Alfred
Kouris was born in July 1927 at Halepa, in the Chania district of Crete,
Greece
.
His
father Paul Kouris,was born in the
island
of
Kefalonia
.Greece in 1900 and worked for the National Bank of
Greece
in Chania. His father was a High Court Judge. Paul in Chania met
Antigone -the daughter of the local magistrate George Polioudakis from
Sphakia fell both in love and decided to get married in 1922. They
stayed in
Crete
until 1932. Then Alfredos' Father was posted by the National Bank in
Peloponisos and finally in 1938 Paul's and Antigone's Kouris family
moved to
Athens
.
Alfred
-( called Alfredos in Greek) - his sister Thalia (a famous actress in
the '40s in the Greek Drama Theatre, was also born in Chania in 1924 and
youngest brother George was born also in Agios Nikolaos of Crete in
1932. Alfredos finished his Secondary Education in
Athens
and Political Siences in "
Panteio
University
", completed his two years national service in the Greek army and
married on
the 6th of January 1954
Euthymia loannidou, who was born in
Athens
.
On
the 14th of April 1955
their son Paul was born in a clinic in "Monastiraki" of
Athens
. Although Alfred was well educated, he could not get a job in the Navy
and/or the Greek Foreign Office and decided to start a shirt
manufacturing business with his wife under the name of "FAVORY
SHIRTS". Neddless to say that the competition was so hard.that in
February 1956, Alfred and Euthymia (Mitsi) decided to immigrate to
Australia
. They departed with the vessel "KYREINIA". On the 16th of
March 1956 they arrived in Melbourne and two days after, they started
work at "Pelaco Factory" in Richmond, cutting and making
shirts!.. Within six months they bought their own brand new house in
Glenroy - on terms-, their own car - a little Morris miner - and started
their own business: "The Hellas Professional Training School for
Clothing Machinists" in the corner of Elizabeth St. & Lonsdale
St. in a three storey old city building, where today is Myer
Emporium!...
In
1958 they moved the
Hellas
School
to
343 Elizabeth St.
(corner
Latrobe St.
) 1st floor building, which was situated next to the ANZ Bank and
started also another business under the name "Primo Clothing Pty
Ltd" and did very well. In 1960 they brought over their mother from
overseas and in 1961 also his brother George Kouris, with his wife Helen
and one year old son Paul - from Greece - and made him equal partner in
"Primo Clothing" making jerkins, waistcoats and casual wear.
The said business were growing rapidly until 1964 when the economy
started to go down the drain and manufacturing was not anymore
profitable.
Alfred
and George decided at this stage to start retailing business. They rent
the shop at
246 Swanston St.
in the city next to Stanley Young (Giannopoulos) in 1964, giving in
their new venture the name 'ALFREDOS' MENSWEAR Pty Ltd".
By
1967 the retailing business were doing very well and the Kouris Bros
decided to open a second shop in the golden corner of Foys Ltd, Swanston
& Bourke St. No 263 giving the name 'ALFREDOS'ofBourkeSt. Pty
Ltd".
In
1968, almost next and opposite "Peter Jackson's "famous two
shops, the Kouris Brothers opened in 443 Bourke st. a third "Alfredos'
Menswear shop " and a fourth " Alfredos' Dollies
Boutique", and in 1969 a fifth "Alfredos' Menswear Shop"
and a sixth "Alfredos' Dollies Boutique "in the City's newly
opened at thattime Mid-City Arcade.
Alfredo
Kouris as founder and Director of "Alfredo's Mens & Ladies
Wear", was by then well known and early in1969 he was visited on
behalf of the "Victorian Retailers Association" by Mr Redfern,
Managing Director of Buckley Ltd (now David Jones Ltd) and asked him to
join the governing board of the Association, which was run at that time
by the owners and Directors of Melbourne's biggest Stores and
Supermarkets.
That
is how Alfredos started his colourful career accross five
decades,
making an extraordinary contribution to the Victorian community's
understanding of what it is like to come from a distant land and make
Australia
home.
Soon
he became a Greek Community Leader, well known businessman, politician,
journalist and publisher. He was not only lived the life of the migrant,
but delved into its psyche, extrolled its virtue,and worked diligently
to generate acceptance. Along the way, he sparked reforms that have
re-shaped the way Victorians go about their daily lives. Inspired by his
Greek upbringing, Alfredo Kouris gave Melbourne "Late-Night
Shopping" with his campaign in the 1969-1970, as founder and
Chairman of "Make Melbourne Brighter Committee",
revolutionising retail business, in the process of which, he was
arrested and fined !
In
the early 1980s, Mr Kouris pushed for the end of archaic drinking laws
with his same "Make Melbourne Brighter Committee" which was
reorganised by him with new young members, lawyers, journalists and
shopkeepers and others of course with vision, leading to the
sophisticated European style we now enjoy Alfredo Kouris, as a Publisher
and Editor of "PYRSOS",the "New Torch Greek
Newspaper" and the "Omoyeneia" Greek Magazine, from July,
1985 until April, 1993, he worked hard to induce the Greek Migrants in
particular and all migrants in general to stand in Local, State and
Federal Government elections with the catchcry of a " FAIR GO
" for migrants , and to be an example he stood himself as an
independent candidate in Victoria, in the Senate Elections in 1970, in
the Melbourne City Council Elections in 1972,1973 and 1974 and in the
State Elections in 1976 as the Endorsed Liberal Candidate in Brunswick.
Alfredo
Kouris views on prejudice, regularly made headlines, and he was involved
in many complex political, social and religious issues that the
community at large faced-discussed and resolved. He was respected for
his leadership, vision and determination to find a solution best for
all, as President of the "Greek Orthodox Community of Mentone
& District "from 1962-1989, as a foundation member of HACCI in
1984 and Vice-President in 1990-1992, and a Vice-President of the
"Victorian Federation of Greek Communities " in 1987-1989, and
Member of the "Festival Antipodes Executive Committee" in
1988-89. Also as regular member of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melb.
& Vie from 1958 until now and elected member of the Executive
Committee of the said Community from 1991-1992.
His
understanding of the migrant experience is encapsulated in the title of
his book
based on his
life:
"MIGRANT-The
Blessing & Misfortune of Loving Two Countries." It honours the
millions who left their homeland and settled in not only
Australia
, but around the world, It highlights their challenges, joys. and
sorrows, but, importantly, the remarkable contribution they've made to
the growth and change of their adoptive countries.
The
release of his memoirs brought world-wide recognition. He is listed in
"Who's Who" in The 21st Century" published by "The
Cambridge Biographical Centre in
England
, and his book is available in 250 American, European and Australian
University Libraries, 500 Greek & Australian State Libraries and 200
Australian
Schools
with "Languages Other Than English -LOTE" programs.
His
research inspired him to urge for a national "Migrants Day "as
First Class Citizens of the World, and upgrade recognition of the
significance of the pivotal World War 2 Battle of Crete, which saw
Greeks and British, Australians & New-Zealanders fighting side-by
side for Freedom, Justice and Democracy.
Alfredo
Kouris, 77 has received numerous honours for his endeavours promoting
community harmony, including the Gold Cross presented to him by
Archibishop lezekiel in recognition for services to the Orthodox Church,
and Life Membership of La Trobe University's National Centre for
Hellenic Studies and Research, where he has also been allocated a room
to display his very valuable archive materials. He is also elected Life
Governor of "FRONTIDA CARE Inc."
"Neos
Kosmos" in its English Edition on Monday, 15th of December
published an article entitled:
"Prominent
Greek Honoured", with the following comments: ALFREDO KOURIS has
never been one to let things slide. He has always believed that if you
want something bad enough then you have to work hard to get it. And so
he worked hard on fighting for migrant rights and the rights of all
Melbournias. He was even jailed once in 1970, because he believed
campaigning for late-night trading was a cause worth fighting for.
As
the founder of Alfredo' s Menswear, Kouris saw a niche for late night
trading and launched a campaign to have opening hours extended to
9 pm.
"I wanted to bring
Melbourne
alive and I knew late-night trading would help do that," he said .
"I couldn't understand why the city should die every evening "
By defying the State Government and opening his six menswear stores past
5.30 pm
, he was arrested and fined $ 8.000. One week later, the law was changed
and stores could now be open until
9pm
.
He
was recently honoured, by receiving an award at
Victoria
's Award for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs. "I always felt
that I head to prove myself worthy of being considered a first -class
citizen in
Australia
," said Kouris. "I started to say to migrants that we should
prove ourselves by doing something good for our new country." In
early 2004, Mr Kouris and wife Mitsi, who have three children and five
grandchildren, celebrate not only 50 years of marriage, but of being a
fine example of a young couple coming to Australia with little more than
a suit-case of dreams and making a wonderful success of the migrant
experience.
In
this photo Alfredos
Kouris
receives his award from the Governor of Victoria, His Excellency John
Landy, AC, MBE, at Government House on
Wednesday 10 December, 2003
.