Charles Andronicus interviewed by Don Baker
Creator: Andronicus, Charles D., 1929
Subjects" Andronicus, Charles D., 1929-; Andronicus Coffee (Firm); Coffee industry - Australia - Biography.Summary: Charles Andronicus, coffee merchant, speaks of his family background in particular how his father John Andronicus migrated to Australia and joined two of his brothers in business as Andronicus Brothers Pty. Ltd. which became Andronicus Coffee, his uncle Emmanuel being active in Labor Party politics promoting Greek immigration and naturalisation, how his father operated as a commercial traveller for the business supplying cafes with confectionery and beverages, by 1925 he was financially well-off and married an Australian in 1928, by the mid-1930's the brothers split the business with Emmanuel merchanting spirits, Charles the running of the Everest Milk Bar in Martin Place, and John to run Andronicus Coffee which was heavily in debt due to a number of factors, joining his father in the business in 1948, the move from retailing into wholesaling, how his younger brother George and he shared the business, from the early 1960's acquired delivery van to sell direct to suburbian retailers, how the transition was made from delicatessens to supermarkets and later the larger hotels, his love of fishing, the popularity of coffee after the War due to the European migrants, the Hungarians developed the coffee lounge business, the role of Nescafe in popularising cheap instant coffee among Australians, how his parents retired from the business in 1973, the gradual selloff of the business to Jacobs and Nestle, how he, though retired, in 1990 went into the coffee lounge business with his son Grant, and his view of the decline in nightclubs and entertainment in Sydney since the War mainly becausing of licensing laws.
Bookmark: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/20950183
One version of this audio file is available at
National Library of Australia. [Open to the public]
Call Number(s) 1400059; ORAL TRC 2745; ORAL TRC 2745 (transcript)
Charles Andronicus interviewed by Don Baker [sound recording].
3 sound tape reels (ca. 97 min...
1991
English
Sound; Interview, lecture, talk
Cite this
Title Charles Andronicus interviewed by Don Baker [sound recording].
Creator Andronicus, Charles D., 1929- (Interviewee)
Other Creators Baker, D. W. A. (Donald William Archdall), 1922- (Interviewer)
Published 1991.
Physical Description 3 sound tape reels (ca. 97 min.) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, full-track, mono. ; 7 in.
Subjects Andronicus, Charles D., 1929- -- Interviews.
Andronicus Coffee (Firm) -- History.
Coffee industry -- Australia -- Biography.
Playing Time 01hrs 04min 00sec
Notes Recorded on Aug. 28th 1991 at St. Ives, Sydney.
Numbering Note Corrected transcript available (typescript, 61 leaves)
Access Conditions Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
Language English
Libraries Australia ID 8389985
Contributed byLibraries Australia
