Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: Kassis Family collection
Dates: 1902-2003
Collection number: MS0074
Collection Size:
7.83 linear feet (5 cartons, 1 newspaper box, 2 film reels)
Repository:
Center for Sacramento History
Sacramento, California 95811-0229
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.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research use.
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.
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Kassis Family collection , MS0074, Center for Sacramento
History.
Donated by Greg Kassis in 2009 (accession number 2009/036).
Processing and finding aid by Claire Tynan and Leslie Trew, 2011. Finding aid updated by Nicholas Piontek and Kim Hayden,
2020.
Biography / Administrative History
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.
Scope and Content of Collection
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.
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
Some artifacts were removed from the archival collection and can be found by using the search term “2009/036” in our online
catalog: sacramento.pastperfectonline.com.