I grew up on the North West side of Chicago. Some of my favorite childhood memories were riding my bicycle up and down West Roscoe Street, escaping the heat by running in the sprinkler and going to the neighborhood tavern on North Lockwood to purchase a quart of soda for 40 cents to share with my brothers and sisters. We would have to all agree on a flavor and decide who was going to carry the the empty so we wouldn't have to pay the deposit. On occasion while riding my bike around the block the big red Polonia delivery truck would be parked in front of the neighborhood tavern restocking soda and picking up the empties. One time  I struck up a conversation with the driver on the day his helper wasn't with him. I got to help with the delivery by holding the door open to the tavern while he wheeled in the gray wooden case of quart bottles of assorted flavors. My pay was a couple of pieces of Root Beer candy.  In the early 1970's the price of cane sugar went up dramatically and some of the smaller bottling works closed up. Around that time Polonia Bottling Works also closed. I believe the owner of the truck delivered for John Lasser Beverages until it closed in the late 1980's. After that I didn't see the truck on the street anymore. This page is dedicated to the founder (s) of Polonia Bottling Work. They helped build industry in Chicago, provided good soda and happy  memories for many Polish Americans in early Chicago. Thank you!

If you read this page and have any information and or pictures you would like to share about Polonia Bottling Works please feel free to contact me by phone or email at 414-570-9908 or crescentind@aol.com

Thanks for looking,

Best Regards,

Rich Raclawski

© 2000-2008 R.S.Raclawski