# The Big Book of Regional Brands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2023, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867 "2023-01-08T03:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/81 "2023-01-15T00:46:43Z")
> [@bmoak1](#): > > Charles Chips is actually still around as a n online vendor. People apparently buy them to get the tins and they are very expensive. I’d like to try Charles Chips to compare to Old Dutch, but not at that online price. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/82 "2023-01-15T03:31:04Z")
Tri-Sum, a potato chip brand from Middle Massachusetts. Leominster and environs. Not unknown east of Rte. 128, but not common. In other words, “regional” if that word means anything at all. They know their market. You can tell their bag design has not changed in a long, long time. [![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0379/8220/8140/products/tri-sum-originals-party-pack.jpg?v=1637264201) ](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0379/8220/8140/products/tri-sum-originals-party-pack.jpg?v=1637264201) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/83 "2023-01-15T03:36:41Z")
> [@bump](#): > > We get a fair number of Southern brands here in Texas, as well as some that originated here. Some may be nationwide by now… I’m not sure. H-E-B house brands would all be pretty much limited to Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/84 "2023-01-15T22:24:50Z")
> [@bmoak1](#): > > There’s a lot fewer of these than there used to be. It seems like a lot of local and regional brands either make the push and expand get bought out by the big boys and then pushed to expand, or fade away. Also, high-end specialty markets like Wegman’s often carry local and regional products well outside a brand’s area. > > When I was a kid, we got our soda from Brookdale Soda and our chips from Charles Chips. Brookdale is long gone. Charles Chips came in big round metal tins and were actually delivered to your house by a Charles Chips truck. Charles Chips is actually still around as a n online vendor. People apparently buy them to get the tins and they are very expensive When **Mrs. SMV** and I cleaned out her mother’s house, we kept a Charles Chips tin, and, something I didn’t know about, Charles Cookies. My childhood best friend Chris’ family used to get a weekly Charles Chips delivery; this was northeast Ohio in the early '80s. I was fascinated by the concept and the tins. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/85 "2023-01-19T18:52:03Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever seen [Goo Goo Clusters](https://googoo.com/) outside of middle Tennessee. They’re made in. Nashville. When we do the annual Straight Dope shot glass exchange, I always try to put a couple in my package. [Moon Pies](https://moonpie.com/) are made in Chattanooga, but I think they have much wider distribution. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/86 "2023-01-19T19:07:04Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen [Goo Goo Clusters](https://googoo.com/) outside of middle Tennessee. The packaging looked familiar for some reason, so I clicked on “find a retailer”. It detected my location and immediately mentioned the Tractor Supply where we pick up horse feed. ETA: western Pennsylvania ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/87 "2023-01-19T19:26:05Z")
That makes sense! Tractor Supply’s headquarters is in Brentwood, just south of Nashville, so I could see them shipping them to their retail outlets. Just another reason to love Tractor Supply!! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/88 "2023-01-19T20:26:55Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Just another reason to love Tractor Supply!! They do some things right. The one we stop at has several cashiers who are in wheelchairs. The one cashier told us she didn’t need to be able to walk to man a cash register. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/89 "2023-01-19T21:41:26Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen [Goo Goo Clusters](https://googoo.com/) outside of middle Tennessee. They’re made in. Nashville I live in Eastern Washington and I know I’ve seen them for sale here. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/90 "2023-01-19T21:43:56Z")
There was Goo Goo Cluster liqueur too. I don’t know where it was made. My sister had a bottle. Probably still does. It was bad. Edited to add: made by Cluster Liqueur Ltd., Somerville, MA ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/91 "2023-01-19T21:58:12Z")
Years ago I was on a Delta flight where they passed out Goo-Goo Clusters instead of the usual peanuts/pretzels. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/92 "2023-01-20T18:19:37Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > H-E-B house brands would all be pretty much limited to Texas. And by extension Central Market as well. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/93 "2023-01-20T18:49:36Z")
Brook’s ketchup and Plochman’s mustard were the standards in my youth. Central Indiana also had Seyfert’s potato chips, but they went out of business a while back. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/94 "2023-01-20T18:59:51Z")
In central Indiana, there were Bun candies (can you call a round confection a candy bar?) instead of Goo Goo clusters. Also, there were Clark bars which I always liked better than Butterfingers. I really don’t know if Clark bars were regional, but I haven’t seen them in the south. Another regional goody that is gone now was Archway cookies. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/95 "2023-01-20T19:50:16Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Bun candies Originally made in Fort Wayne, IN Bun bars are now made by Pearson’s in St. Paul, MN. Mmmm, Maple Bun bar. I think Clark bars are still around, but not in my region. I adored Archway’s Molasses cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/96 "2023-01-20T20:48:43Z")
Archway was sold in 2006. The brand has been drastically reduced but is still being made. They even have a locator you can use to see if they’re available near you. [Snyder's-Lance Product Locator – Find your favorite](https://www.snyderslanceproductlocator.com/?fbclid=IwAR2wXP8oEtXWQBLp5Kot7OOtLCS_evGu4C_ccSBaPGV5X-UWVijSqZhcE6g) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/97 "2023-01-20T22:55:36Z")
We definitely had them in Tennessee when I was growing up. Give me a C, give me an L, ARK; give me a Clark Bar. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/98 "2023-01-20T23:16:01Z")
When I was a kid, there was a big Clark Bar sign in Pittsburgh. Was it on the North Side? I think it’s been gone for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/99 "2023-01-20T23:51:43Z")
Archway exists in New England. In supermarkets they are always on the bottom shelf, so not easy to spot. Windmill cookies are my favorite. Also common at Ocean State Job Lot. Now there’s a regional chain for you. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867/100 "2023-01-21T00:15:06Z")
Nope. No apricot cookies in the cardboard tray. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-book-of-regional-brands/977867.md?page=6)