Today, their reach is into Delta, Alger, Schoolcraft, Menominee and Marquette counties — though with different products sold in various regions because of distribution rights.

The current owner is Andrew “Andy” Johnson, the third generation of his family to run the business. His grandfather, Carlton “Carr” Johnson, took over the company that had been Bennett Distributing, changing the name to Johnson Distributing Company in 1951.

According to the history collected by the Johnsons, Carlton — who also went by “Carr” — used to make a drink called Wonder Orange Juice and a few other flavors in his basement in Escanaba’s Northtown beginning in 1939. When sugar was rationed during World War II, he bought it off the black market.

Only a few years later, Carr became involved with a larger company in the beverage business. He and his wife, Helen, became half-owners of Bennett Distributing in 1949.

A Johnson Distributing truck carries an order bound for Jack's Fresh Market in Manistique. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

The first mention of Bennett Distributing in the Daily Press was found in a list of bowling scores in 1940. Early Bennett Distributing promotions advertise Silver Cream beer. By 1949, Bennett acquired the distribution rights to sell Stroh’s.

Carr and Helen purchased the remaining ownership of Bennett Distributing from Pearl Meric in 1951 and changed the name to Johnson Distributing Company Inc.

At first, the business operated at 429 S. 10th St. in Escanaba, an address that had previously housed a grocery called Ballard’s Market in the 1920s and ’30s and then Tenth Street Food Market for a few years.

In January 1952, an ad announcing the rechristening from Bennett to Johnson read that the company distributed Schlitz, Grain Belt, Stroh’s, Canada Dry and Wonder Orange. At some point, Carr quit making Wonder juice — which reportedly didn’t taste very good, Andy Johnson said.

Johnson Distributing acquired the rights to sell Miller Brewing Company brands in Delta County in 1959. In ’75, the brand released nationally Miller Lite, a pilsner that remains widely popular.

A squat bottle of Coors Banquet sits on an open box at Johnson Distributing. The 1936 throwback packaging has helped the beer regain popularity. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

Under Carr, Johnson Distributing built an addition onto their Tenth Street facilities in the 1970s. They continued to use the space as headquarters until erecting a new building off Danforth Road at 1710 N. 28th St., where the business remains today.

The same year that their purpose-built facility opened, Carr’s son Richard (“Dick”) Johnson took over the family business. In October 1979, Dick reported that Johnson Distributing had opened “one of the most modern warehouses in the Upper Peninsula” — a climate-controlled, 16,000-square-foot facility.

Its former home became a community center for awhile but most recently sold in 2015 to become TenFour Plaza, which now houses Hearts & Hands Family Chiropractic, U.P. Foster Closet and a couple other tenants.

The business continued to grow and develop. Johnson Distributing acquired the rights to offer Coors Brewing Company products in the ’80s and began selling Coors in Delta and Schoolcraft counties. The purchase of Gatis Distributing about the same era allowed Johnson to sell Miller, Blatz and Old Style in Alger and Schoolcraft counties. In 1988, Johnson Distributing bought Leonard Distributing and therefore their rights to sell Stroh’s and Old Milwaukee in Schoolcraft County.

In 1994, Bradley Johnson — Richard’s son and Andy’s brother — was named general manager. Unfortunately, just three years later, he passed away unexpectedly.

Andy Johnson, who began working at Johnson Distributing in his youth, said he started working full-time after graduating high school in 1997 while taking night classes at Bay College. He enrolled in accounting and business management courses that would eventually help as he climbed up and accepted the torch from his father.

In 2001, Johnson Distributing acquired Pryal Distributing and the rights to sell Old Style, Pabst, Labatt, Sam Adams and others in Delta County.

With the purchase of Tasson Distributing in 2009, the Escanaba-based distributor began to sell Coors products in Alger County. Two years later came the sale of Jozaitis Distributing and the sale of certain products in Menominee County.

In 2005, Andy Johnson became vice president of the company. He took over for Richard as president of Johnson Distributing in 2011.

Today, some longstanding staples remain very popular products, though trends do fluctuate.

“Our biggest beer used to be Stroh’s and Miller High Life,” Andy Johnson said. “Drinkers have gone to more light beers, so now our biggest beers are Miller Lite, Coors Light or just light beers overall. … In the last five years, we’ve seen the seltzer craze hit. The next big craze are the RTDs (ready-to-drink cocktails).”

Johnson Distributing does also sell some soft drinks, including the beloved 1919 Root Beer.

Something that’s been around for ages but has seen a resurgence is Coors Banquet, Andy Johnson reported. The stubby, 12-ounce bottles, first made in 1936, were re-released in 2013, and the drink has more recently become the official beer of the TV show “Yellowstone.”

Changes in the beer distribution industry have included reorganizations of brewing companies. Several have merged, such as Miller with Coors and Molson. Boston Beer Company now provides not just Samuel Adams but also Angry Orchard, Truly hard seltzer, Twisted Tea and Dogfish Head.

Andy said that Johnson Distributing’s biggest customers are the larger grocery stores. As an alcohol wholesaler, Johnson can only sell the majority of its products to vendors and retailers with liquor licenses, such as stores, gas stations, restaurants and bars. As the clientele is varied, so are the orders and delivery frequencies: larger accounts get deliveries multiple times a week, while a smaller one might see a truck once every two weeks.

Johnson Distributing has five trucks, three of which usually make runs on a given day. The company employs 10 full-time workers, Andy Johnson said, plus usually a couple seasonal workers when business spikes in the summer. Two of those are his own sons, who may yet prove to be a fourth generation of family leadership.

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R. R. Branstrom may be reached at 906-786-2021, ext. 140, or rbranstrom@dailypress.net.