In 1901, the Cole-Hampton-Hatcher Grocery Store was established in
Columbus, Georgia. In 1903, the Hatcher family took sole ownership and the name was changed to the Hatcher Grocery Store. The grocery store was located at what was 22 West 10th Street. Today's address (after house number changes) is 15 West 10th Street. At that same time, the popularity of bottled soft drinks rose rapidly, and grocery store owners wished to maximize their profit.
[2] As a grocery wholesaler,
Claud A. Hatcher purchased a large volume of
Coca-Cola syrup from the local company salesman, Columbus Roberts. Hatcher felt that Hatcher Grocery Co. deserved a special reduced price for the syrup since it purchased such large volumes. Roberts would not budge on the cost, and a bitter conflict between the two erupted. Hatcher told Roberts he would win the battle by never purchasing any more
Coca-Cola, and Hatcher determined to develop his own soft drink formula. Thus, he went to the basement of the grocery store to find his cola. Instead, he developed a recipe for ginger ale.
[3]