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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, September 16, 2007, pg. 23 A lot of events are happing in the next few weeks. This coming Saturday, September 22 I’ll have my Albion History booth in front of Citizens Bank at the Festival of the Forks. I will be selling and signing copies of my latest book, “Growing Up in Albion” among other things. Then on Saturday October 6 will be the Amaizing Corn Harvest Festival in the Market Place and Rieger Park. I’ll be there in the Market Place that day. Finally, coming up on Sunday, October 14 at 1:30 pm will be my annual guided tour of Riverside Cemetery. We’ll meet at the former Fishpond in the center of the Cemetery to begin the tour into the Catholic section. Mark your calendar, and bring the whole family for an enjoyable afternoon together. One of the persons we will be remembering as part of our tour is a name that everyone knows. The name Cascarelli is synonymous with good times and good food at 116 S. Superior St. It had its beginnings with the original Robert Cascarelli (1856-1932), a native of Borgopartenope (can you pronounce that?), Italy. Robert immigrated to America in 1882 and came to Albion in 1897. Robert purchased a portable peanut roaster and opened a fruit stand and confectionary store downtown. He business settled at 109 N. Superior St. “over the River” in the back of the Parker-Kessler block. Unfortunately, it was one of the structures that collapsed into the River and was destroyed in the Great Flood of March, 1908. The Cascarelli family, who lived in their apartment in the back of the store, had wisely fled beforehand to the Commercial Hotel on W. Porter St. (presently the Moose Lodge building). Temporarily displaced during 1908, Robert subsequently purchased the cigar store location of John Moll on January 7, 1909. It was located at 116 S. Superior St. in the center of downtown Albion. Robert became of Albion’s most respected downtown retail merchants, selling fruit, ice cream and candy during the years of Prohibition. The firm was continued by his son Louis (1907-1975), who transformed it into a tavern restaurant, and of course today is operated by Louis’ son Jim Cascarelli. Coming up on January 7, 2009 will be the 100th anniversary of Cascarelli’s at its present location. What a special anniversary party that will be at Cascarelli’s Make your reservations now. From our Historical Notebook courtesy of James Cascarelli we present a picture of his grandfather Robert Cascarelli. 
Robert Cascarelli (1856-1932) Next: MARKET PLACE All text copyright, 2024 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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