Crombie & Co. (1904-1959) 
     Pearl, a cereal beverage (near-beer) was distributed by Crombie & Co. during the 1920s and possibly into the early 1930s.  Crombie & Co. was an old, El Paso firm established in 1904.  George M. Crombie had earlier been a part of the firm of Coulson & Crombie (with T. R. Coulson), dealers in wholesale fruits and produce.  When Coulson & Crombie crumbled in 1902, Crombie started his own company two years later.  The original Crombie & Co. dealt in wholesale cigars on the northwest corner of St. Louis and Kansas (EPCD 1900-1904). 

     In 1905 George added William S. Crombie (probably his son) as a partner and changed the firm's products from cigars to wholesale fruits and produce.  The company moved to 306 S. El Paso Dr. in 1907.  The firm expanded up the block changing their address to 308 in 1908 and 315 in 1910.  In 1914, they moved to a new location at 211-217 S. Florence (EPCD 1905-1916). 

     Crombie & Co. incorporated in 1917 with George M. Crombie as president, William S. Crombie as vice president and treasurer, and O. C. McConnell as secretary.  They remained dealers in wholesale fruits and produce.  R. P. Mossman was added as second vice president two years later.  In 1920 the firm underwent a major organizational change with William S. Crombie as the new president.  William changed the company name to Crombie Candy & Syrup Co., Inc. with R. P. Mossman as vice president, G. M. Crombie as treasure, and; O. C. McConnell secretary.  The new firm advertised themselves as "manufactures high grade candies and 'Mother Goose' cane and maple syrup" (EPCD1917-1920). 

     Just two years later in 1922, the firm returned to the old name of Crombie & Co. with their business back to that of wholesale fruit and produce distribution.  Except for the loss of Mossman, the firm's officers remained the same.  It is possible that the company retained the Crombie & Co. name during the 1920-1922 period, however.  The advertisements in the July 1920 issues of the El Paso Morning Times carried the Crombie & Co. heading.  No further changes occurred in the firm until 1941 when George M. Crombie's name was dropped and William S. took on the additional job of treasurer.  The elder Crombie had apparently either retired or died (EPCD 1921-1941; El Paso Morning Times 7/17/1920 3:1). 

     William S. Crombie, Jr. joined the firm as vice president in 1949, and F. H. McKinstry was added as buyer in 1952.  Two years later William Jr. became president with his father as treasurer, but the younger Crombie vanished from the record the following year.  In 1955 the senior Crombie was back as Chairman of the Board with F. H. McKinstry as president and O. C. McConnell as vice president and secretary.  The last listing for Crombie and Co. is 1959, although Crombie (apparently retired) continued to be listed in the directories (EPCD 1942-1961).  Interestingly, Eugene F. Smith, brother to Hope Smith and sales manager for Magnolia Coca-Cola Bottling Co., worked for Crombie & Co. in the 1930s.