Eight O’Clock Espresso
1741 West Beaver Avenue
The Nice Atlantic & Pacific Tea Firm (A&P) was based in New York Metropolis by George Gilman in 1859. Initially established as Gilman & Firm, it was renamed A&P in 1869. By 1930, A&P had grown into the world’s largest retailer, producing $2.9 billion in gross sales throughout 16,000 retailer areas. Till 1965, A&P maintained its place as the biggest retailer in the USA, reaching a degree of cultural prominence similar to that of Walmart, McDonald’s, or Google right now.
A&P’s Southeastern Headquarters was positioned in Jacksonville, Florida, the place its regional operations included an industrial bakery and the Eight O’Clock Espresso roasting plant. The espresso roasting facility opened close to the West Beaver Avenue viaduct in 1925, adopted by the addition of the economic bakery in 1932.
The corporate’s decline started within the publish–World Battle II period, as A&P struggled to adapt to adjustments within the retail panorama and misplaced floor to extra fashionable opponents. In 1968, A&P relocated most of its Jacksonville operations—apart from the espresso plant—to new services, together with a warehouse on town’s Northside, now occupied by Sysco Worldwide Meals Group. In the course of the Nineteen Eighties, Beaver Avenue Fisheries acquired a lot of the previous A&P complicated on West Beaver Avenue.
The Jacksonville Eight O’Clock Espresso plant ceased operations in 1990. Though A&P skilled a quick revival within the early 2000s, it in the end filed for Chapter 11 chapter in each 2010 and 2015, ceasing operations for good in 2015. As we speak, Eight O’Clock Espresso is produced by the Eight O’Clock Espresso Firm, a subsidiary of Tata Shopper Merchandise, with its sole remaining roasting facility positioned in Landover, Maryland.
Bingham Espresso Firm
312 Park Avenue / 5970 Philips Freeway
Polychronis Hanjakos, born in Greece in 1877, immigrated to New York Metropolis in 1919. In 1923, along with Michael Carvelis, he based the Arabian & Turkish Espresso Firm on the Ocean Avenue Market in Downtown Jacksonville.
The next 12 months, in 1924, member of the family Peter Hanjakos and William Carantzas opened the Colonial Espresso & Tea Firm at 715 Primary Avenue. Carantzas, additionally a local of Greece, was the proprietor of the Manhattan Resort, positioned at 1015 West Bay Avenue within the Railroad Row district of LaVilla.
After the Arabian & Turkish Espresso Firm closed, Polychronis Hanjakos joined Peter on the Colonial Espresso & Tea Firm. In 1930, he bought his curiosity within the enterprise to native businessman Thomas V. Porter and established the Nationwide Espresso Firm at 853 Kings Street in LaVilla. The corporate continued operations till the demise of Paul Christ Hanjakos in 1943.
In 1931, James William Bingham joined the Nationwide Espresso Firm as a salesman. Born in Kentucky in 1887, Bingham had relocated to Jacksonville after World Battle I and spent a lot of the Nineteen Twenties working a downtown restaurant.
Two years later, in 1933, Bingham based his personal roasting enterprise, the Bingham Espresso Firm—positioned at 312 Park Avenue within the Brooklyn neighborhood. Across the identical time, a 19-year-old newcomer named Frederic Robert Martin joined the corporate as a espresso salesman. Over time, Martin grew to become an element proprietor of the enterprise.
In 1957, the Bingham Espresso Firm was bought. Bingham retired and moved to Miami Seaside, whereas Martin acquired the Bartley Espresso Firm and established the Martin Espresso Firm.
Bartley Espresso Firm
327 East Bay Avenue
The Bartley Espresso Firm was established in 1936 by Francis A. Bartley, who had beforehand served as vp and basic supervisor of the W.S. Quinby Firm’s espresso roasting operation, positioned within the Union Terminal Warehouse on Jacksonville’s Eastside.
Bartley’s personal espresso roasting plant was located at 327 East Bay Avenue, within the coronary heart of Downtown Jacksonville’s bustling working waterfront district.
After greater than 20 years of operation, the Bartley Espresso Firm was acquired in 1957 by Fred and Amy Martin, who rebranded the enterprise because the Martin Espresso Firm.
Condaxis Espresso & Tea Inc.
1805 W Beaver St
Condaxis Espresso was based in 1959 by Peter “Tykie” Condaxis. Born in Manhattan to Asia Minor refugees of Greek descent, Peter grew up in a household rooted in hospitality, his mother and father operated the Espresso Pot restaurant on Eighth Avenue throughout the Thirties.
In 1950, Condaxis was stationed at Cecil Subject whereas serving within the U.S. Navy. Following his service, he remained in Jacksonville and, in 1954, joined the standard management division on the Maxwell Home espresso roasting plant downtown.
After 5 years of business expertise, Condaxis took a daring step and launched his personal wholesale espresso roasting enterprise with a $500 funding.
Twenty years in the past, Condaxis Espresso sourced most of its beans straight from growers in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. On the time, little or no espresso got here by means of the Port of Jacksonville; as a substitute, it was primarily trucked in from main hubs like New York, Miami, and New Orleans.
As we speak, Condaxis Espresso & Tea stands because the second-largest espresso roaster in Jacksonville and is acknowledged as a legacy enterprise within the metropolis’s Rail Yard District. Its various consumer roster consists of Metro Diner, Bagel 13, Village Bread Cafe, Seaside Diner, Marker 32, North Seaside Fish Camp, Planet Health, Secure Harbor, Grumpy’s Restaurant, Alhambra Theatre & Eating, Soul Meals Bistro, Cross Creek Steakhouse, and Taverna.