Albury's Abikhair store on the Border
When the Abikhair store was closing in the mid 1990's we were fortunate enough to acquire the complete merchandise and stock from this iconic Albury store for the collection. This included original merchandise and advertising material from previous decades, especially the 1950's.
The store owners and operators; Saad and Betro Abikhair immigrated from Mount Lebanon and opened their Swift Street store in Albury in 1928 after arriving in 1895 as hawkers from Melbourne. At first, Abikhair relied on Melbourne manufacturers and wholesalers but eventually began importing and supplying goods himself.
This collection celebrates Albury's own version of the 1950's beauty myth. Stylised 1950's women promote toiletries, women's garments and hats yet to be decorated are showcased and of course the women's underwear display all add to demonstrate the context of the 1950's woman and the society they lived in.
View images from AlburyCity's Collection of the Abikhair Collectionhere