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FREEMAN BEVERAGE COMPANY |
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 Prior to the turn of the last century (circa 1893), Mr. George Freeman opened a grocery by the name of Ward & Freeman. The grocery handled general dry goods, groceries, and "country produce", with specialization in cedar posts and railroad ties. While it is not exactly known why the store sold railroad ties and cedar posts, it is suspected that these were salvage items from the reconstruction period after the war. By 1898, the renamed grocery, George Freeman & Sons, dabbled in selling locally made beer and wine in addition to the traditional products of the day. Over the next twenty years, thirteen children were born to the George Freeman family. The Roaring Twenties...  Business flourished over the next two decades, with delivery vehicles being added, for that extra level of customer service. The beer and wine business grew right along with it...right up until Prohibition! 1934...The Days of Temperance Expire...  With the end of prohibition, the George Freeman & Sons Grocery was able to get back into the beer and wine business. New federal and state laws mandated however, that a separate business be set up. This led to Freeman Distributing being formed as a separate company. The Atomic Age...  After world War II ended, and all the Freeman sons returned home, they were able to focus their considerable energies on the family beverage business. In fact, business became so robust, a few brothers sold their interest in Freeman Distributing to the youngest brother, Rodney, and moved to other cities in Virginia to establish additional beer and wine distribution operations. It was at this point that the Freeman Distributing became the Freeman Beverage Company of today. The Volatile 60's & 70's... The business outgrew its' home on the corner of Freeman and Little Page Streets (across the street from the Freeman Grocery). A facility was built and moved into in 1970. (Our current location now, though largely expanded in 1996). It was in 1969 that Rodney Freeman's son-in-law, James Branscome, returned from military duty in Vietnam, and came to work for the company. As the Pabst beer business was riding high, James noticed that the wine business was largely ignored.  He started riding the beer trucks with the route salesmen, and pre selling the few wines that were kept at the warehouse. When he would make a sale, he would type an invoice that night, pick the order, then ask the driver to deliver it on his next stop, usually a week later! His timing couldn't have been more perfect, as America began a love affair with wine that has not stopped since. Jim is pictured above (left) with Ed Mitchell (right - General Manager 50's through 70's). From then to the New Millennium... Over the years, the Freeman Beverage Company portfolio has evolved into four basic components, that are a far cry from cedar posts, railroad ties, and country produce. The components of our business today are still beer and wine, with the addition of "new age" beverages, and soft drinks. Each category of product is skillfully managed by experienced category managers, and sold by the best trained sales and delivery personnel in the business. Please browse the rest of our site to learn more about us and our PROUD portfolio. Feel free to send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! We would love to hear from you.
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