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These days, we mainly know Prescott Bottling Company as the area’s Sun Drop distributor, although they also distribute many other beverages as well. However, this week, we’re going to look back at the years preceding Sun Drop, when Prescott Bottling Company bottled (not just distributed) Double Cola.

Here is a short and sweet history from the company’s website: “The Prescott family came into the bottling business when a family member working for Chattanooga’s Seminole Flavoring Co. came up with a recipe for a new cola which became Double Cola. Several members of the family, including Raymond Prescott, Sr., became bottlers. He managed the Nashville Double Cola operation for several years before coming to Tullahoma with his three sons, Raymond Jr, Fred and Sam, to set up operations. In 1938, Raymond Prescott, Jr. set up a Double Cola bottling plant in Augusta, Georgia, which he operated for a few years before selling it and returning to Tullahoma. He became senior partner in 1945 and in the immediate post-WWII [period], Prescott Bottling added beer distribution to its line, becoming one of the first Budweiser distributors in the state.

 “When his son, David Prescott, took over ownership in 1971, he made the decision to sell the beer portion of the business to concentrate on Sundrop. He believes the ongoing success of the company is in direct relation with most of the company’s attention and resources focusing on Sundrop. The company successfully bottled the product locally until 1991, and as of now only distributes the product, as with many other beverages, to its five-county middle Tennessee territory.”

Being a Midwesterner until 24 years ago, my first knowledge of Double Cola came through a visit to family members in Eddyville, Kentucky. To me as a kid, it seemed as plentiful as Coca-Cola and Pepsi were at home, though I think I recall liking the taste of Double Cola better.

This being a somewhat visual history page, let’s look back at some of Prescott Bottling’s delivery and sales vehicles. Specifically, let’s check out the ones from the Double Cola days. All photos were provided by Paige Prescott Moore, courtesy of the Prescott Bottling Company collection.

Do you have sharp pictures of buildings, businesses, churches or events from Tullahoma’s or Coffee County’s past? If so, reach out to me at alanmayes@lighttube.net.