Biloxi native proposes museum to honor Barq’s Root Beer

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - It’s a Biloxi landmark, the Barq’s House, where Barq’s Root Beer was created. Now, a Biloxi native wants to create a museum for all to learn the history of the now world-famous drink.

Alex Frentz was skeptical when he heard about the plans to revitalize Howard Avenue, but after seeing the improvements, an idea sprouted into his head, to create a museum honoring Barq’s Root Beer. A trip up north helped give Frentz the vision for that dream.

"What sparked the idea initially was that I took a trip to Minnesota, and we were driving through the middle of nowhere, and they have a giant million dollar Spam museum," Frentz said.

When Frentz returned from that trip, he sat down and created a petition in hopes of making that dream a reality.

Included in the petition is a rendering Frentz created showing what the museum could look like.

"I thought first that the museum, it would definitely have to be at the original Barq's house," he said.

After seeing the upgrades on Howard Avenue, he knew that would be the perfect home.

“There’s numerous vacant lots here in the Vieux Marche anyway. Whereever this museum will end up being, you could just literally forklift the house, since it’s a historical landmark, and put it right next to the museum,” said Frentz. “It’s, it’s a win win.”

He believes the Coca-Cola company would also benefit from a Barq’s Museum.

“I’ve already written Coca-Cola, and I encourage everyone to write Coca-Cola,” Frentz said. “It’s their product, but it has the special history with their brand because it was the first non-Coca Cola created beverage they bought outright.”

He sees this as a sort of finishing touch for the upgrades in the Vieux Marche.

“We could bring the pride back to Biloxi of Barq’s Root Beer, and I know that sounds trivial, but we could have plaques in stores and in bars, ‘We proudly Serve Barq’s here,'” he said. “It should be synonymous with Biloxi.”

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