Ablah Hotel Supply Company

This is the location of the influential Ablah Hotel Supply Company, which was in Old Town Wichita, Kansas. The supply company was essential to the growth of the Lebanese American community, and it is an excellent example of one of the numerous Lebanese ventures in Wichita’s history. Not only was this supply company started by two first-generation Lebanese Americans (Harvey and Frank Ablah) in the 1930s, but it served as a hotspot that provided supplies like chairs and fry stations for numerous restaurants. Additionally, this company came up with the classic American “valentine diner,” a small, boxed metal diner design. These diners could be easily moved with trucks, had curbside services, and contained a small counter with stools inside for customers. The fact that two Lebanese American brothers invented these diners is incredible, especially since the “valentine diner” is commonly associated with the American Midwest in the 1950s. This invention of the diner by the Ablah Hotel Supply Company emphasizes the impact of Lebanese immigrants and decedents within the United States.

Before fully understanding the Ablah Hotel Supply Company, it is essential to comprehend the background of the Lebanese immigrants in Wichita, Kansas. As Arab immigrants moved to the United States, they brought their morals along with them, including continually sticking together, having a tight-knit family, encompassing generosity, being heavily involved within the community, and showing extreme hospitality. All these morals are still prominent today. As numerous Lebanese families became involved with entrepreneurship in Wichita, it was common that businesses would be completely family-based, including both immediate and extended family members. As these immigrants left their homes, they took advantage of the privileges of the United States and succeeded, just like Harvey and Frank’s father (Jabour Ablah).

           In the very beginning, before Ablah Hotel Supply Company existed, Jabour Ablah, from Jedeidat Marjeyoun, Lebanon (a city in Southern Lebanon), decided to leave his hometown in search of a better life. He located to Canada, got his Canadian citizenship, and then moved to Wichita, Kansas, United States. Eventually, after a couple of years of peddling and working at a feed store, Jabour decided to supply grocery stores rather than operating grocery stores, originating his company called Wholesale Grocery Company.

           As time progressed, Jabour Ablah had his two sons Hafize or Harvey Ablah and Fauzie or Frank Ablah, and they helped around the store as they grew older, which is common for Lebanese family-based businesses. Eventually, both brothers wanted to venture out of this specific wholesale grocery business to sell different cooking equipment for hotels and restaurants. The brothers then created Ablah Hotel Supply Company. After this business was started, the two sons sadly lost their father in 1932. When Jabour died, Frank and Harvey had to take control of the Wholesale Grocery Company along with their business, Ablah Hotel Supply Company. As Frank kept the accounts and books up to date, Harvey kept in touch with the community and became the salesman for the Wholesale Grocery Company. This pattern of one brother doing the books and the other being the salesman is extremely common within Lebanese family-run businesses.

           Eventually, Ablah Hotel Supply Company grew and became successful. They assisted and provided services for numerous restaurants within the Wichita, Kansas community. They even supplied booths, fry stations, and chairs for both hotels and restaurants. By the 1930s, they began to supply and build metal diners, one of the most famous products and inventions of the Ablah Hotel Supply Company. As said before, these diners were small metal boxes that were transportable with curbside pickup and a limited number of seats at the counter. The fact that two Lebanese American brothers invented this all-American model is remarkable as they are at the root of this model which is commonly associated with the 1950s. Unfortunately, as steel prices went up in World War II, they had to sell off their metal diners to Arthur Valentine, who eventually became popular for the name "valentine diner." Although this selling was not ideal, the brothers greatly influenced American culture, even if they were technically Lebanese American.

           For forty-eight years the Ablah Hotel Supply Company continued and thrived out of a location on First and Water Street in Wichita, but by 1959 the family decided to build a nine-story site on top of the previous location for the company. At this time, Don and Amil, Frank and Harvey’s sons, looked over and operated all the operations of this building. Finally, when the building was completed, Frank and Harvey decided to donate this building to the University of Wichita, tying back to the concept of true Lebanese generosity. As time progressed, Frank and Harvey Ablah grew old, which caused them to hand over their company to Don and Amil formally. The now-retired brothers kept busy with their hobbies like fishing, real estate, entrepreneurship, and investing. Eventually, both Frank and Harvey passed away, causing Don and Amil to decide that it was time Ablah Hotel Supply Company came to an end.

           Although the company is no longer here today, this is an excellent example of how the Lebanese immigrants and families truly impact the Wichita community. Through three generations of the Ablah family, they always served Wichita and the United States through entrepreneurship, especially with the invention of the “valentine diners,” a common cultural aspect of the 1950s. The Ablah Hotel Supply Company is instrumental because it is one of many examples where the Lebanese immigrants and descendants boosted the Wichita economy. It is essential to give credit to the Lebanese community’s influence on Wichita, Kansas, even if not much attention is drawn to them. Overall, Ablah Hotel Supply Company is just one example of the numerous ways the Lebanese immigrants and their posterity have positively influenced those in Wichita, Kansas, and it is instrumental that the Lebanese community gets the credit they deserve. 

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