Business View Caribbean | Jan 2019

28 B ashco Trading Company, billed as “The Store That Gives You More” was founded about 26 years ago in Kingston, Jamaica, by Gassan Azan, its current Chairman & CEO. “There was a niche market in the wholesale business,” says Elias Azan, Director of Operations and Gassan’s cousin. “Goods were being imported from the Far East and, in the majority of cases were being sold wholesale to vendors in Jamaica.”At that time, Bashco’s travelling salesmen started selling mostly household and haberdashery wholesale goods across the country. Over the years, demand shifted from wholesale to retail and the company grew and expanded its network of stores. “The business has evolved, now, where it has moved from just one location, to where we now have 12 full-service, retail stores and three warehouses,” says Elias. In addition to its three Kingston locations, there are two Bashco outlets in the island’s second-largest city, Montego Bay, as well as in Sav-la-Mar, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, May Pen, Santa Cruz, Spanish Town, and Linstead. The company employs over 900 people. Elias believes that Bashco maintains its market lead as one of Jamaica’s top retailers for household goods, haberdashery, clothing, electronics, appliances, furniture, and more, by AT A GLANCE BASHCO TRADING COMPANY WHAT: A retail company with 12 outlets WHERE: Kingston, Jamaica WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/bashco