Walter Diemer accountant by trade, Diemer liked to experiment with gum recipes in his spare time. In doing so, he accidentally stumbled upon a unique recipe. The gum was pink because it was the only food coloring in the factory, which is the reason most bubble gum today is pink. Compared to standard chewing gum, the gum was less sticky, would not stick to the face, and yet stretched more easily. Diemer saw the possibilities, and using a salt water taffy wrapping machine, wrapped one hundred pieces of his creation to test market in a local mom-and-pop candy store. Priced at one
The Pink Poodle relocated a short distance to 18 Fern Street. A bar and restaurant in the new development that replaced it bears the name "The Pink Poodle". In 2005, the National Trust of Queensland nominated the sign to be one of Queensland's Heritage Icons. In 2015, the signage appeared on a postage stamp issued by Australian Post as part of its "Signs of the Times" series. In 1995, author Matthew Condon published a novel, "A Night at the Pink Poodle", about the rise and fall of a Gold Coast highrise apartment salesman. The Pink Poodle The Pink Poodle was an iconic motel