The Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company (formerly the Helme Tobacco Company) of Wheeling, West Virginia was a tobacco company founded by brothers Aaron and Samuel Bloch in 1879.[1] It was best known for its Mail Pouch chewing tobacco. Mail Pouch was a popular chew advertised on over 20,000 barns,[2] many located in the rural Ohio River Valley. Each barn had an end or side painted with the familiar Mail Pouch lettering and advertising, "Treat yourself to the best."
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Industry | Tobacco |
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Founded | 1879 |
Headquarters | Wheeling, West Virginia |
Key people | Aaron Bloch, Samuel Bloch |
Products | Mail Pouch chewing tobacco |
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/The_headquarters_building_of_the_Bloch_Brothers_Tobacco_Company_%28also_known_as_Helme_Tobacco_Company%29%2C_next_to_the_company%27s_factory_in_Wheeling%2C_West_Virginia_LCCN2015632012.tif/lossy-page1-220px-thumbnail.tif.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Bloch_Brothers_Tobacco_Co_-_panoramio.jpg/220px-Bloch_Brothers_Tobacco_Co_-_panoramio.jpg)
The brothers began manufacturing cigars in 1879 as a side-line to Samuel Bloch's wholesale grocery business. It was discovered that the left-over cigar clippings could be flavored and packaged in a paper bag, and then sold. Mail Pouch chewing tobacco is still produced by Swisher International Group.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bloch Brothers Tobacco Works [Mail Pouch] > Research | Ohio County Public Library | Ohio County Public Library | Wheeling West Virginia | Ohio County WV | Wheeling WV History |". www.ohiocountylibrary.org. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
- ^ "Demolition uncovers Mail Pouch ad". old.post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
- ^ "e-WV | Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company". www.wvencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 2022-06-30.