For generations, Texans made the drive to Dublin for one reason: Dr Pepper made the old-fashioned way, with pure cane sugar, from the oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant in the world. That chapter closed more than a decade ago, but the little bottler on Patrick Street is still in business and still making sodas with cane sugar.
Before you load up the car, though, there’s one important update you need to know about.
First, the important update
According to the Dublin Bottling Works website, the company’s Old Doc’s Soda Shop and its museum and tours are permanently closed. If you remember sitting at the soda fountain or touring the bottling line, those experiences are no longer offered. The good news is that the retail store is open, so you can still walk in and buy sodas and souvenirs straight from the source.
The website lists store hours of Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., closed for the lunch hour. That means a weekend trip won’t get you in the door, so plan accordingly. The store is at 221 S. Patrick St., and you can call 254-445-3466 to place an order.
A quick history: from Dr Pepper to Dublin sodas
The Dublin bottler has been operating since 1891. Its longtime owner, Sam Houston Prim, was the first independent bottler of Dr Pepper, and when Dr Pepper began formal franchising in 1925 he kept a small territory around Dublin. For decades the plant kept using cane sugar after most bottlers had switched to corn syrup, and “Dublin Dr Pepper” became a cult favorite across Texas.
Things changed in 2011, when Dr Pepper Snapple Group sued over the use of the Dublin name and sales outside the plant’s territory. The dispute was settled in early 2012, and production of Dublin Dr Pepper ended. The business became Dublin Bottling Works, an independent company making its own line of sodas.
What you can buy today
The store sells roughly 20 cane-sugar flavors in 12-ounce bottles, sold in 6-packs and larger cases, along with apparel and gifts. The lineup includes:
- Dublin 1891 Founder’s Recipe Cola
- Classic Vintage Cola
- Texas Root Beer
- Cherry Limeade
- Ginger Ale
Flavors and prices change, so take a look at the website before you go if you have a favorite in mind. Mixed cases make a nice gift for the soda lover in your family.
More to see in Dublin
Dublin is a friendly Erath County town of about 3,400, and it’s worth more than a quick soda run. In 2005 the state named it the Irish Capital of Texas, and its St. Patrick’s celebration each March is the town’s biggest party. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce lists several small museums:
- Ben Hogan Museum — the golf legend spent his early childhood in Dublin before his family moved to Fort Worth in 1921.
- Rodeo Heritage Museum, 118 W. Blackjack St. — Dublin was home to the World’s Championship Rodeo, co-owned by Gene Autry and Everett Colborn, from 1937 to 1959.
- Dublin Historical Museum, 116 W. Blackjack St. — local history from the Dublin Historical Society.
- W.M. Wright Historical Park — an 1882 grist mill and an 1855 log cabin.
The chamber doesn’t list museum hours, so call ahead at 254-445-3422. Dublin Market Days, a vendor market with handmade goods, baked goods and produce, runs at Dublin City Park on the third Saturday of each month from March through December.
Where to eat
The chamber’s restaurant list includes Granny Clark’s on N. Patrick St., Blackjack’s on E. Blackjack St., Cajun Cowboys on Patrick St. and Shenanigans Irish Pub on S. Grafton St., which fits right in with the town’s Irish theme. Check hours before you go, since small-town restaurants often close early or take a day off midweek.
Good to Know
- Where: Dublin, Erath County; about 13 miles southwest of Stephenville and roughly 1.5 hours southwest of Fort Worth.
- Dublin Bottling Works store: 221 S. Patrick St.; Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m.; 254-445-3466.
- Closed for good: Old Doc’s Soda Shop and the museum/tours.
- Dublin Market Days: Third Saturday of each month, March–December, at Dublin City Park.
- Nearby: Hico is about 40 minutes southeast, and Glen Rose is about an hour northeast.
Hours, dates and prices can change. Check the Dublin Bottling Works website before you head out.
The soda fountain may be gone, but Dublin still has its cane-sugar sodas, its Irish pride and plenty of small-town hospitality. Time your visit for a weekday, pick up a mixed case and take the long way home through Erath County.
