Walter Finch
GIBRALTAR property mogul and entrepreneur Abraham ‘Abe’ Massías, the visionary behind some of the Rock’s most iconic developments, passed away on January 28 at the age of 88.
Born into humble beginnings in 1936 to a Hebrew family whose Gibraltar roots stretch back to 1713, Massías rose from sharing a cramped bedroom with three others to become one of Gibraltar’s most successful businessmen.
His impressive portfolio includes the development of the ICC shopping centre in Gibraltar’s urban core, the Both Worlds apartment complex, and perhaps most notably, bringing the Eroski supermarket chain to Gibraltar – now boasting five locations across the territory.
The story of Gibraltar’s first Eroski supermarket perfectly encapsulates Massías’s business approach. After legal issues prevented his original plans for a hotel near the airport, he pivoted to the idea of a supermarket – despite never having set foot in one himself.
His son Solomon recounts how his father simply flew to London, visited a couple of supermarkets to understand their operation, and declared ‘let’s build one.’
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Despite failing his secondary school exams, Massías’s determination led him to pass four A-levels in just one year, earning a government scholarship to study Engineering in London.
During his studies, he worked as a porter at Victoria Station to supplement his scholarship, which barely covered his rent.
His engineering expertise later took him to Spain, where he worked on dams in Pontevedra and cooling towers in the north – structures that reportedly still stand today while others from the same era have crumbled.
Known for his analytical mind and impulsive nature, Massías was equally renowned for his generous spirit, particularly towards the Moroccan workers who arrived in Gibraltar following Franco’s border closure in 1969.
He also donated 8,200 square meters of land in La Línea for a school project, though he preferred to keep such philanthropic gestures anonymous.
A proud Sephardic Jew, Massías maintained a peculiar connection to Sevilla FC, believing his ‘ancient soul’ had lived in Sevilla during the Inquisition.
This spiritual connection drew him repeatedly to the Andalusian capital.
Massías is survived by his wife, who family members credit as the stabilising force behind his success, six children, and 24 grandchildren.
His son Solomon also highlighted the important role of Manuel, his father’s caregiver for the last eight years, who was both ‘brother and partner in crime during the good times.’
From humble beginnings to becoming one of Gibraltar’s most influential developers, Abe Massías’s legacy lives on through his developments that have shaped modern Gibraltar, his philanthropic contributions, and most importantly, according to his family, through his extensive lineage of six children and twenty-four grandchildren.
