In 1936 Albert Zakem and his family left St. Paul, Quebec for Charlottetown, P.E.I. because Albert's wife had a sister living there and she wanted to be closer to her. On September 8, 1936 on the corner of Weymouth Street and Grafton Street in Charlottetown, Albert Zakem opened his store. The store became famous for staying open late and for some of the rare items they carried. Over time Zakem's became a mainstay in Charlottetown and most of the family members were involved in the store. Albert's son Frank who later became mayor of Charlottetown, was remembered by most of his customers as the little boy who did deliveries on his bike. This was a factor in Frank's election as mayor.
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