Scranton Insider on “Initiation”

Friday, October 20, 2006

As always, Dave gives us the view as a Scranton Insider:

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Just a quickie this week, folks. Believe it or not, our Scranton reference in “The Initiation” comes from the Stamford branch! Take a look at the above shot of Jim’s desk. He’s drinking a Crystal Cola! As you may remember, Crystal is a Scranton-based beverage company. Several cans of Crystal have show up at the Scranton branch (their vending machine dispenses it), and now it’s in Connecticut as well. Does Jim find it locally, or is he having it shipped from Scranton? Can anyone in Stamford confirm if Crystal is in the stores out there?

29 Comments

  1. Dave O. says:

    So, Axelrod Ltd. is not a Scranton thing?

  2. Dave says:

    Dave O. Good question. As far as I know, it’s not. I haven’t heard of it, at least, but I’m not in the paper business :) .

    Seriously, though, there is no Axelrod, Ltd. in Scranton.

  3. Dave O. says:

    Dave,
    Thanks. I love your posts. I used to live in NEPA (went to college there), and it is nice to have some sort of connection to your posts. I am actually pondering going to the St. Patty’s Day parade this year, with the big plans and all…

  4. Stormy says:

    I live in CT (not the Stanford area), but have never seen or heard of Crystal Cola until now.

  5. Bob says:

    My niece recently moved from Scranton to Stamford. She reports no sightings of Crystal Club Soda in Connecticut.

  6. you can’t even get crystal club in wilkes-barre!

  7. Dave says:

    Allright, then, we must assume that Jim so loves his Crystal Cola that he stockpiled massive amounts of it in his car before leaving Scranton . How much did he grab…one case? Two? THREE?!? Now that’s love.

  8. Dave says:

    …more importantly, will he share with Karen (if you know what I mean)?

  9. Paul says:

    Going back to last week, when Creed was describing how Ed Truck had died, he mentioned that Ed was flying down Route 6, drunk as a skunk. This, as you know, is the Scranton Expressway, leading to (or from) the mall. If he was indeed travelling “down” Route 6, he would have been coming toward Scranton. “Up” would have been toward “Da Eynon”.

    Not the strongest of Scranton references, but any manner of route numbers could have been picked, and they chose 6.

    Also, open burning is illegal in Scranton.

  10. Jason says:

    Someone actually was recently decapitated while driving down Route 6 ‘drunk as a skunk’. Doubt theres any tie-in, but it’s interesting.

  11. Adam says:

    Hi,
    I live in Chicago and wanted to try Crystal Club Soda, but I havent been able to find a webpage for them, does anybody know the webpage?
    thanks,
    Adam

  12. Brian Stucki says:

    Adam, you and me both. I looked online to order a case but couldn’t find it anywhere.

  13. Big D says:

    Crystal Soda Product Information:

    Here you go: Crystal Soda 100 N Poplar St Scranton Pa
    Marketing Manager Dan Thomas. Phone 1 570 3475661 FAX 570 347 9788 Good Luck

  14. Stacie says:

    Does Jim’s family live in NEPA? Because if you move away and family’s still there, the first order of business is to make sure you get your hands on all the local specialties whenever they visit you (or you visit them). How else are you supposed to get your Middlesworth potato chip fix when you live 300 miles away?

    So my theory is Mrs. Halpert puts a case of the Crystal Cola in the trunk whenever she visits Jim.

  15. Dan says:

    So true…my brother moved to Wisconsin for a teaching gig, first thing he did when he came home for a visit….stop and get a big bag of Middlesworth Bar B Que chips….

    Now me on the other hand, first thing I stop and get at the store is Crystal Clubs Birchola…sort of a cross between draft birch beer and cola..awesome stuff!

  16. Christian says:

    Suprised no one is repin’ Crystal Creme or Chrokee Red…50/50 is also a tasty treat.

  17. Kevin says:

    In re stockpiling Crystal Club. I now live near Phily, and previously lived in DC and Pittsburgh. But everytime I made it “home” ( even heard Joe Biden call it “home” on an interview on MSNBC, and he hasn’t lived there in at least 4 decades) to Scranton, I’d pick up a case or 2 of Birchola. Even got a resident hooked on 50/50. It really is good stuff!!!

    If I can do it, I see no reason why Jim can’t.

  18. Kevin says:

    ..oh one more thing, One day eating dinner in the then godawful cafeteria at the Washington VA on Irving street in the late 80′s, when I notice everyone, patients, staff, everyone is drinking Crystal Cola ( sort of like RC in taste..not my fave.) And I think… God Bless Joe McDade.

  19. COREY K says:

    HEY GUYS,

    I AM SURE I AM LATE TO THIS SITE BUT I AM VERY CONNECTED TO THE FAMILY THAT STARTED AND TO THIS DAY CONTINUES TO RUN THE IMFAMOUS CRYSTAL SODA WATER CO. A.K.A. “CRYSTAL CLUB” AS SEEN ON THE SHOW “THE OFFICE”

    FYI – CHRIS, CRYSTAL CLUB IS ALL OVER WILKES-BARRE

    CONTACT:
    THE CRYSTAL SODA WATER CO.
    425 FRANKLIN AVE.
    SCRANTON, PA 18501
    570-346-5661
    1-800-235-9055 (PA ONLY)
    DAN THOMAS MARKETING MANAGER

  20. Brian Stucki says:

    Corey, that’s awesome. Do they send out deliveries nationwide?

  21. COREY K says:

    Brian,

    As long as your cool with shipping costs, we can ship it UPS anywhere.

    If you’d like you can shoot me an email to:

    corey.kahanowitz@gmail.com

    With the Subject: Crystal Club

    and I’ll be more than happy to hook you up!!

    Thanks for your interest.

    Corey

  22. Jodi K says:

    Corey,

    You got the phone number wrong for Crystal Soda buddy…its 570-347-5661 not 346!

    I thought you were connected!

  23. Brian Stucki says:

    Just a little typo I’m sure.

  24. Paul says:

    Live “Office” chat Friday at noon
    This was on the Scranton Times Website (http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?brd=2185&nr=1&nostat=1) this morning, if anyone’s interested: Feel like spouting off on NBC’s ‘The Office’?

    Staff writer Josh McAuliffe will answer reader questions about the Scranton-set NBC sitcom “The Office” online Friday, noon to 1 p.m. Fans of the show will have an opportunity to ask questions and share opinions about the Dunder Mifflin crew at http://www.thetimes-tribune.com. Questions may be submitted after 8 a.m. Friday.

  25. chris says:

    hahahaha!!! i lived in scranton my whole life and didn’t even like crystal club soda. no that i moved to south carolina a few months ago i miss it.

  26. Dan says:

    Crystal Club soda machine was prominently displayed in last night’s Survivor Man episode…so wanted a Swiss Creme!

  27. Micki says:

    my gramma lives in meriden, Conn, and we go up there a lot. ive had crystal club before, its up there. its all like big y and stop and shop and all those new england grocery stores

  28. michael a nesko says:

    I was employed at Crystal Soda from 1978 to 2003.I operated the packer on the can line.It would take seven guys on the line to make 8,500 of cases of soda a day. We really spit them out.We made all the Crystal flavors,they were great. Back in the day we made Grape and Cherry,and they were in steel cans not aluminum.The owner is Louis Kahanowitz who is a great person to work for.I to wish there was Crystal Soda more around Northeast Pa. Louis fire up the can line and give me a call to run it!!!!

  29. Coming to Scranton for my 50th Central High School Reunion. Can’t wait to get my hands on all the delicious flavors of Crystal Soda. I grew up with the owner, Louis Kahanowitz, it will be great to see him and all the Scrantonions.

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