The Chirp Company
Company Names, addresses, dates:
  The Chirp Company, 105 King Street, Alexandria VA 1
  Dewey Beverages Inc, 105 King Street, Alexandria VA (c. 1950-1954)2
Notes:
The web site for The Fish Market restaurant says that their building at 105 King
Street was once the site where "some enterprising gentlemen turned their talents
to the making of a soft-drink which they labeled Chirp - a bird of a drink." 1.
The Fish Market web site also mentions that the building was later used by a
company that brewed beer - I presume that's referring to 'Dewey Beverage Co.',
which shows up in Alexandria directories & phone books from 1950-19542.
That company is listed as a beer distributor, not a beer brewer, so the Fish Market
web site may have gotten that detail wrong. Aiden E. Dewey is also listed as
working at the "Dewey Beverage Co" in the 1945 & 1947 city directories (in the
residential section), but it does not give an address for the company, so I don't
know if it was at 105 King Street, or somewhere else.
The 1888 Chataigne's directory lists a grocer "J Broders & Co" at the same address3.
There was also a Chirp bottling company in Mount Airy Maryland from 1938-1942,
that used the same logo and slogan. Nichol Cola was bottled at the same building
in Mount Airy during those years. 4.
Bottles:
book # 139 This is a clear 9.7" crown-top bottle, with a red, white & turquoise applied color label (ACL). The ACL says: ACL: 12 FL. OZS. NET WEIGHT / (picture of a bird chirping) / Chirp / "A BIRD OF A DRINK" / THE CHIRP CO., / ALEXANDRIA, VA. |