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Abraham Elias Issa
Abraham Elias Issa CBE OJ (October 10, 1905 – November 29, 1984) was a Jamaican businessman, entrepreneur and hotelier acclaimed as "The Father of Jamaican Tourism". As the first president of the Jamaica Tourist Board, he contributed to the expansion of Jamaican tourism in the late 1950s.
His business accomplishments include the founding of Jamaica's first modern department store (Issa's of King Street), the country's first shopping plazas (Tropical Plaza at Half-Way-Tree and Liguanea Plazas), Jamaica's first supermarket (Hi-Lo at Cross Roads in Kingston), Jamaica's modern horse-racing track (Caymanas Park) and being a guiding force behind the development of New Kingston, now the island's commercial center. He built Tower Isle Hotel, Jamaica's first all-season resort later evolving it into Couples Hotel, Jamaica's first all-inclusive resort and first couples only resort.
Issa was born in Kingston, Jamaica, to Mary Brimo (died 1953), daughter of Joseph Brimo, a merchant from Damascus, Syria, and Elias Abraham Issa (May 29, 1876 – September 1, 1969), son of Abraham Issa, a merchant from Bethlehem, Palestine who immigrated to Kingston in 1894 with his son Elias. Issa's parents Elias and Mary were married on February 25, 1900, and the union gave birth to four children, Bertha, Abe, Joseph, and Annie.
The Issa family struggled to establish itself in Kingston. A small notions shop, opened at 32 Princess Street in 1894, failed and Abe's father and grandfather were reduced to peddling goods door to door until they could open a new shop at 27 Orange Street. By 1900 they succeeded in bringing Abe's grandmother Sara and his father's brothers John, Antonio and Joseph to Jamaica. In 1901, Issa's father Elias formed a partnership with his brothers as E.A. Issa & Bros. The enterprise thrived and in 1905 moved to 132 Harbour Street. The shop was destroyed in the January 14, 1907 Kingston earthquake which also took the life of Abe's Uncle Joseph.
Issa began his elementary education at St. Aloysius School in 1910 then went on to high school studies at St. George's College from 1918 to 1922. Following a nine-month stint teaching English to South American students, he departed for Worcester, Massachusetts to begin his university education at College of the Holy Cross. In 1926, he graduated summa cum laude and delivered his valedictory address in Latin.
Issa returned to Kingston in 1926 and entered the family business. On Dec. 1930 he opened the family's first retail store, Issa's of King Street, that featured international luxury goods.
In the early 1930s Abe traveled extensively on the business' behalf to North America and Europe. In 1934 he traveled Japan via Russia and the Trans-Siberian Railroad and worked 14 months in Yokohama operating a factory that manufactured rubber-soled shoes.
Abe's international experiences and knowledge of luxury quality merchandise combined with his outgoing and effusive personality served him well in the family's first move outside the retail trade. On March 14, 1943, the Issa's bought the Myrtle Bank Hotel and a next door laundry from United Fruit Company for £35,000. Under Abe's guidance the hotel gained renown as a favored gathering spot of celebrities and distinguished visitors. Its guests included actor Errol Flynn, jazz great Louis Armstrong, actress Joan Crawford, Walt Disney, future Jamaican prime minister Norman Manley, future United States presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson II and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
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Abraham Elias Issa
Abraham Elias Issa CBE OJ (October 10, 1905 – November 29, 1984) was a Jamaican businessman, entrepreneur and hotelier acclaimed as "The Father of Jamaican Tourism". As the first president of the Jamaica Tourist Board, he contributed to the expansion of Jamaican tourism in the late 1950s.
His business accomplishments include the founding of Jamaica's first modern department store (Issa's of King Street), the country's first shopping plazas (Tropical Plaza at Half-Way-Tree and Liguanea Plazas), Jamaica's first supermarket (Hi-Lo at Cross Roads in Kingston), Jamaica's modern horse-racing track (Caymanas Park) and being a guiding force behind the development of New Kingston, now the island's commercial center. He built Tower Isle Hotel, Jamaica's first all-season resort later evolving it into Couples Hotel, Jamaica's first all-inclusive resort and first couples only resort.
Issa was born in Kingston, Jamaica, to Mary Brimo (died 1953), daughter of Joseph Brimo, a merchant from Damascus, Syria, and Elias Abraham Issa (May 29, 1876 – September 1, 1969), son of Abraham Issa, a merchant from Bethlehem, Palestine who immigrated to Kingston in 1894 with his son Elias. Issa's parents Elias and Mary were married on February 25, 1900, and the union gave birth to four children, Bertha, Abe, Joseph, and Annie.
The Issa family struggled to establish itself in Kingston. A small notions shop, opened at 32 Princess Street in 1894, failed and Abe's father and grandfather were reduced to peddling goods door to door until they could open a new shop at 27 Orange Street. By 1900 they succeeded in bringing Abe's grandmother Sara and his father's brothers John, Antonio and Joseph to Jamaica. In 1901, Issa's father Elias formed a partnership with his brothers as E.A. Issa & Bros. The enterprise thrived and in 1905 moved to 132 Harbour Street. The shop was destroyed in the January 14, 1907 Kingston earthquake which also took the life of Abe's Uncle Joseph.
Issa began his elementary education at St. Aloysius School in 1910 then went on to high school studies at St. George's College from 1918 to 1922. Following a nine-month stint teaching English to South American students, he departed for Worcester, Massachusetts to begin his university education at College of the Holy Cross. In 1926, he graduated summa cum laude and delivered his valedictory address in Latin.
Issa returned to Kingston in 1926 and entered the family business. On Dec. 1930 he opened the family's first retail store, Issa's of King Street, that featured international luxury goods.
In the early 1930s Abe traveled extensively on the business' behalf to North America and Europe. In 1934 he traveled Japan via Russia and the Trans-Siberian Railroad and worked 14 months in Yokohama operating a factory that manufactured rubber-soled shoes.
Abe's international experiences and knowledge of luxury quality merchandise combined with his outgoing and effusive personality served him well in the family's first move outside the retail trade. On March 14, 1943, the Issa's bought the Myrtle Bank Hotel and a next door laundry from United Fruit Company for £35,000. Under Abe's guidance the hotel gained renown as a favored gathering spot of celebrities and distinguished visitors. Its guests included actor Errol Flynn, jazz great Louis Armstrong, actress Joan Crawford, Walt Disney, future Jamaican prime minister Norman Manley, future United States presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson II and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.