Cascarelli’s Albion is perhaps the longest-standing business in downtown Albion, Michigan. Read here to learn more history of this business.
Robert Cascarelli was born in 1856, in Borgopartenope, Soseinza, Italy and died in 1932 in Albion, Michigan. He married Vincenza Biafor who was born in 1873 in Piefrafitta, Italy and died in 1947 in Albion, Michigan.
Their son Louie, born in 1907 (their fifth child) took over the family business.
The business actually started with a fruit push-cart in 1897, but became established as a fruit stand and confectioners at the current location in 1909. One year before that, an earlier location of the store was destroyed in the great flood of 1908, and a beloved peanut roaster cart was lost in that tragedy.
Read more about Cascarelli’s from the following articles, from the Albion History Room.
Cascarelli's used to have a large mural for soda pop. This photo from 1968 shows the colors of the building at that time. The golden color from the Vernor's sign became the color of the entire building later on. Note that this business sold Pepsi products, with a sign over the front door, in addition to Coca-Cola products, as the sign over the side door announces.
This article from the Recorder in 1976 tells of the expansion of Cascarelli's after the purchase of Dave's Stag bar next door. The original bar is still at the location in the expanded area that is used for the salad bar, a dining room, and entertainment.
With the management of the business firmly into the 3rd generation for almost a decade, Jim Cascarelli talks about the family's core values of serving the community.
Jim and Nancy Cascarelli with two additional generations of the Cascarelli family, some that work alongside him on a regular basis such as his daughter Dana, and his grandchildren, that pitch in for special occasions, including a recent funeral for a a well-respected community member.
