The Venetian Beverages & Ginger Ale story. A century of rebellion and reinvention.
The story of Venetian Beverages begins in a time of upheaval and opportunity. As the world shifted dramatically at the turn of the 20th century, Vermont, like much of the United States, became a beacon for those seeking a fresh start.
Michael C. Dorn, a Jewish immigrant from Europe, found his way to Burlington, a bustling, industrious city on the shores of Lake Champlain. The promise of freedom, opportunity, and a better life drew many like him to Vermont. Amidst global uncertainty, war, and economic turmoil, it was a place where hard work could still build something great.
As the world grappled with World War I and the Roaring Twenties brought Prohibition, it was during this tumultuous time that Michael C. Dorn founded Venetian Beverages in 1917. What began as a simple soda company would navigate the wild days of Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the manufacturing consolidations of World War II, always adapting under the leadership of the Dorn family.
Michael C. Dorn, a Jewish immigrant from Europe, turns his restaurant hustle into Venetian Beverages in Burlington, Vermont, founded amid World War I and the dawn of Prohibition.
During Prohibition the Pine Street plant becomes the perfect base for more than soda. Allegedly running whiskey from Canada to Boston, Atlantic City and New York, and hosting underground parties that drew big names.
Through the Great Depression and the manufacturing consolidations of World War II, the company passes through three generations of the Dorn family, always adapting, always evolving.
Justin Bunnell, Michael's great-great-grandson, revives the family legacy and opens the Venetian Soda Lounge in 2022, in the very building where it all began, now owned by Steve Conant of Conant Metal & Light.
Venetian was more than just a soda. It was a symbol of rebellion, community, and a good time.
Venetian Beverages kicked off in Burlington when Michael C. Dorn turned his restaurant hustle into a soda empire in 1917. Over the decades the company passed through three generations of the Dorn family, each leaving their mark through prosperity, challenge, and change.
Today, Venetian Beverages is back on the map under Justin Bunnell, Michael's great-great-grandson. Justin has revived the family legacy and opened the Venetian Soda Lounge in the very building where it all began, now owned by Steve Conant of Conant Metal & Light fame. His goal: restore the brand to its original glory, blending history with modern innovation to once again bring joy to those who seek unique, all-natural beverages.
Rumor has it that in the 1920s, during Prohibition, Venetian was more than a beverage brand. It was a secret operation with ties to the underground, allegedly running whiskey from Canada straight down to Boston, Atlantic City, and New York City.
The Pine Street plant became the perfect base for these operations, and the Dorn family didn't just make drinks. They made waves, hosting underground parties that drew big names and added to their notorious reputation.