Los Angeles
County
Biographies
FRANK CLARO
The
personable young proprietor of Claro’s Italian Market at 1003 East Valley
Boulevard in San Gabriel, has been in business at that location for fourteen
years, since he was a senior in high school, first with his father, and as sole
owner of the market for the past four years.
In 1960 Frank Claro opened another store on Glendora Avenue in West
Covina. As the proprietor of the oldest
and largest Italian market in the San Gabriel area, Mr. Claro is very
enthusiastic about the specialties he handles, especially his cheeses, for
which he has facilities to store and cure from ten to fifteen thousand pounds
of cheese at one time. His Provolone
cheeses are the largest in the world; many of these take two years to
cure. Claro’s Italian Market also
features the largest Mortedella bolognas in the world, from two hundred
seventy-five to three hundred pounds each.
Mr. Claro also handles some of Italy’s finest wines, these also in unusually
large sizes. A truly distinctive market,
with many unusual items on display, Claro’s has enjoyed tremendous growth,
drawing trade from a wide area because of its variety of foods--the unusual and
the usual, in addition to a complete line of meats.
The
son of Joseph Claro, the founder of the business, a native of Bari, Italy, and
Mary (Carno) Claro, of Ohio, Frank Claro was born on
January 27, 1930, in Gardena, California.
He has one brother living in Alhambra, and a sister in Upland. Mr. Claro received his elementary education
at All Souls Catholic School in Alhambra, and attended Alhambra High School for
two years, graduating from La Puente High School in 1948.
Mr.
Claro was Worthy Venerable from 1956 to 1960, of the Order of Sons of Italy in
America, San Gabriel Valley Chapter Number 2056, of which he and his father are
charter members. His religious
affiliation is with St. Martha’s Catholic Church in La Puente.
On
June 26, 1949, Mr. Claro was married to the former Miss Geraldine Kramer of Los
Angeles at St. Joseph’s Church in La Puente.
Mrs. Claro works at the store full time; she is also a member of the
Sons of Italy, and is a member of the Community Club in Walnut. The Claro’s are the parents of three
children: Rosemarie, Mary Linda, and Joseph
Frank, who attend Walnut Elementary School and are all A
students.
Mr.
Claro is an avid coin collector and a past member of the Orange County Coin
Collectors. He is starting a collection
of coins from all the Missions of California.
He also enjoys bowling, woodworking, and photography.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 542-543, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES