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A-Treat Deal Fizzles Out

POTTSVILLE — A deal to buy a Pennsylvania soft drink company has fizzled out. An Allentown businessman had said he wanted to buy A-Treat Soda back in Apri...

POTTSVILLE -- A deal to buy a Pennsylvania soft drink company has fizzled out.

An Allentown businessman had said he wanted to buy A-Treat Soda back in April, but now it looks like that soda won't be back in stores any time soon.

In January, the owners of A-Treat decided to shut business down after almost 100 years.

Fans of the soda thought it was the end, but a few months ago a buyer stepped up and said he would pay for the company and keep the brand. But now he says that deal is dead.

Signs of A-Treat are pretty much all that's left of the soda around Schuylkill County. The Allentown-based company closed in January.

But there was hope a few months ago when Paul Eifler said he would buy the company. The businessman from Allentown was all set to keep A-Treat flowing, but now that deal fizzled out.

He says that A-Treat didn't follow through with its end of the deal, so the agreement is over and so far no one new wants to buy it.

Now, you can hardly find the stuff in stores. People who grew up drinking the soda say they're disappointed.

"I don't like that because that was my favorite one! I liked that soda because it was better flavored than a lot of your other sodas," said Cheryl Mahan.

She said her favorite flavor was pineapple, and many people had their go-to drink.

"Birch beer, root beer, cream soda, orange," said Clarence Long.

"It's going to be missed, I'm sure. It was about the cheapest soda in the store and it was good, really good," added Patricia Hiluska.

People in Pottsville who drank that soda say that even though the deal is dead, they do hope the soda can be back on shelves in Schuylkill County soon.

"I hope they start up again and that somebody else takes it over."

Newswatch 16 called the lawyers for A-Treat Soda, but they didn't return our calls.

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