Philadelphia Gum facts for kids
Haverford YMCA, site of the former Swell Bubble Gum
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| Private | |
| Industry | Candy, Collectibles |
| Fate | Acquired by Concord Confections |
| Founded | August 12, 1947 |
| Founder | Edward P. Fenimore |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Bubble gum Trading cards |
The Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation was a company in Pennsylvania, USA. It started on August 12, 1947. This company made yummy candies, chewing gum, and other sweet treats. They were also famous for their American Football Cards. In 1964, they signed a deal with the NFL to make these cards.
Contents
The Story of Philadelphia Chewing Gum
How the Company Began
The company was started by Edward P. Fenimore, Sr. He used to be an engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He was also a top leader at another gum company called Bowman Gum.
The company built its factory in 1948 in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Their very first product was a pink bubble gum called "Swell." It came twist-wrapped and sold for just one penny! Later, they made a brown candy cigar called "El Bubble" that cost a nickel.
Fun Products and Trading Cards
In 1954, they released "Magic Color" chewing gum cigarettes, which sold for a dime. During election times, the company even sold special boxes of chewing gum cigars with the names of political candidates. Other popular products included "Cry Baby" extra-sour gum and "Gold Rocks Nugget Bubble Gum." They also made many other fun novelty items.
From 1964 to 1967, the company had a special agreement with the National Football League. This allowed them to create trading cards featuring famous football players. Meanwhile, another company, Topps, made cards for the rival American Football League (AFL).
The company also produced a set of 55 sticky pictures of Marvel Comics superheroes. They made trading cards based on "World War II," "Men of the Green Berets," and "The Story of Robert F. Kennedy." They even made cards for the TV show "Daktari" and many others. For a short time, they also created baseball items, including baseball cards.
A Family Business
Edward L. Fenimore, Jr., the son of the founder, became the president of the company. He also served as the head of the National Association of Chewing Gum Manufacturers for a while. Later, his sons, Edward P. II and Richard L., joined the management team. This made the company a family business run by three generations.
The Company Changes Hands
In July 2003, a company called Concord Confections bought the Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation. They also took over all its brand names. Soon after, the factory in Havertown closed down. Concord Confections itself was then bought by Tootsie Roll Industries in 2004. Even after the sale, some products like bubble gum cigars were still made for events like the 2008 presidential election.
What Happened to the Factory?
All the products from Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation were made in a large factory. It was about 200,000 square feet (18,580 square meters) in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Havertown is a town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After the company was sold, the Fenimore family still owned the land where the factory stood. This land was about 6.2 acres. They talked with the local township about what to do with the property. They even offered to give a part of it to the township for a public library or other public use. They hoped the rest of the land could be used for businesses.
In 2009, the local government, Haverford Township, decided to take ownership of the factory property. The Fenimore family gave the property to the Township.
The empty factory building was torn down in 2011. The land was then rented to the YMCA. They built a new, modern recreation center there called the Haverford Area YMCA. This large facility, about 75,000 square feet, opened in 2013.
