Corner West Main and South Edison – Kraus Building

By 1871, Jacob Kraus was running a soda water bottling plant here. Kraus originally sold one “red” soda water, and one “white” soda water. He later bottled Iron Brew, a soda from the East and the Krauses were among the few Texas bottlers of the soda. Coca-Cola arrived in 1910, and for a time all four sodas bottled by the Krauses came in the same type bottle. In 1916, the distinctive Coke bottle was adopted.

The Krauses also made cigars here, in a room in the front room of the second floor of the old building. The top of the line was “La Palma” which sold for ten cents, and they also made “Big Five” and “Kraus Special,” both nickel cigars.

In 1928 “Pearl Near Beer” was added to the Kraus product line. After the 1933 repeal of Prohibition, they became Pearl Beer Distributing Company. Beer was never brewed or bottled here. By 1958, Jacob’s heirs had all bought houses away from the plant, and the home became a business full-time. In the 1980s, Austin Coca-Cola bought the business, and restored the distinctive sign on the side of the building. Today, Austin Coca-Cola uses the buildings at the back and the garages on the left. The main house is a private residence.