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Sol Coleman
Memphis Entrepreneur
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Cigars and Ko Ko Tulu Chewing Gum
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Dave
French, one-third of the Historic-Memphis.com team, came across this
clever bit of vintage Memphis advertising on eBay. It was for
"Sol Coleman, Manufacturer and Importer." The card was
"mechanical". When you pushed the little white button in the
center, the picture in the frame changed to a picture of a different
family member.
Dave
was intrigued by this bit of humor, bid on the item and won
it. Now, the decision was where would it fit on the website?
And who was Sol Coleman and what business was he in? We have now
found out quite a bit about this enterprising man who came to
prominence in 1868.
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Click on small
photos to see an enlargement |
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Sol
Coleman came to Memphis in the mid 1850s, and worked as a
traveling salesman, During this occupation he had become
familiar with all the Memphis commercial territory and made
many acquaintances and friendships. In 1865 he
established a small cigar business and manufactured the famous
Ross Concha cigar. With his wonderful knowledge of
advertising, he built up a successful business and for a
number of years had one of the largest wholesale and retail
cigar business in the South. He made money and knew how
to spend it. His first Cigar shop was
located at 326 Main and then he move to 295 Main in 1899. |
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Sol Coleman |
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Vintage Cigar
Ad |
1877 Ad |
Scimitar 1891 |
Free Lance 1894 |
Son - Harry |
Obit |
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Sol
Coleman's address has been verified in the Memphis Directories
from 1879 to 1899 as 326 Main and from 1899 to 1913 at 295
Main.
Sol was Director of the German Bank, the Manhattan Bank, the
New South Land Co, and President of the Teutonia Building Loan
Association. In
addition to this and running the Cigar business. Sol Coleman manufactured a
very famous chewing gum of this period - KO KO TULU Chewing
Gum. It was popular all over the country. He
created great advertising campaigns for the gum, including the
introduction of "trading cards". Coleman
registered a patent in 1885. The name was never
explained. |
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<
This
unique Poster shows a "foreign" young lady. The copy reads
"Ask for Sol Coleman's celebrated Ko Ko Tulu Chewing Gum - THE
STANDARD OF THE WORLD. This would indicate that the
chewing gum had moved into the International market.
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This
building is located at 9 S. Main. Before the street
numbers changed to North and South Main in 1905, the number was
295 Main. Sol Coleman has been verified in this building
from the Memphis Directories in 1899 and he continued to
do business here until his death in 1913. After his death
Hirsch and Slager Cigars took over this building. So that
would date this photo to circa 1914. Today this building
would be near Madison. Look at the name on the window
behind the cotton bale and you'll see "The Pastime". This
is not the Pastime Theatre, but a Billiard Parlor located on the
2nd floor. |
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CREDITS:
The "Historic-Memphis" Team would
like to acknowledge and thank the following organizations for their
contributions which helped make this page possible:
Legacy.com, Memphis
Public
Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Commercial Appeal,
Memphis Press Scimitar, Greater Memphis Chamber, Memphis Flyer, Vance
Lauderdale Family Archives, Tom
Leatherwood Shelby County Register,
Joe Spake, Lee Askew, George Whitworth, and many other individuals whose assistance is
acknowledged on individual photos. |
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