Geneva, home of soda pop & comic books

I’ve lived in Geneva for almost six years now and while I feel I have gotten to know the city fairly well, every once in a while a few more of its stories are revealed. The latest two come courtesy of Justin. The first is that fizzy soda pop originated in Geneva. In the late 1780s three business partners decided to come up with a health tonic made from water, a few minerals, and a bit of carbonation. They spent ten years perfecting their tonic and when they finally released it on the market, Genevans were decidedly uninterested. One of the three partners was not easily deterred however, and decided to go to England to try and sell his effervescent beverage there. Londoners were more appreciative of his drink and he was able to sell his formula and return to Geneva. The new owners expanded the range of sodas by adding things like ginger (ginger ale) and quinine (tonic). They decided to keep name of the Swiss businessman as the name of the soda however, and you can still buy Schweppes to this day.

The other random fact (which Jus found in my copy of McSweeney’s Quarterly comics issue that arrived yesterday!) is that comic books also originated in Geneva. But I’ll let you get your own copy of McSweeney’s and read about it yourself