Nicholas Bink receives an award at the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet.
ESCANABA — For more than 121 years, five generations of the Bink family have been quenching the thirst of Delta County residents. It all started with Nicholas A. Bink, who founded Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply Company in October 1903. In December 1921, the family expanded their business by founding City Bottling Works and ventured into soft drink sales.
business continued “With the whole family” We built a legacy with Nicholas J. Bink as our general manager. By 1932, the company reached an important milestone by adding Coca-Cola to its products.
Fast forward to 1964, Robert, as he is affectionately called. “Bob” Bink joined the company after graduating from Northern Michigan University. In 1999, he and his son co-founded Bink’s Wine and Beverages, further expanding the family business.
Nicholas R. Bink was appointed general sales manager in 1996 after working for Coca-Cola Enterprises Corporation in Grand Rapids.
In 2024, Michigan State University graduate Nicholas R. Bink II was the latest to join the company. This marks Binks’ fifth generation to lead the family business, a tradition that began in 1903 with his great-grandfather.
What sets this family-owned business apart is not only its longevity, but its tireless dedication to the community, which earned it the prestigious 2024 Business of the Year award. For decades, the Bink family has seamlessly integrated their business with the community, making Delta County feel like part of an extended family.
Here are some examples of their dedication to the community.
In 1916, the Daily Press reported on the 25th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Bink, prominent Escanaba residents, noting their strong ties to the community. The article states: Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bink have always made this city their home and enjoy the confidence and respect of a wide range of friends not only in the city of Escanaba but throughout this part of the peninsula.
In a notice of Nicholas Binck’s death in 1930, the Daily Press reported that he was a parishioner of St. Joseph’s Church, a member of that parish’s Holy Name Society, belonged to the Chamber of Commerce, and that Binck It was reported that he was in a relationship with his wife. I’ve maintained it ever since.
The family also supported the Lions Club, and there are reports that Nicholas J. Bink contributed to several fundraisers. He also played a key role in organizing the Knights of Columbus holiday dance in 1929, three years after the company began selling Coca-Cola.
Under Bob Bink’s leadership, the family’s dedication to the community continued. To commemorate its 55th anniversary in 1976, Bink’s introduced four beverages with the slogan Celebrating America’s Bicentennial. “200 years, it’s worth the wait!”
From 1960 to yesterday, the Bink family’s tireless efforts to promote local economic and community development ranged from service to government and school boards to membership in nearly every civic organization and fundraising effort. More than 1,000 articles mentioning the effort are in our news archives. As reported in 1916…not only in the city of Escanaba, but throughout this part of the peninsula.
On behalf of our entire community and our 49 employees, we would like to thank you for not only quenching your thirst with a refreshing beverage, but for the privilege of becoming part of an extended family and fostering a shared commitment to the growth of our community. I sincerely thank you for that.
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Vicki Michaud is executive director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce.
