Kakulas Bros Wholesale Goods

Parent Place or Precinct

19925 William Street Conservation Area

Values

The place is an excellent example of a family-run continental grocery business and rare as one that has continued to operate in its original location, managed by the founding family, for over 80 years.

The place has been the public face of the prominent Kakulas family from Castellorizian, who are significant for their community involvement as well as commercial services to migrants, and is the most widely-recognised building associated with the family.

The place is indicative of the cultural diversity and demographic change in Northbridge, particularly the period in the Interwar years when large numbers of Greek families, particularly from Castellorizia, moved into the area.

The place represents the commercial expansion of Northbridge, particularly along William Street, in the Federation era.

Physical Description

A single-storey commercial building of face brick, with brick piers to a stepped parapet which features the moulded lettering ‘H.E.C.’. The front section of the building is one large open room, with its walls lined with timber shelves, possibly partly constructed of packing cases.

The rear section of the building, which is more than half the volume of the premises, was added in the second half of the twentieth century. This area is used for storage, while the front (original) section of the building is the retail floor. The retail area has timber flooring.

The shopfront is probably not original. It has three bays, the central of which has a recessed entrance. All three bays are predominantly glazed. A flat awning extends over the footpath.

History

William Street, named Hutt Street before 1898, expanded rapidly in the 1890s to become a commercial hub as the city expanded north of the railway in response to gold boom.1

It is not clear when the building at 185-187 William Street was constructed. It appears likely that it was constructed as two separate buildings, with a later stage adding the parapet across the whole three bays of the building. Post Office Directories appear to indicate 185 William Street being constructed c.1907 and 187 William Street c.1900. However, as this is a period when several new buildings were built in the block, street numbering changed, and the tenants of the shops changed many times, it is difficult to be clear about when the buildings appear in the listings. They were probably first used as a milliners/tailors (185) and refreshment rooms (187). It appears both buildings were at times occupied by more than one business, with William Young, tailor, listed as ‘off 185’ for some years. Post Office Directories do not give any clue to the lettering ‘H.E.C.’ in the parapet.2

From 1913, No. 187 William Street was listed as an oyster saloon, run by A. Koletos. Although this is a Greek name, Koletos is not mentioned in Yiannakis’ history of Greek migration to Western Australia. From 1915 to 1922, the oyster bar is listed as managed by A. Passaris.3 The Passaris family was one of six Castellorizian families to arrive in Western Australia in the 1890s, the beginning of significant Greek migration to the State.4 By 1925, 187 William Street was occupied by a ‘dining room’ operated by W. Muskett, who remained in place until the mid-1930s.5

No. 185 William Street was occupied by various businesses, many of them dealing in clothing, before being vacant in 1926 and then occupied by Jack Thomas, fruiterer and confectioner, from 1927 (from the following year, Stanley B. Thomas). Stanley B Thomas, fruiterer and confectioner, continued to be listed at 185 William Street until 1931. Angelo Kakulas, fruiterer and confectioner, is first listed at the address in 1932.6

The Kakulas family originally came from the Mediterranean island of Castellorizo. Born in 1872, Evangelos Kakulas was forced to flee Castellorizo at the beginning of World War I. Returning in 1919, Evangelos found the island decimated by the War and made the decision to move to Western Australia, where a small Castellorizian migrant community was developing.7

Castellorizia had been under Turkish control up to 1913, during which time taxes and trade controls had crippled the Castellorizian economy and religious restrictions impacted its cultural life. During World War I, the island was occupied by the French and subject to extensive Turkish shelling and German bombing raids, leaving buildings and infrastructure severely damaged.8

Evangelos Kakulas and his eldest son Stavros arrived in Fremantle in June 1923. Evangelos initially sold fish door to door and later took on a fruit stall at the Fremantle Railway Station.9 In 1926 Evangelos’ wife Papadia and their three other children, Michael, George (Irakli) and Christina, arrived in Fremantle, and a fifth child, Chrysaffina (Nina) was born in Fremantle in 1927.10 In 1929, Evangelos purchased the Teeny Thomas Ginger Beer store at 185 William Street Perth. The store was staffed by Evangelos and his two eldest sons, Stavros and Michael, and branched out into eggs, fruit and loose cut tobacco to supplement the summer profits.11 From 1939, a second store was opened at 317 William Street.12

In the interwar years, Northbridge became a popular area for Greek migrants to settle, especially after a Hellenic Community hall was built on Parker Street in 1925. By the 1930s, Northbridge was firmly established as the Greek community’s ‘residential, cultural and religious heartland’, with the area acquiring a Greek character. Greek families took up land particularly in Aberdeen, Francis, Lake, Newcastle and Pier Streets.13 Many of the Greek families who had been in Fremantle moved to Northbridge in this period.14

By the 1930s the Kakulas Brothers’ store was importing products from Greece with drums of olives, olive oil, bags of beans, lentils and chick peas amongst other products appealing to the Greek community, with the place becoming a meeting place and ‘benevolent’ station where members of the Greek community assisted those who were more recent arrivals.

Evangelos passed away in July 193615 and the store continued to be run by his sons Stavros (b.1910) and Michael (b.1913).16 Their younger brother George (Irakli), born in 1920, was sent to school but later also joined the family business.17 The Letters of Administration for Evangelos note that he was a fruiterer and storekeeper, and left £499 to Papadia A. Kakulas of Perth.18

It is not known when the store expanded into number 187 William Street. Post Office Directories up to 1949 continue to list 187 William Street as a separate business, with various occupants including ‘dining room’ and fishmonger.19 A rear section of 185 was demolished and a larger section added to replace it sometime between 1953 and 1965, bringing this portion of the store to its current proportions. Between 1985 and 1995, the rear half of 187 was demolished and replaced with a new section that extended to the rear lot boundary, bringing the whole store to its current size.20

The Kakulus brothers became ‘influential powerbrokers and benefactors to the state’s Greek community’, especially after they established themselves in Northbridge.21 A 2002 history of the pre-World War II Greek community in Western Australia notes the Kakulas and Kailis families as the two Greek business operators best known in the State and quotes a 1990s article describing Kakulas Brothers as ‘the most famous and enduring of the Greek retail businesses in Perth’.22

With the increase in displaced persons arriving in Western Australia following World War II, Kakulas Bros became an important centre for these groups, providing assistance and continental foods. The business continued to grow into the 1950s.23

The Kakulas family was heavily involved in Greek organisations through the twentieth century. George served for many years as treasurer of the Hellenic Community of Western Australia and both Michael and George were committee members. In the 1970s, the three Kakulas brothers, Stavros, Michael and George, along with the Hellenic Community of Western Australia, donated ten acres in Forrestfield that was used to construct a Greek Orthodox church, monastery and aged persons village. Women of the Kakulas family were involved from at least the mid-1950s in the Hellenic Women’s Society, a social and philanthropic association.24 Pelagia Kakulas (married to Peter) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1983 for ‘service to ethnic welfare’.25 In 2010, Michael Kakulas was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the Greek Orthodox community.26

In May 1970, the second Kakulas Bros store at 317 William St was closed. In 1985 Stavros and Michael retired. Their younger brother George retired in 1995, and died in 2005, aged 84. The business continued to be run by Stavros’ son Evan and George’s son George Jnr.27 Although Michael and Stavros had officially retired, both continued to be involved at the store into the 1990s.28

In 1994, George Snr’s daughter Eleni Kakulas and her husband Michael Finn established ‘Kakulas Sister’ in Fremantle and in 2005 also in Nollamara.29 Stavros Angelo Kakulas died in 2010, aged 99. In 2014, his brother Michael Angelo also died, aged 101.30

A 2009 history of Greek migration and influence in Western Australia notes George and his wife Katina Kakulas as ‘Greek community notables’.31 Stavros was described as a ‘powerbroker from earlier times’ and the Kakulas family in general as part of ‘the establishment’, ‘a family of influence and visibility in the community’, particularly within the Northbridge church.32

In 2015, Kakulas Bros Wholesale Goods continues to operate as a continental grocery store, run by the third generation of the Kakulas familyin Western Australia.

Uses

Creation Date

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Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.