The first listing I can find for the California Bottling Co. was in the 1920 Brooklyn telephone directory, however, the newspaper advertisement quoted below suggested that the company was established in 1917. Suffice to say the company was up and running sometime in the late teens, likely with the aim of capitalizing on Prohibition laws.
Their business card appeared in several issues of the “Brooklyn Citizen” during the spring/summer of 1922.
That year the California Bottling Company patented a design of the word “click” for non-alcoholic, non-cereal, maltless beverages sold as soft drinks and syrups for making same. Used since: February 1, 1920, Filed: February 28, 1922, Published: July 18, 1922 and Registered: October 17, 1922.
This advertisement, highlighting both “Click” and the California Bottling Company, appeared in the July 9, 1922 edition of the “Brooklyn Citizen” disguised as a legitimate news story.
CLICK COMES IN TIME FOR SUMMER
New Beverage Meets With Instant Favor and Is In Great Demand
“Click” the newest member of the beverage family, has arrived in good time for the abatement of summertime thirsts. It comes in three flavors, orange, grape and cherry. Brooklynites have been pleasantly surprised with the latest addition to the long line of excellent products sold by the California Bottling Company of No. 142 King Street.
Their four delivery wagons are being kept busy all day long supplying the needs of their many customers both in this borough and across the river in Manhattan.
And it is little wonder that there is such a wide demand for “Click” and the other products such as ginger ale, soda and carbonated waters that this company specializes in, for they are thoroughly satisfying in all ways.
Sparkling, filtered waters are used in the manufacture of these drinks. Pure fruit juices are used exclusively for coloring and flavoring purposes. The machinery is of the modern type and the plant is up-to-date in every respect.
L. Diccor, manager of the factory, says that the concern has increased its size yearly. It was established five years ago, and its growth has been remarkably rapid. Since the advent of prohibition there has, of course, been a marked increase in the demand for soft drinks.
“Click,” they say takes some of the sting out of prohibition, for it really does quench even the most obstinate thirst and is soothing to the driest of throats.
The following year, the February 7, 1923 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle” announced that the California Bottling Company had filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy.
At the same time, the February 9, 1923 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle announced that the Click Cola Bottling Company had been incorporated.
After the dust settled , both the California Bottling Company and the Click Cola Bottling Company appeared in the Brooklyn Telephone Book from the mid-1920’s up through 1931. Both listed the 142 King Street address, suggesting that the companies were, in practice, one and the same.
Bottles embossed Click Cola (in script) Bottling Co., with the 142 King Street address occasionally appear for sale on the internet.
Looking very much like a Coca Cola bottle, one internet bottle web site stated that Coke sued them for infringement and put them out of business. While I can’t confirm this, it certainly appears likely.
Today 142 King Street is a one story building with two garage door size openings. Property Shark.com states that it was built in 1931 so it post dates the business.
The bottle I found is machine made (8 oz) with California Bottling Co embossed inside a large horseshoe. There is no mention of “Click” Cola, suggesting that it contained another one of their flavors. It fits the 1920’s period that the company was in business.