Leveraging Your Unique Assets: Marion Mtn Dew Museum

Every community has something that sets it apart from all the others. For the Town of Marion in southwest Virginia, one of these unique assets is being the birthplace of the modern Mountain Dew recipe.

In the 1950s, William Jones became president of the Tip Corporation in Marion and acquired the trademark for Mountain Dew, embarking on a journey of refining the formula to what it is today. Marion residents played a direct role in the process by serving as taste-testers for the different formula variations until they found the perfect blend. The Pepsi-Cola Company bought the Tip corporation and the updated Mountain Dew formula in 1964, turning it into a beverage enjoyed nationwide.

Today, the community is aiming to highlight this unique aspect of their history by establishing a Mountain Dew museum in downtown Marion. The Department of Historic Resources recently announced a historical marker showcasing the history of Mountain Dew in Marion. Plans are in motion to convert a former pharmacy and lunch counter into the future Mountain Dew museum that will contain a gift shop, a theater telling the story of the beverage, and Mountain Dew flavored drinks and food.

“We are super excited to get this project moving forward. It’s been a vision of Joe Ellis for two decades, and with his help, Marion has been recognized as The Birthplace of Modern Mountain Dew, making this attraction a real anchor for our downtown.”

– Ken Heath, Executive Director, Marion Downtown

This initiative not only celebrates an iconic beverage but also showcases how small towns can use local stories, traditions, and pride to drive tourism, economic revitalization, and cultural identity. By tapping into a narrative that is both locally rooted and nationally recognized, Marion is turning a homegrown innovation into a community asset with the potential to attract visitors, create jobs, and reinvigorate a historic space.