Tifton & Coke: A Winning Combination

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

TIFTON & COCA-COLA CONTINUE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton is still buzzing with the news that the second-largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America will invest $60 million to build a sales and distribution center here , creating 200 jobs .

This is just the latest development in the long and special relationship between Tifton and Coca-Cola . In fact, according to a late artist from Minnesota , the current version of the universally known Coca-Cola logo was created in Tifton in 1932 .

Hutchinson, Minn. , native and artist Les Kouba has said he " polished up the Coca-Cola logo " while doing a job for the Tifton Coca-Cola bottling company , and that Coke's Atlanta corporate headquarters liked it so much that they paid him for the rights to it.

In a book about the artist , "The Legacy of Les C. Kouba," he claimed he was hired in 1932 to paint the Coke logo on a bulletin board at a Tifton ballpark .

"Since I painted so many of those bulletins , I was very familiar with the Coca-Cola logo used at that time ," he said in his book. "I thought it was kind of heavy looking,

and it could use more slant to the letters. I explained my ideas to Mr. Holmes , the owner of the Tifton Bottling Plant . After listening carefully, he said to me in his slow, Southern drawl , 'Well ... good.' I accepted his approval and moved full steam ahead with my improvements. I painted the large bulletin in the ballpark in Tifton . I remember it was over 100 degrees when I tackled that project.

" Mr. Holmes was so pleased with the sign that he called the ad department at Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta ," Kouba recalled. "They came out to Tifton with all sorts of cameras and technical-looking stuff to take pictures of my sign. Shortly therafter, they showed up again and this time, they wanted me to sign a release form giving them the rights to the improved logo design . It seems they liked my improvements and wanted to incorporate them into the official Coca-Cola logo.

"They gave me a sizeable check for my efforts. It was quite a big deal as I remember it."

And Coke is still a big deal in Tifton . Coca-Cola Bottling Company United , founded in 1902 and headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. , says that later this month it plans to close on about 88 acres near Lamb Loop Road and U.S. Highway 41 South next to I-75 in Tifton .

The company plans to build a 300,000 square-foot sales center and warehouse here to distribute about 4.5 million cases of Coke products beginning in late 2021 .

"I am confident that our unrivaled workforce and expansive logistics network will ensure their continued success as they distribute Coca-Cola products throughout the Southeast from this new center in Tifton ,” said Gov. Brian Kemp .

Brian Marlowe , president and CEO of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce and the Tift County Development Authority , said Coca-Cola United's "decision to build a state-of-the-art facility in Tifton speaks volumes about our pro-business environment and strategic location .”

FORMER TIFTONITE MISSING OFFSHORE IN SOUTH KOREA

BY BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

A former Tifton man has been missing since Saturday when he went for swim off an island in South Korea .

Race Reed , 36, son of Liz Carson Keith of Tifton , has been an English instructor at a university in South Korea since about 2010 , Ms. Keith told the Tifton Grapevine .

Reed and his friends had gone to a big surfing convention at an island called Yang-Gun , which had just become available for visitors. “A typhoon was coming into Japan, and no one expected it to turn their way ,” Keith said.

The group was on the beach , and Reed decided to take a swim . A friend warned him not to, that the waves looked choppy , but he was a strong swimmer and felt he could handle it. The friend said he saw his head go under , and he didn’t come back up .

“Apparently, he got caught in a riptide and was carried out,” his mother said. “The next day the typhoon turned , and it was impossible to get boats or divers out there.”

On Tuesday , 21 boats searched for Reed with no results, Keith said. She said U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Johnny Isaakson , and U.S. Rep. Austin Scott and their offices have been working with the American Embassy to ensure the search for Reed gets full attention.

Reed's wife, Hoyeon Ryu , told Keith that she believes the government is trying harder because he is American . On Wednesday , Keith and her son Mikell Reed of Tifton will fly to South Korea , a 17-hour trip, to help with the search .

A graduate of the Tift County High School class of 2001 , Reed "studied economics at the University of Georgia , and he worked at Bob’s Flowers in Tifton after graduation ,” Keith said.

"He was the go-to person there, and everyone thought he would go into nursery work but he had a thirst for traveling .”

Reed speaks Korean and Spanish fluently and loves learning about other cultures.

“Please keep praying ,” Keith said. “I am not unrealistic . I realize that at this point, the chances of finding my beautiful, kind son alive are dwindling . But miracles happen when we believe in an awesome God .”

SUNBELT AG EXPO

OPENS IN MOULTRIE

Jesse Burdette , 94, a World War II veteran , drives his tractor in the Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Antique Tractor Show on the Expo's opening day Tuesday . This year, Burdette’s family joined him – bringing together four generations at the Expo , which continues through Thursday afternoon.

EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY

Early voting began Monday for the Nov. 5 Tifton City Council election .

Early voting will continue from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until Nov. 1 . There will be no Saturday voting . Election Day is Nov. 5 .

The only contested race on the ballot is in City Council District 4 where incumbent Councilman Frank Sayles Jr. is challenged by newcomer M. Jay Hall .

Mayor Julie Smith and District 2 Councilman Jack Folk are seeking re-election unopposed .

Early voting is available at the Tift County Board of Elections office (the old gym) at the corner of Fourth Street and Chesnutt Avenue . Absentee ballots may be requested by calling 229-386-7915 .

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

RIBBON CUTTING

McDonald's

824 Second Street, Tifton

Oct. 11

RICKI READER HAS GONE 'AWOL'

Ricki Reader is missing .

The Tifton Reading Capital of the World mascot has disappeared and is being sought by the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence .

"I just cannot remember who used him/her last ," says Moppy Brumby at the foundation's office. "I’m sure it’s in someone’s office or storage room – or something ."

Ricki Reader has been asked to appear at an event this Saturday and again in early November . If anybody knows where the elusive mascot is located , give a shout out to Brumby at moppy@friendlycity.net or at 229 848-5448 .