and the Seven-Up Royal Crown Bottling Company prospered (Randle interview). 

Figure 10b-7 - Al Randle, Sr. and Pete Echaniz, ca. 1974 [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz]

     About that time, Randle hired Charlie Sterns as a full-time mechanic to keep his trucks in top operating condition.  Prior to that time, the trucks had been sent to the service station where Sterns was the mechanic, but the station closed down leaving Sterns jobless and Seven-Up without a mechanic.  The solution suited both parties perfectly.  Raul Echaniz, an employee since 1948 and brother of the plant manager, had demonstrated a talent for sign painting and had produced perfect, hand-painted company logos for the trucks.  The addition of Sterns made the vehicular section of the operation practically self-sufficient (Randle interview). 
 

Figure 10b-8 - Seven-Up Employees, ca. 1974 - Seated (left to right):  Al Randle, Sr. , Pete Echaniz, Leonard Bullard, and Frank Heredia.  Standing (first row):  Angel Orega, Raul Echaniz, Willy Rodriguez, Art Licon, Pablo Reyes?, unknown.  Back Row:  unknown except for Joe Senental (far right). [courtesy of Pete Echaniz; identification by Al Randle, Jr.

     The younger Randle next heard that John D. Scott was becoming discouraged with Canada Dry and was ready to give up his franchise.  Randle approached Scott who said that he was, indeed, tired of the product.  It sold well only during Christmas, and business had never notably improved during the time he had owned the franchise.  To Randle, however, it could be profitable in conjunction with other sales; Royal Crown-Seven-Up salesmen were already making the stops, so it would be well worth their while to take in extra cases.  Randle told Scott, "I'd like to get it."  A Canada Dry representative flew to El Paso and met Randle for lunch.  Randle recalled, "We hit it off great."  Canada Dry needed a franchise operator; Randle wanted the extra business.  The plant obtained from Royal Crown four years earlier had sufficient space, and there was no conflict of interest between Canada Dry mixers and the company's regular soft drinks.  Even better, Canada Dry allowed Randle to take over the existing franchise; in effect, he got the franchise free.  It was a rapid-fire changeover.  Randle moved almost everything to the Boeing Dr. plant on Wednesday, had a sales meeting Friday, and started production on Monday (Randle interview). 

     Quart bottles had recently become increasingly popular.  Randle asked the Canada Dry representative for a hundred racks to display quarts of product. The following week, Canada Dry delivered the rows of beautiful racks with imitation wooden shelves.  The company began installing the shelves in El Paso supermarkets almost immediately, and sales soared.  Along with Canada Dry mixers, Randle's salesmen were stocking quarts of Royal Crown and Seven-Up (Randle interview). 

     Then the dream began to dissolve.  Allie Randle died in 1976 at the age of seventy-four after a series of strokes that lasted five years and left him badly deteriorated.  The senior Randle left a bitter disappointment for his son.  A few years before his death, he ordered his company lawyer write a codicil to his will.  Over the last four years of his life, Randle repeatedly refused to accept the lawyer's revisions, but finally he signed.  Upon Randle's death, the will was found to be virtually undecipherable.  Two lawyers examined the will and presented the younger Randle with their experienced opinions--the son had been disinherited.  Although the younger Randle already owned twenty-two and a half shares of stock in the corporation, Sarah Randle inherited the other sixty-five and a half shares of Randle's estate and the position of president of the company.  Echaniz (also a two percent shareholder) remained as general manager, and Al L. Randle, Jr. became vice president.  Al Randle, Jr. contested the will, claiming that his father had always intended that the business should go to him.  Because no one was willing to testify in his behalf, he was defeated (EPCD 1976- 1981; Randle interview; Social Security Death Index). 

     The younger Randle was about to receive another shock.  His mother, Sarah, had been told, possibly by the company accountant, that another Great Depression was due to occur in the near future.  Like many people who survived the Depression of 1929, Sarah retained strong memories and deep emotional scars from the ordeal.  Fearing that the business would become worthless, she decided to sell, encouraged by her lawyer and accountant.  Although Randle argued with his mother, she was determined to follow through on the sale.  Seeing that she could not be dissuaded, Randle petitioned to buy the corporation himself.  Randle said later that he was told he could expect no special favors and would have to "bid like everybody else."  The requirements for the bids were ten percent down payment with the balance payable over a ten-year period at ten percent interest.  Randle placed a bid for his mother's sixty-seven and a half percent and waited.  On the acceptance date, Sarah Randle announced that she, along with her lawyer and accountant, had accepted the bid of Donald W. Anderson and William Kastrin (Randle interview). 

     Upon hearing the amount of the winning bid, Randle complained that his bid for his mother's stock was actually higher than Anderson's offer.  In response, he was told that his mother, along with her advisors, had decided that his offer must be in cash.  Although Randle continued to complain, it was to no avail.  The company lawyer proffered Randle an offer for his minority stock from Anderson's backers.  When Randle asked the identity of the backers, the lawyer told him that Anderson was backed by a corporation, but the stockholders were unknown.  Randle flatly refused. 

     Although Randle received anonymous threats and warnings, he sued his mother in her own interest and as executrix of the estate of his father, Allie Lee Randle. A hearing was set for January 30, 1978 with Al Randle, Jr., citing the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  In response, he was fired on December 17, (1977) right before Christmas.  Randle was told, unofficially, that he was up against politically and financially powerful individuals, and, if he refused to sell his stock, he would end up with nothing.  The warning was prophetic.  Randle's first lawyer was inept; his second one only a slight improvement (Randle interview; EPHP 12/21/1977)  A long, drawn-out court battle ensued that lasted almost three years and culminated in a judgement against Randle.  His minority stock in Seven-Up Royal Crown, sequestered for collateral to ensure the payment of legal fees, was now placed for sale.  Only one entity was interested in minority stock in the disputed company, so Randle's worst enemy was rewarded with a double-triumph.  As an added insult, Randle discovered that all assets of the company were sold, including $100,000 in the bank.  That meant that the purchasing company was able to make the down payment with money from the company it had bought (Randle interview). 

     In 1982, the battle ended.  Sarah Randle sold the company to Donald W. Anderson and retired from business life.  Pete A. Echaniz was retained until the court battle ended and the sale was finalized then was forced to retire after forty years of bottling Seven-Up.  Echaniz received neither pension nor retirement benefits (EPCD 1982-1985; Echaniz interview).   Sarah, born in 1909, died in 1985, leaving one final tragedy for Al Randle, Jr.  In a sad dejà vu, Randle was again virtually written out of his mother's will.  His share of her estate was limited only to a bedroom suite (Randle interview; Social Security Death Index).  The public never became aware of Randle's personal tragedy.  Advertisements continued, and the workings of the plant went on almost unabated.  Deborah C. Kastrin replaced Anderson as president of the corporation in 1986 and was at the helm when the company was sold to Kalil Bottling Company the following year (EPCD 1986-1987). 
 

Figure 10b-9 - Pete Echaniz, ca. 1980 [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz]	Figure 10b-10 - Pete Echaniz's Business  Card [Courtesy of Pete Echaniz]

Figure 10b-11 - 1983 El Paso Telephone Directory

     By 1953, the company employed twelve people and served the New Mexico communities of Las Cruces and Alamogordo, as well as El Paso County, Texas.  Canada Dry offered twenty-three different beverages and, the following year, became the first El Paso bottler to "paletize" its operation.  In 1954, the company also expanded its territory to include Silver City and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  R. J. Galentin and John D. Scott bought the company from Mayfield in 1958 (EPCD 1953-1958; EPT 4/5/1953 B13:4; 4/25/1954 E11:2; EPHP 4/24/1954 39:1). 

     Scott arrived in El Paso in 1954 as an associate of Aetna Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut.  Two years later, he became a salesman for Hicks-Hayward and retained that position during his first years with Canada Dry.  Galentin, a long-time resident of El Paso, had begun his working life as an usher at the Plaza Theater in 1933.  He began his career with Standard Oil Company in 1937 as a messenger before working his way up the occupational ladder in the accounting department and finally becoming a division head of the Standard Oil Pipeline.  After his retirement from Standard Oil, Galentin decided to try his hand at bottling with Scott (EPCD1933- 1958). 

     Although neither of the new owners had any previous bottling experience, they felt that the future of Canada Dry looked promising in El Paso.  The two entrepreneurs incorporated that year with Galentin as president and Scott as vice president.  The building on Yandell Blvd. had never been adequate for the volume of drinks produced by Galentin and Scott, but they remained in the crowded plant for eighteen years, finally relocating to larger quarters at 4751 Durazno Ave. in 1972.  In 1974, Galentin sold his interest to Scott and retired.  Scott, too was becoming discouraged with Canada Dry and let his franchise lapse in favor of the Randles (EPCD 1958-1972; Galentin interview). 

Wes-Tex Custom Bottlers, Inc. (1974-1978) 
     Although discouraged with Canada Dry, Scott was not disheartened with bottling.  To remain in the industry, he formed Wes-Tex Custom Bottlers, Inc., a bottler without a brand.  The company remained at 4751 Durazno Ave. with Scott as president.  The new corporation bottled products for other dealers who wanted to retail soft drinks in El Paso without the accompanying headaches involved in packaging.  Retail outlets, such as Safeway, were joining in the competition against the established bottlers but had neither the desire nor the facilities to produce the company product.  Wes-Tex provided the means.  Scott took on Carmen Paz as a new associate in 1975, and the firm continued as a custom bottler until 1978 when it finally disbanded (EPCD 1973-1978; Galentin interview). 

Kalil Bottling Company (1984-present) 
     El Paso's newest soft drink manufacturer is the Kalil Bottling Company, a subsidiary of the Kalil Bottling Company of Tucson, Arizona.  The El Paso branch opened in 1984 at 900 Kastrin St. under Bob Rosasco as the local sales manager.  Kalil began its tenure in El Paso by purchasing the Nehi- Royal Crown franchise from the Seven-Up Royal Crown Bottling Company and added to their diversity by obtaining Dad's Root Beer and Big Red from the Magnolia Coca-Cola Bottling Company in 1985, along with franchises for Gatorade, Delaware Punch, Vernors, Texas Light, Bubble Up, and Yoo Hoo Chocolate.  Two years later, Kalil bought out the rest of the Seven-Up franchise, moving into the old Seven-Up Royal Crown plant at 7328 Boeing Dr.  With the sale of Seven-Up, only three bottlers (Kalil, Magnolia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company) remained in El Paso.  Eddie Gonzalez replaced Rosasco in 1993 and remains the branch manager in 1996.  Kalil imports its soft drinks from the parent company in Tucson, rather than bottling in El Paso (EPCD 1984-1996; EPTD, 1984-85-1987-88).