Image by Chuck Revell
When it comes to Bay Area soda ghostsigns we have the big titan brands - Coca Cola, 7-Up, Shasta, and Mug Root Beer - of which there are many, many, many, many examples remaining in the Bay Area. However, there’s a relatively obscure, long defunct brand that ranks up there in sheer quantity of signage -- Par-T-Pak Beverages.
Thanks to a briefly revealed Par-T-Pak sign in the Lower Haight, this brand has been on all of San Francisco’s lips. So what is the story behind Par-T-Pak beverages and their remaining Bay Area signs?
What Was Par-T-Pak Beverages?
Par-T-Pak, distributed by Nehi Beverage Company, was a line of quart, or "family sized" sodas sold between 1933 and 1954. These bottles were returnable and came in a variety of flavors such as Orange Soda, Ginger Ale, Tom Collins Mixer, Club Soda, Cherry Soda, Cola, Sparkling Water, and Root Beer. A predecessor to the 2 liter bottle, Par-T-Pak bottles were - unsurprisingly given the name - marketed as drink mixers that were perfect for parties (they were meant to serve six).
Par-T-Pak Signs in the Bay
During my work maintaining the San Francisco Ghost Sign Mapping Project I’ve documented six Par-T-Pak signs and one potential sign in the Bay Area. Four are in San Francisco, two in Berkeley, and one in Oakland. Of those signs, six are hand painted and one is a porcelain door handle. Of those six hand painted signs:
Three are still partially or entirely visible
Two including the door handle have been removed
One has been restored
You can access the map here for more pictures and information on these signs.