By SARAH LIM
Special to the Times
The 7-Up sign by Marie’s Mexican Kitchen at 259 W. Main Street is a prominent landmark in Merced, though many residents are unaware of its intriguing past.
Although speculation fills the gaps where documentation is missing, based on my research and analysis, I have concluded that the sign was likely installed around 1941.
First, the design of the sign gives us some valuable clues. The slogans featured on the sign – “Fresh up with 7-Up” from 1935 and “It Likes You” from 1937 – hint at its timeline.
The next clue is bubbles. If you count the bubbles, there are eight of them on the sign, which is very significant. The soft drink company transitioned from eight to seven bubbles in its logo between 1939 and 1941. Moreover, in 1939, the logo was first introduced in color, featuring a red background and 7-Up in a square badge shape with rounded corners, as shown in our local sign. All these elements suggest that the sign was created in the late 1930s or early 1940s.
Secondly, the history of the local 7-Up distributor, Carlee Beverage Co., is essential. Established by Carl A. Piplick and Lee Spicer, Carlee (a combination of the partners’ first names) took control of the 7-Up distribution business in Merced and Mariposa counties in 1938. The company served over 500 dealers and handled more than 70,000 cases of beverages in the area annually.
Although Piplick and Spicer were from Fresno, they were committed to building a long-lasting relationship with the Merced community. When the City of Merced celebrated the 50th anniversary of its incorporation in March 1939, Carlee put out an ad, “We Salute – Merced on its 50th Anniversary. We are just celebrating our First – But we hope to grow along with this progressive community until one day we, too, will celebrate our 50th.”
Shortly after Carlee took over the 7-Up distribution business, it launched a robust advertising campaign, including several ads in the Merced Sun-Star. Labeling itself as “the National Fresh-Up Drink,” this beverage targeted consumers of all ages with slogans such as “You Like 7-Up. It Likes You.” So, it is reasonable to surmise that Carlee Beverage or the 7-Up Company may have erected the billboard as part of their promotional efforts. Interestingly enough, Carlee’s warehouse was conveniently located only down the street from the sign at 519 J Street (now 1619 MLK Jr. Way between 16th and W. Main Streets).
The location of the sign also aligns with the opening of Roy and Edna Hamilton’s Rancho Drive-Inn (now Marie’s Mexican Kitchen), which served fountain drinks. Their grand opening in 1941 provides further circumstantial evidence that the sign was likely put up that same year.
Roy and Edna Hamilton moved to Merced in 1938 and worked in the Merced Theatre. They realized that the area across the street from the Theatre was an ideal location for a restaurant, so they began construction of Rancho in 1940 and opened it on February 20, 1941, serving sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, and ice cream.
Since there is no historical documentation directly linked to the sign, the closest proof is a 1954 photo. It features not just the 7-Up sign on the lawn of the then-Ham’s Merced Family Restaurant but also the Borden’s Ice Cream sign. Both fountain service and Borden’s Ice Cream were listed in Rancho Drive-Inn’s Grand Opening ad, reinforcing the notion that these signs were strategically placed to promote their offerings and draw in customers to the Rancho Drive-Inn. Even though it is unclear who installed the signs, it is evident that the Hamiltons, along with 7-Up and Borden’s, had some form of business arrangement that resulted in a mutually beneficial collaboration in the local marketing landscape.
During WWII, the Hamiltons closed the restaurant and relocated to Oakland, where Roy worked in the shipyards. After the war, in 1945, they returned to Merced and remodeled Rancho to four times its original size. When it reopened on May 24, 1946, it became Ham’s Drive Inn, later Ham’s Merced Family Restaurant. In 1949, the Hamiltons added the second story, which became their family residence. Roy and Edna taught their three children all phases of operating a restaurant. They sold the restaurant to Bill and Millie Wells in 1955 and moved to San Jose. The building and the 7-Up sign still occupy the northeast corner of Main Street and MLK Jr. Way.
In conclusion, examining the Hamiltons’ restaurant venture, Carlee Beverage Co.’s local presence, and the sign’s stylistic elements leads me to conclude that the neon 7-Up sign was indeed erected around 1941.
If you have additional information or dated photos about the sign that you would like to share with us, please contact the Courthouse Museum at (209) 723-2401 or [email protected].
To learn more about Merced County history, please visit the Courthouse Museum on Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Our current exhibit, “America 250 – Merced County,” celebrates our country’s 250th anniversary and our county’s accomplishments.
Sarah Lim is the director of the Merced County Courthouse Museum.
