Nine decades of serving Arizona families is enough time to compile a lot of memories. Find out how we got our start and where we’re headed here.
1884
Tanuis Basha (seated) emigrates from Lebanon to New York in 1884. His son Najeeb joins him in 1886.
1901
Najeeb marries Najeeby Srour.
1910
In 1910, Najeeb, Najeeby, and their growing family move to Congress Junction, Arizona.
1915
In 1915, Najeeb (center) moves his family to Ray-Sonora, Arizona.
1920
The Basha family moves to Chandler, Arizona in 1920.
1926
Bashas’ founders, Ike and Eddie Basha Sr., learn the ropes of retail in their family’s mercantile on Boston Street.
1932
Patriarch, Najeeb Basha, dies in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression.
Ike and Eddie Sr. open the first Bashas’ store in 1932 in a cotton-growing community five miles south of Chandler.
1933
In the mid-1930s, sister Camille Basha (left) suggests switching from dry goods to groceries.
1935
The staff of the Boston Street store pauses for a photo in the 1930s.
1936
The first non-Chandler Bashas’ opens in downtown Mesa in 1936.
1937
Eddie Basha Jr. is born in 1937.
1956
Brothers, Ike and Eddie Basha Sr., at the grand opening of their first supermarket in 1956.
1960
Eddie Basha Jr. and his father survey the site of a new Bashas’ location in the 1960s.
1968
Food City had a thriving store at 16th Street and Mohave in the 1970s.
Eddie Basha Jr., right, meets with his leadership team in the early 1970s.
1981
(Left to right), Don Cooper and Eddie Basha Jr. ink the deal for the first Navajo Nation Bashas’ Diné in 1981.
(Left to right) Johnny Basha and Eddie Basha Jr. at the groundbreaking of the Window Rock Bashas’ Diné in the 1980s.
1993
AJ’s becomes part of the Bashas’ Family of Stores in 1993.
1994
A contemporary Food City store front.
2005
Two Bashas’ Diné managers represent their store at a community event.
September 28, 2009
Bashas’ members rally to support the company when it files for Chapter 11 in 2009.
March 12, 2012
For a number of years in the early 2000s, Bashas’ operated a temporary tent store to support campers at Phoenix Raceway for NASCAR weekends.
April 3, 2013
Bashas’ opens a new Diné store in Sanders, Arizona in 2019.
May 26, 2013
Eddie Basha Jr. passes away in 2013.
2015
A contemporary Bashas’ store front.
November 8, 2017
The Window Rock, Arizona Bashas’ Diné added a Starbucks in Nov. 2017.
March 17, 2020
Bashas’ Family of Stores adapts to meet customer needs during the corona virus pandemic.
March 17, 2021
In the spring of 2021, Bashas’ Family of Stores holds a series of COVID-19 vaccination clinics for its team members at its Distribution Center in Chandler.
July 21, 2021
Bashas’ opens a new Diné store on the Navajo Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico in July 2021.
October 1, 2021
In October 2021, Bashas’ announced its intent to sell to The Raley’s Companies.
December 21, 2021
The sale to Raley’s was completed in December 2021.
February 16, 2022
Food City welcomes its first Starbucks in January 2022.
July 1, 2022
Store mark milestone anniversary with celebrations.
Bashas’ is the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(R) title holder for the largest doughnut mosaic (logo).