LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
SF Legacy,
LA Greek Film,
Sesame Street
Dear Readers:
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Anniversaries and birthdays are celebrated on a regular basis but it’s not everyday that someone can boast that they are celebrating over 100 years. That is exactly what Elias Tsiknis of Greek Imports, Inc. can do when he speaks about the history, evolution and significance of his Greek import business in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The HJ’s Theodora Argue reports on this rich legacy, tracing back to the history of not only the import store but the California newspaper that was also under the pioneering leadership of Anastasios (Tassos) B. Mountanos.
Mountanos’ legacy continued through his son Angelos Mountanos who was a journalist and operated the newspaper as well as the store for over 40 years. His daughter, Anna Mountanos Konstantopoulos also played an important role in documenting that legacy. For the complete story, please turn to page 4.
Last month it was the San Francisco Greek Film Festival and this month we move to the southern California with the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival June 10-14. Mavis Manus’ Southern California Notes column offers the vision of the festival’s co-directors/founders Ersi Danou and Angeliki Gianakopoulos.
For the complete list of films and their screenings, visit lagreekfilmfestival.org. For Mavis’ column, turn to page 6.
Finally, for those of you readers living in the Bay Area or planning to visit there on June 13th, I invite you to join me by entering our contest for FREE tickets to the Sesame Street Live performance at Oracle Arena in Oakland for the 4:30 p.m. performance.
See you at the show!
Frosene Phillips
THIS MONTH’S FEATURE
JUN 2010
From Mountanos Imports to Greek Imports, Inc.
Over a Century in the heart of the Bay Area Greek American Community
Just as it was in 1907 when it opened, Greek Imports Inc. today—102 years later—still remains, as its present owner Elias Tsiknis states, “in the heart of the Greek American Community in the Bay Area.” He sees the Greek Imports company as “a place of philoxenia and friendship where individuals still can come in for community news, a place where they can find answers as well as great merchandise.”
Elias notes that Greek Imports, Inc. (previously called Mountanos Imports), now in Daly City and formerly in San Francisco, “is the oldest continuously operating Greek import store in America.” Anastasios (Tassos) B. Mountanos, born in 1880 in Gythion, Mani, Peloponnesus, arrived in San Francisco in 1906. He took over the newly- established California newspaper and was dedicated to the success and enlargement of the publication. In 1908 he opened Mountanos Imports at Third and Folsom in the emerging Greek Town, in the area presently called South of Market, Market being the main street that runs through downtown San Francisco. He simultaneously operated both enterprises. The store carried Greek items including books, phonograph records, icons, magazines, newspapers, incense, and pottery. Some twelve tavernas were near the original Mountanos Imports. Pat Mountanos Kourafos, Tassos’ niece, recalls Chakameli Grocery, Minerva Café, Mainas Tailor Shop, and Peter Panagoulias’ Market in the first Greek Town.
(Download June paper issue for full article)
