The history of the Greek community of Alexandria is full of brilliant names that left an indelible mark on the trade, culture and social life of Egypt. Among them, a prominent place is occupied by the Kassimatis family. With roots in Kythera, the family linked its name with design, business acumen and, ultimately, with the very survival of the historical institutions of Hellenism in the city, in the person of the late Edmondos Kasimatis.
The birth of a legend: The «Minerva» shops»
It all started at the beginning of the 20th century, when young Nikolaos Kasimatis left Tsirigo in search of a better future in the cosmopolitan port of Alexandria. With acumen, he initially opened a small «Bazaar» in the city center, catering to the foreign residents (English, French, Italians, Greeks), offering luxury goods.
He quickly understood the high society's need for European elegance. He travelled to European metropolises and turned his business into a giant of menswear, even creating the first European underwear sewing factory.
The shops «Minerva» (Minerva), with a central store on the prestigious Rue Fouad, became the ultimate reference point. They were not just shops, but haunts of the intelligentsia and the elite. It was there that the famous Frenchman sewed his Sunday suits. Constantine Cavafy, who often drank his coffee at the Attarin branch with the owner, while later the great writer Stratis Circas.
Pass the baton to Edmond: Survival in difficult times
The sudden death of Nikolaos in 1950 left the business in the hands of his wife, Eleni, and his two sons, Iakovos and Edmonds. The decades that followed, with the Nasser Revolution in 1952, the mass exodus of foreigners and import bans, tested Greek entrepreneurship severely.
In the 1980s, James left for Athens. Edmondos Casimatis, however, decided to stay. He adapted to the new circumstances, targeted the new Egyptian middle class and kept the Minerva standing. In 1995, it underwent a complete renovation and in 2008 it proudly celebrated the a century of life of the historic store, making it a living monument of Greek business history in Egypt.
Pillar of the Community and the Yacht Club
Edmondos Casimatis did not limit himself to his commercial successes. He dedicated his life to the preservation of Greek heritage.
- Greek Community of Alexandria (HCA): In April 2017, he was elected as the 22nd President of the Presbyterian Community, fighting for the maintenance of the Greek schools, the nursing home and the historic buildings of the community.
- Greek Naval Club of Alexandria (ENOA): He served for many years as President of the historic shipping group, guaranteeing its smooth operation.
The end of an era
October 2020 was written in black letters for Egyptian Hellenism. Edmondos Kasimatis, at the age of 83, breathed his last breath struck by the coronavirus (COVID-19), plunging his wife Catherine, his son Nikolaos, and the entire Greek community into mourning.
His absence was deafening. At the ENOA's annual General Assembly that followed a few days later, he was described as the «great absentee». His successor, Lilika Thlivitou, and the Patriarchal Commissioner of Alexandria spoke of the enormous legacy of philanthropy and hard work he left behind.
With the loss of Edmondos Kasimatis, a great, glorious chapter of the Greek presence in Alexandria was essentially closed. The name of the family, however, from its roots in Kythera to the lights of Fouad Street, remains synonymous with creation and selfless contribution to Hellenism.
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