HINTON W.Va. (Hinton News) – While going through some old papers in my collection recently, I uncovered something I never realized before. The small little advertising crock from the Union Liquor Company in Hinton. I mentioned this small local advertising piece in one of the first stories I did about local bottling companies in March of 2023.
The Union Liquor Company was housed in a building on the lower section of 3rd Ave. during the early 1900s. It was owned and operated by J.A. Watkins. Well, much to my surprise in my recent discovery it did not just “fold” as so many local businesses often did and as I had always assumed it had.
It must have been a very successful local business that gained the attention of people in surrounding states. One thing that I found was a “Union Liquor Co.” wholesale advertisement. There is no date but the drawing of the man in the lower right corner is wearing clothes that are indicative of the WWl era.
The part that really stood out to me was where it says, “Formerly of Hinton, W.Va. Jas A. Watkins, Prop.” Watkins must have relocated to Catlettsburg, KY, with the hopes of growing his business. In researching this piece I have yet to uncover if the Union Liquor Company went out of business or was bought out by a larger company that so often happened during that time.
Another document I uncovered was an unused order blank for the company. The Union Liquor Company advertised itself as the largest mail-order liquor distributor at wholesale prices. I have learned that I need to go through my collection more often to uncover what I do not already know but should have. My granddad always said to me, “You should turn your collection over at least once a year.” Granddad was right! Ha.
