The history of the “McLaughlin’s Coffee Company” is more instructive for the era it represents than for the fortunes of an individual company, or even for the small trading village in which it started. Rather, it represents the culmination of many progressive forces as well as the maturing of a giant nation. A village of just 350 “inhabited by a miserable race of men” grew to become the City of Chicago, eastern end of a transcontinental railroad and gateway to the “bread basket” of the United States of America. A great American West developed during an unparalleled 100 years of inventiveness and manufacturing stretching from 1850 to 1950 that attracted the most industrious people around the globe.

The in-migration drew entrepreneurs, necessity was truly the “mother of invention” and the multiculturalism was compressed into a remakably “United” States. Even as a vast Civil War challenged the nation’s endurance, astute businessmen were planning the route of a railroad that would unite the east and the west, reducing three months of wagon travel to a single week of bouncing on rough rails. Electricity would, quite literally, turn night into day as the Columbian Exposition of 1893 turned Chicago into “The Great White City” and firmly established its place in world commerce. Telegraph and telephone turned America into one great neighborhood; automobile and paved roads provided access to our national wonders. And Chicago watched it all grow.

During this same era coffee evolved from an exotic foreign beverage limited to the upper classes to the daily stimulant of the working man - and most recently to a form of entertainment (let’s have a cup of coffee). Once established as a basic grocery product, it took its place right up there with sugar and salt and flour as a “necessity.” Over the same years, grocery distribution transformed from bulk - a side of beef, a keg of flour, etc. - to unit sizes conveniently replenished. More importantly, the “grocery store” changed from a provider of camping needs (with trips to town as infrequent as once a month) to a provider of household items demanded by the housewife. Marketing “push” by the supplier became marketing “pull” recognizing the housewife’s demand for particular items and brands. This push-pull transformation was greatly facilitated by the advent of postal home delivery, weekly magazines, store charge accounts, and - hold on to your hats! - the advent of radio. All of which spawned a whole new industry called “advertising,” first at the point of purchase, followed by outdoor notices, and finally cards, newspapers, and magazines right into the home. The housewife could plan a well-informed list without even leaving home.

Knowing the mixed reception of Wal-Mart amongst present-day merchandising, one can only wonder at the advent of “SuperMarkets” and grocery store chains. Specialization and corporate structures, mergers and acquisitions, “market share,” and stock market values to determine the fitness of a company. Through out it all, “coffee” was a silent participant. It survived (flourished) during the Great Depression, two World Wars, a flurry of corporate takeovers, and competition. By 1970 it was counted out as the “Baby Boomers” chose to drink Coke or Pepsi instead. In the early years of broad acceptance, the housewife resisted efforts to pre-roast the green coffee beans; later she would resist commercial grinding, both of which she considered part of her expertise in preparing the cup she served. The vanities of production were followed by experiments in storing for shelf life - bins, tins, and vacuum sealing. At each stage of development a few (more) coffee “mills” were eliminated. In 1900 Arbuckle’s (Ariosa to Yuban) and McLaughlin’s (XXXX to Manor House) were rated number one and number two in the nation in sales, respectively, both family-owned companies. John Arbuckle was a native American from the East Coast, William McLaughlin was an immigrant from Ireland. Neither are remembered today. But coffee was to grow from a seaport specialty to a household necessity during the life of each man. Each played a major role in bringing it to industry status. The momentoes and relics left behind provide an interesting trail to follow.

We hope you enjoy the tasty sampling of McLaughlin’s Coffee Company’s memorabila you will find on this web site. And be sure to look for the highly detailed series of books coming soon that are written by the company’s founders grandson William F. McLaughlin. If you have any interesting information about the company or anecdotes you would like included in the books please contact Bill at:
wfmcl@embarqmail.com

Lithographic display poster promoting the collectible cards available from McLaughlin's XXXX Coffee.

The Statue of Labor by Proctor at the Chicago World's Fair. In the back is the golden Liberty Statue which still stands today. Below is a silver dollar minted expressly for the Columbia Exposition of 1893 and was the first commemorative silver dollar ever struck.

W.F.McLaughlin, founder of the company.