Arizona original Eddie Basha dies

PHOENIX — Arizona businessman and philanthropist Eddie Basha has died at the age of 75.

Sources close to the family said Basha was taken to a hospital last week with congestive heart failure but was able to go home. He died Tuesday. The cause of death has not been released.

His family founded Bashas’ in 1910. At that time, it was a mercantile store. In 1956, the first Bashas’ grocery store opened on Seventh Avenue and Osborn Road in Phoenix.

Basha later took over the family business and grew the line of grocery stores to more than 150 locations with four well-known brands: AJ’s Fine Foods, Food City, Sportsman’s Fine Wines and Bashas’ grocery stores.

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