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Filbert's Root Beer in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood turns 100

By Zak Spector

/ CBS Chicago

Filbert's Root Beer in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood is turning 100 this year, and they attribute their longevity to a strategy many other businesses eschew: keeping it small.

You could say Ronald Filbert has root beer in his veins.  He is the third generation of Filberts to run the company.

"My grandfather started in 1926. At that time, root beer was the most popular soft drink in the country," he said. "We have a lot of people who have been following us their whole lives because we have a great product."

While most famous for their root beer, the company also makes dozens of other flavors. But root beer still accounts for most of the sales, and Ronald said the recipe for success is simple.

"It's a commitment to keeping the business going," he said. "We've stayed a small company, we deliver to small mom and pop places that help keep us. We're here and we're gonna keep it going."

While Flbert's is 100 years old, it's only been in its Bridgeport location since the 1990s, when Ronald bought the bottler he'd been using and moved into the building near 35th and Ashland. 

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