Kritselis Family

At the corner of Ashmun Street and Portage Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie stands the Kritselis Building. Erected in 1920, the building stands not only as a testament to the family for whom it is named but to the Greek residents of the “Soo” who have left a lasting mark on the community.

The Kritselis family lived in the village of Beshinion, Greece, on the Peloponnese peninsula. Four brothers from the family came to live in Sault Ste. Marie. The first was Andrew (Andreas), who came in 1906 after stopping first in New York. He found work at the tannery in Sault Ste. Marie. He sponsored for his brothers Frank (Fitos), Nicolas and George to follow him in 1907. They all worked at the tannery where they saved money to start their own businesses and buy land. Andrew opened a confectionary on Portage with James Nanos. Just down the street, Frank opened the Central Ice Cream Parlor with George Poulos.

By 1920, the brothers had made enough money to purchase land next to the bank on the corner of Ashmun and Portage, and built the Kritselis Building. In it they opened a joint venture, Alpha of Sweets, a confectionary, café and soda fountain. Andrew eventually left to open the Spruce Inn on Ashmun St. The families were a central part of the “Soo’s” growing Greek community, which had raised enough funds to open the town’s first Greek Orthodox Church.

During WWII, there were over 15,000 soldiers in the Sault Ste. Marie area and the demand for beer and food was much greater than for sugary sweets. At this time the establishment became the Alpha Bar, which it is still called today. In the early 1960s, Frank’s son William  bought the bar from his dad and continued the family tradition. In turn William’s sons, Stathi and Frank, bought the business from their dad in 1992 and still run it today. Their mother still owns the building and they pay her rent for the space.

Several years before, William had purchased the building next to the Kritselis Building and leased it out to many different enterprises. It was the home to a radio station at one time and at another a barbershop. Later it became a pizzeria and then an Italian restaurant. In 1998, Stathi and his wife Jennifer decided to open Zorba’s, a restaurant featuring Greek dishes and pizza. The restaurant has been an enormous success. It fills a void in the Soo’s dining scene and is a popular stop for visitors to the community.