Graffeo Brothers Grocery Store
The Graffeo Brothers Grocery Store was a neighborhood grocery store and market located at 1700 Avenue I in the Ensley neighborhood. A Birmingham institution famous for its Italian sausage, the Graffeo family sold the store in 2006 after 100 years of continuous family ownership and operation within Birmingham.
The store was originally opened in 1906 by the Italian immigrant Veto Graffeo in Pratt City. After serving the Pratt residents for 31 years, Veto relocated the business to its Ensley location in 1937. serving what had by then become Birmingham's Little Italy with the influx of Italian immigrants into the area. Originally there were an estimated 20 stores within the vicinity when it opened in 1937, with Graffeo's being the only to survive through 2006.
After its move to Ensley, ownership and operation of the store was transferred to Veto's three sons Jake, Jon and John Graffeo. After nearly 50 years of operation, ownership and operation of the store was transferred to Veto's three grandsons Andy, Victor and Joseph Graffeo in the early 1980s.
In 2006, Joseph Graffeo (grandson of Veto Graffeo) sold the store to Monsoor and Ali Almansoob thus ending the Graffeo's 100 years of operation and ownership. With the change in ownership, so came a change in name as what was once Graffeo's is now the MA Grocery.
References
- McMillan, Aneesa (August 9, 2006) "Family to sell 100-year-old business." The Birmingham News
- Gerome, John (October 24, 1999) "Our town: Little Italy shadow of bustling past." The Birmingham News