Petemann’s Soda factory was located in Union City at the time!
Union City, NJ – Summer, 1958
The sound came before the man—clomp, clomp, scrape—boots heavy on the sidewalk, metal tongs rattling against the side of the truck. Every other day like clockwork, the ice man rolled up outside Mom’s candy store. We’d hear the slam of the back gate, and then came that magical moment—the delivery.
He’d hoist the big blocks, slick and shining, with water dripping off the edges like glass sweating. The chunks made a thunk as he dropped them into the red Coca-Cola cooler just inside the door.
That cooler was no ordinary box—it was a throne for kings. Red paint faded from the sun, white script across the side that whispered: “Drink Coca-Cola in Bottles.” On top, a sliding metal lid that screeched when you opened it.
The Petermann sodas floated in that icy soup—bottles clinking together, labels half peeled, the air above the water sharp and cold, smelling like metal and sugar. You had to reach in deep, fingers going numb, but it was worth it. You’d come up with a bottle of Cream Soda or Sarsaparilla, ice chips stuck to the glass, beads of sweat rolling down the sides, and there were also bottles of 6 oz Coke 7 UP, Dad’s Orange soda, and Root Beer soda! What a line up!
Sometimes Mom would let us help unload the soda crates when they came in, me and Buddy. The delivery guy always smelled like cigarettes and bubble gum, and he’d wink at us like we were part of the crew.
“Stack those grape ones in the back,” Mom would say. “Bobby, don’t you dare open one till you wipe it clean. Last time I found ice water all over the counter.”
But man, nothing beat cracking one open, wiping it on your shirt, and sitting on the stoop out front, that Coke cooler humming inside like it was keeping secrets.
We’d sip slow, watching the traffic roll by, knowing that tomorrow might bring new candy, new soda, maybe even new comic books. But for now, we had cold bottles, hot sun, and the best little store in Union City. Thanks Mom!
