Thermo Serve Drinking Ware

Did you know Anoka, Minnesota is the pumpkin capital of the world? That means there is no holiday in Anoka greater than Halloween. A small town northeast of Minneapolis, Anoka is also the real site of Lake Woebegone. How do I know this?

Once upon a time when I was a color stylist, I provided trend research and marketing ideas for Thermo Serv, a manufacturer of insulated drinking wares located in Anoka, MN. The pictured set of tumblers and mugs is a limited edition, corporate custom order by Colwell General Inc of Minneapolis, circa 1978/79, also my client.



My Design for TSI

 The dual colors in each tumbler follows the spectrum order of the rainbow so that the set covers the full color palette;  Red+orange; Orange+yellow; Yellow+green; green+blue; Blue+Indigo. The box had been stored so long that I cannot remember how the color-striping was intended; there are five of each and I thought there were six to a set- but maybe not (?).



Color Chips per CGI

I had been doing trend research for Thermo Serve for about a year when the VP of Col-Gen thought that doing a custom set using the color stripe coating that is used for making color cards and chips would be a good incentive gift for their best customers. Do not remember how many sets were made – maybe 50 or 75 sets and I saved one set. That was over 30 years ago – OMG am I getting old. No longer know what Col-Gen is doing these days (was under contract to them for more than 10 years), but I left my consulting business and life in Chicago in 1983 and never looked back.

CARE

The idea of thermos-sealed drinking ware is to keep beverages hot or cold longer by vacuuming sealing the double-walled construction. The tumblers do not condense cold contents on the exterior and therefore do not need a coaster, mugs will keep hot beverages warm longer. However, they are TOP rack dishwasher and after many washings will lose the vacuum seal (ask me how I know). For that reason I used them rarely. The colors were selected so that a full spectrum of color would be exposed, especially to paint manufacturers whose color card business Col-Gen aimed to acquire. Full paint systems are quite expensive, running into millions $$ and we need all the completive advantage possible.



Five each in spectrum order



Of course I had visions that the bright color swirl would go retail and draw big sales from the trendy shoppers; but not. Only the one production run and the job was over. 

The irony revealed in the photos is that the color cards used to display the drinking wares are made by the same company that custom ordered the set. Double the fun!

It was a decade later in the NY Public Library at 42nd Street one afternoon when I was doing grad-school research that I spotted Garrison Keillor of NPR radio. I knew from Thermo Serv's President, Harlan Hanson that he and Keillor had been in the same high school class and that Lake Woebegone was based on the town of Anoka. I often wonder whatever happened to Hanson, the TSI crew or for that matter Keillor.


More information found on given websites.

 

History. . . . .(from the website)



For over a half a century, you have come to know and trust ThermoServ for superior insulated products that fit your lifestyle.

New ThermoServ, Ltd. was founded by Nelson F. Cornelius in Anoka, Minnesota. In 1956, the company introduced a black and gold thermal coffee carafe from which the company took its name. To this day, this product is a familiar fixture in many restaurants throughout the country. The success of the carafe led to the introduction of many insulated plastic mugs, steins and tumblers. In addition, a full line of non-thermal drinkware was produced.


The ThermoServ name proudly stands for the highest quality, Made in America, merchandise. In February 2002, New ThermoServ, Ltd. acquired the plastics division of a major US manufacturer of drinkware. This product addition marked an expansion of ThermoServ's growing insulated and single-wall drinkware line, which now covers the full spectrum from economy to specialty mugs and tumblers.
http://www.ts-asi.com/

Welcome To ThermoServ ASI Now. . . . . . (from the website)
ThermoServ is based in Dallas, Texas and offers one of the largest lines of drinkware available in the industry.


At ThermoServ, we strive to provide the highest level of service and to deliver a first-class product selection that meets your needs. Whether corporate programs, executive gifts, quality or safety programs, promotional giveaways or recognition awards, you can trust ThermoServ to provide the very best product selection, quality, designs and courteous service.


ThermoServ brands deliver exceptional quality and value to your corporate image and promotional opportunities. Our goal is to provide our customers with drinkware of exceptional quality, design, and value. We are committed to continuous improvement innovation and outstanding service to maintain our position as a leader in plastic assembly and decorating which provides a continuity of quality, service, easy accessibility and economic freight dispersion. http://www.ts-asi.com/


COLWELL GENERAL INC., now COLWELL COLOUR. . . . . (also from website)
http://www.colwellcolour.com/history.shtml


HISTORY
Colwell Industries got its start in 1893 as a printing company. By the 1930s, The Colwell Press had become a major commercial printer in the United States. In the early 1950s Colwell began to produce colour cards for the paint industry and as this market grew, the decision was made to exit commercial printing and focus on color merchandising for a variety of products including paint, automotive, cosmetics, window treatments, paper and more. Through acquisitions and determined growth, Colwell has become an industry leader of international scale. Today, well over a hundred years and three generations later, Colwell continues to thrive as a family-held business.
http://www.colwellcolour.com/history.shtml