Pepsi Bottling Plant for sale again

The old Pepsi Bottling Plant in New Bern is for sale again.

The vacant plant with buildings is on an 18-acre tract at 3610 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Boulevard and was formerly owned by well-known businessman and philanthropist Hoyt Minges, the co-founder of Minges Bottling Company. He died in 2004 after working his way to the top position of the Kinston Pepsi franchise in 1953 and the New Bern franchise in 1981.

The property is listed on the 2009 Craven County tax books at an assessed value of $1,656,610 and transferred hands to the Minges Bottling Group Inc. in 2001.

It has not been used for bottling for well over a decade and has not had inventory stored there for about 4½ years.

The property and buildings were on the market and thought sold as part of a combined sale of tract including several properties along the stretch of U.S. 17 South.

That sale did not finalize and the site has been used as a transfer station for products from the main plant in Ayden.

It includes a business office with 3,966 square feet, a warehouse with 40,015 square feet, and garages and storage areas of about 14,000 square feet.

Pepsi-Cola was created in New Bern at Caleb Bradham's New Bern pharmacy soda shop in 1898 and the company calls New Bern "the birthplace of Pepsi." PepsiCo and the Minges Bottling Group Inc. have continued to support the tie to its heritage with a $1 million gift to the N.C. History Education Center, which opens next year under the operation of Tryon Palace.

Last week at The Birthplace of Pepsi-Cola store on Middle Street operated in partnership with Sabrina Bengel, Minges Bottling announced a $150,000 gift of money and in-kind support for New Bern's 300th Anniversary Celebration in 2010.

Minges Bottling Group executive vice president Steve Crouch was not available for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

Sue Book can be reached at (252) 635-5666 or sbook@freedomenc.com.