In Memoriam

Sidney S. Kosasa

Founder of our ABC Stores

December 1919 – November 2006

Sidney S. Kosasa –  our founder, leader, mentor, teacher passed away peacefully on November 17, 2006. 

Private services were held on Tuesday, November 21, 2006.

The Kosasa Family extends a sincere Mahalo and appreciation for the many condolences received.

The family is requesting no flowers.  Donations may be made to your charity of choice

in memory of Mr. Sidney Kosasa.

The son of a first generation Japanese immigrant, Sidney Kosasa (or rather ‘Mr. K’-  known by his ABC Stores ‘Ohana’ or family) was born in Palolo Valley, Hawaii in December 1919.  His first experiences in retail began while working in his parents’ grocery store in Palolo.

Mr. K. attended McKinley High School then graduated from University of California – Berkeley’s School of Pharmacy.  World War II resulted in Mr. K being sent to Tule Lake Internment Camp in northern California, where he met and married his wife Minnie. 

In 1949, Mr. and Mrs. K. opened their first pharmacy/convenience store in Kaimuki, Hawaii – known later as Thrifty Drugs.  As business grew, his entrepreneurial and business philosophies resulted in the opening of four locations within 10 years.

While attending a business convention in Miami Beach, Florida, Mr. K noticed all the tourists near the large hotels and had a vision to build a chain of resort stores in Hawaii.  This spark of inspiration marks the turning point for the company and the creation of our resort retail shops known as the ABC Stores.  Mr. K predicted Waikiki would someday be as busy as the Florida beach.  Thus born the first ABC Store on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, Hawaii in 1964.  Today, there are seventy ABC Stores that span the Pacific from our home base - Hawaii to Guam, Saipan and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mr. K’s legacy lives in the wisdom of the retail lessons and inspiration he passed on to his son, our Chief Executive Officer Paul Kosasa and the 1,000+ employees – whom he called Business Associates and his ABC Ohana (family).

Sidney Kosasa is survived by his wife, Minnie, sons Paul and Thomas, daughters Susan Kosasa and Gloria Gainsley, and grandchildren Jonathan, Christian, Lisa, Lindsay and Ian.