Grey Investment Group
|
Formerly called
|
The British Club Aggie Grey's Hotel |
|---|---|
| Private | |
| Industry | Tourism |
| Founded | 1933 in Apia, Samoa |
| Founder | Aggie Grey |
| Headquarters | New Aggie Grey's Building, Main Beach Road, Apia, Samoa |
|
Area served
|
Samoa, French Polynesia |
|
Key people
|
La’auli Alan Grey (Chairman) |
| Services | Resorts |
| Owners | Fredrick Alan Grey (50%) Tanya Kathleen Grey (50%) |
| Subsidiaries |
National Bank of Samoa Virgin Samoa |
Grey Investment Group is a private Samoan tourism company that has assets throughout the Pacific. Grey is a dominant company in the Samoan investment market. Some assets are jointly-held with the Government of Samoa; for example, the investments in Virgin Samoa are jointly-held with the Government as co-shareholders.
Grey Investment Group dates back to 1919 when Aggie Grey opened the Cosmopolitan Club in Apia. In 1933 Aggie Grey purchased The British Club using a £200 loan she had received from a close friend. After the purchase 'Aggie's' ; as her businesses were known to be called, ventured into illegal alcohol trading during the Samoan Prohibition on Alcohol by purchasing alcohol from ships passing through Samoa and selling it on to those who enquired. It is commonly believed that Aggie's was not a proper business until the American Forces entered into Apia in 1943 for use as a naval port, when Aggie and the Grey family started selling burgers and coffee for the American soldiers. During this time she also operated sandwich carts throughout Apia. It was said that Marlon Brando was a regular at the Hotel when in Samoa.
Aggie's was the set and accommodation for cast and crew for the film “Return to Paradise.” Aggie was personally behind the scenes and personally supervised the production of the film. Her hotel was the accommodation and management base for the entire film crew; and day by day, she led the catering unit on location in Lefaga.
In 1957 Aggie, who wished to retire, sought for the LDS Church to purchase the property off her. However, she later changed her mind so she could leave a legacy for her children.
When Cyclone Evan hit Samoa between December 11 and December 15 in 2012, Aggie Greys Hotel was badly damaged and closed for more than 3 years. During the closure, all 300 staff members were employed within other parts of the company, such as, the Apia Bottling, the countless acres of Farmland, Scenic Tours, or the Resort. The family used insurance money as well as money granted by the Central Bank of Samoa and Developmental Bank of Samoa to re-build the hotel.
In August 2013, it was reported that upon re-opening Starwood Hotels & Resorts subsidiary Sheraton Hotels and Resorts would assume the management role for the hotels. The hotels however would remain under the ownership of the Grey Investment Group.
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Wikipedia