Abinante and Nola

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Summary
Business

Dried Fruit Packer
Main Location

San Jose
Active

1935-late 1960's

Abinante and Nola was a small independent dried fruit packer in San Jose. Abinante and Nola appeared just after the crash of the early 1930's. Sam Abinante, a former California Packing Corporation buyer, handled the business side, and Frank Nola handled the production side.

Abinante and Nola switched between several packing houses in the Santa Clara Valley during their lifetime, often taking over properties either from packers that were going under or needed more space. The company initially started packing in a barn on the Nola property in the Berryessa district, but quickly moved to the former West Side co-operative site on Stevens Creek Road. That plant burned to the ground in 1940[1].

The company next occupied a building on the north side of the San Jose yards along Ryland Street, purchasing the building in 1944[2]. The company also did foundation work that year and added a new canopy over the loading dock in 1949. The Ryland Street address was also the official business address; a lease of another property indicated rent was to be paid at the office on Ryland St.

The company also occupied multiple buildings on San Jose's west side. Abinante and Nola purchased 385 Sunol Street from the Western Pacific Railroad in 1945, and leased the building soon after to Drenton Packing[3] Abinante and Nola also occupied the former Pacific Fruit Products packing house at 740 West San Carlos Street.

See a full history of Abinante and Nola.

In 1962, Abinante and Nola's workers, like the other dried fruit packers in San Jose, were represented by the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen Union[4]. Abinante and Nola relocated to Fairfield in the late 1960's.

Locations

Location Years Address Details
San Jose, CA 1934-1940 4747 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose Near Woodhams Road. Former West Side co-op.
San Jose, CA 1944-1949 200 Ryland Street Former Inderrieden plant.
San Jose, CA 1946-1948 385 Sunol Street Canning plant. Sold to Drenton.
San Jose, CA 1949-1950 740 West San Carlos Street Former Pacific Fruit Products.
San Jose, CA 1950-1966 831 Sunol Street From Track and Time. Former Mayfair Packing plant according to Sanborn maps.
San Jose, CA 1964 991 Sunol Street

References

  1. May 19, 1940 according to May 20, 1940 San Jose Evening News
  2. Bought 5/12/1944 from SP for $10, deed in book 1212 pg 80 of Santa Clara County Clerk/Recorder, agreed by SP 12/28/1943).
  3. Bought from WP 6/29/1945 for $10. Leased to Drenton Packing 12/31/1945, book 1401, pg 353, December 31, 1946. Lease cancelled 6/19/1948.
  4. "Buy Union Says San Jose Local #11" August 10, 1962 ILWU Dispatcher.