Thomas and Sons was founded in 1956 in Coos Bay, OR by Arnold and Glenn Thomas, Father and Son. The company initially began as a custom reload business for forest products operating from Coquille, OR where they would load lumber products from the area on to rail cars that would be shipped throughout the United States.
In 1967, the Thomas family decided to expand and diversify the business. The decision was made to buy North Bend Distributing, a beer and wine distributor with product lines consisting of Lucky Lager, Miller Products and Gallo Wine. From that time forward our product lines continued to grow with the addition of wines, Deschutes products and non-alcoholic beverages such as Snapple, Red Bull and Waters.
In the early 1970s when Oregon initiated the Oregon Bottle Bill, Thomas & Sons founded the recycling division. This division was responsible for picking up the returned bottles, cans and plastic bottles from retail accounts in the area. The glass was crushed, aluminum and plastic baled and sold to companies like Alcoa (aluminum) and Owens Illinois (glass).
In 1972, Thomas & Sons expanded again with the addition of the trucking company, starting with 2 trucks enabling the company to haul its own beverage products, lumber, plywood, and wastepaper throughout Oregon, Washington and California.
In 1975, Arnold Thomas decided to retire. Glenn and Sharon Thomas purchased his stock, thereby keeping the family business going.
In 1979, Thomas & Sons purchased Cutlip Distributing, the oldest beer wholesale license in the state of Oregon, adding to the product mix the Schlitz line.
In the late 1980s, the recycling division began buying and processing cardboard, newsprint, computer and office waste paper.
The company continued to grow under the leadership of Glenn and his family, and by the year 2000, Glenn and Aaron Thomas, Father and Son, decided to take on another challenge that of becoming equal partners with the Morgan Family and changing the name of Thomas & Son Beverage to Premier Beverage.
On October 1, 2007, Glenn Thomas retired and Aaron Thomas became 100% owner of Arnold J. Thomas & Son, Inc. dba Thomas & Son Distributors. Thomas and Sons now boasts a fleet of over 150 active power units, with a mix of company and owner operators, serving a wide range of customers while staying true to its roots being still prominently represented in the Beverage hauling business.
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