Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- The Kassis Family collection documents the family and their Sacramento-area businesses. The family is best known for starting the Stop-N-Shop chain of grocery stores and Arden Fair Mall. Material dates from 1902 to 2003 and includes operational and administrative records, financial records, legal documents, photographs, promotional material, and personal papers.
- Extent:
- 10.83 Linear Feet (5 cartons, 1 newspaper box, 2 film reels, 3 oversized scrapbooks)
- Language:
- English and Languages represented in the collection: English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Kassis Family collection , MS0074, Center for Sacramento History.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Kassis Family collection documents the family and their Sacramento-area business ventures, the best known being the Stop-N-Shop chain of grocery stores and Arden Fair Mall. Material dates from 1902 to 2003 and includes operational and administrative records, financial records, legal documents, photographs, promotional material, and personal papers. The collection is divided into four series specific to Arden Fair, the family, Stop-N-Shop, and other family business ventures.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Kassis Family is best known in Sacramento for operating the Stop-N-Shop chain of grocery stores. A. G. Kassis, a Lebanese immigrant, married Maggie Shikan on September 15, 1906. They had five sons: Frank, Lewis (Lou), Eddie, John, and Walter. The family came to Sacramento in the 1920s, and in 1928, A. G. and his sons opened a watermelon stand at 28th and Broadway. The business grew and quickly developed into the Stop-N-Shop grocery store. The family opened more stores in the following decades, and the chain grew to 12 stores. All of the sons, except John who became a doctor, were involved in the operations of the Stop-N-Shop stores. The Kassis brothers also became interested in other real estate and commercial development. Their most successful foray into other businesses was the creation of the Arden Fair Mall.
Frank Kassis, was born April 28, 1910. He married Muriel and they had five children: Frank Jr., Ronald, Karen, Patricia, and Kerry. Lewis Kassis was born May 2, 1912. He married Helen and they had two children: Gregory and Nancy. Edward Kassis was born January 6, 1914, and married Marie. They had three children named James, Janice, and John. John Kassis was born August 7, 1916. Not much else is known about John, except that he became a doctor and was a silent partner with Kassis Investment. Walter Kassis was born on February 8, 1919, and married Margaret. They had three children: Stephen, Gerald, and David Allen. Many of the grandchildren were also active in family businesses.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated by Greg Kassis in 2009 (accession number 2009/036).
- Processing information:
-
Processing and finding aid by Claire Tynan and Leslie Trew, 2011. Finding aid updated by Nicholas Piontek and Kim Hayden, 2020, 2024.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is arranged into 5 series:
- Series 1. Arden Fair, 1955-1990
- Series 2. Kassis family, 1902-2002
- Series 3. Stop-N-Shop, 1936-2003
- Series 4. Other business ventures, 1950-2000
- Series 5. Unprocessed promotional items and newspapers, ca. 1935-2000
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research use.
- Terms of access:
-
All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Kassis Family collection , MS0074, Center for Sacramento History.
- Location of this collection:
-
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95811, US
- Contact:
- (916) 808-7072