16 April 24-April 30, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | MY OH MILAM’S! Miami’s family-run gro- cer has served the Magic City for four decades. BY MICHELLE MUSLERA I n a city where supermarket chains pri- oritize efficiency over personal connec- tion, Milam’s Markets has spent four decades doing the opposite. Founded in 1984, the family-owned grocery store, now operating six locations across Miami- Dade, is a rare breed in an industry domi- nated by big-box retailers and delivery services. But Milam’s success isn’t just about selling groceries — it’s about building relationships. The company has managed to hold onto its identity as a local, family-run business while adapting to a rapidly evolving market. So what’s their secret? It’s a mix of old-school values, smart business decisions, and a will- ingness to evolve without losing sight of what made them successful in the first place. Milam’s Markets may be a Miami staple, but its roots go all the way back to 1930s Mis- sissippi, where Michael Gunner ran a Farm and Implement store in Tupelo — a key spot for locals to buy their groceries. His daughter Joan married Thomas “Pop” Milam, a WWII Air Corps flight officer who later built a ca- reer in the grocery industry. After working for a major food distributor for years, Pop and his son Max decided to go into business for themselves. In 1984, they opened the first Mi- lam’s Market at the corner of Red Road and Bird Road in Miami. From the start, their philosophy was sim- ple: treat customers like family. It wasn’t about gimmicks or corporate strategies — it was about creating a store where people felt welcome. That focus on community has re- mained central to Milam’s Markets even as it has expanded across Miami-Dade. Nearly 40 years on, Milam’s Markets is still family-run, with 12 family members ac- tively involved in the business. But staying in- dependent in an industry where grocery giants rule is no small feat. “We compete against the big chains by fo- cusing on things they can’t replicate: cus- tomer service, a welcoming atmosphere, and quality products that we personally believe in,” says Kristie Milam, chief marketing offi- cer and director of real estate. The difference is something regulars pick up on immediately. Walk into any Milam’s lo- cation, and you’ll see employees greeting cus- tomers by name. Need a product they don’t carry? They’ll do their best to order it. That personal touch has built a loyal customer base that big chains struggle to replicate. One of the main reasons Milam’s has stayed relevant is that it knows its audience. While national chains stock their shelves based on corporate buying strategies, Milam’s curates its selection with Miami customers in mind. That means an emphasis on Latin American, Caribbean, and European ingredi- ents, a robust kosher section, and a selection of specialty products that reflect the city’s di- versity. “We listen to our customers,” Kristie says. “If people want more of a certain product, we try to get it. If there’s a local vendor making something great, we want to support them.” At Milam’s, this isn’t just talk — it’s a sys- tem. Every single customer request for a new product goes directly to Kristie’s dad, Max Milam, who personally reviews each one and does everything in his power to get it on the shelves. And when he succeeds, he takes it a step further: he personally contacts the cus- tomer to let them know their requested item is available. In the past year alone, this dedi- cation has led to the addition of 800 to 1,000 new products, each driven by real customer demand. Milam’s also keeps up with viral food trends, making sure customers can get their hands on the latest must-try items. “If there’s ever an item on TikTok, we’ll try to get it,” Kristie says. One recent example is Fruit Riot, a brand known for its sugar-coated frozen grapes, which gained popularity on- line. Another is Coconut Cult Yogurt, a probi- otic-rich, small-batch yogurt that customers started requesting after it made waves on so- cial media. “We didn’t even realize at first that these were trending online — we just kept see- ing requests for them,” Kristie says. “Once we got them in, they flew off the shelves.” The team’s hyper-local approach extends beyond just knowing what customers want — it’s about actively bringing in prod- ucts from the community. Milam’s has built relation- ships with local farmers and small vendors, giving them valuable shelf space in a way that big-box retailers often don’t. “For a lot of these small businesses, getting into a major chain is nearly im- possible,” Kristie explains. “The barriers are high — strict contracts, high fees, and minimum order quanti- ties that most small vendors just can’t meet. At Milam’s, we make it easy for them to get started and grow.” Thanks to this philoso- phy, shoppers can find items like Big Mama’s Dressing, a small-batch, locally made salad dressing, and Aroa Yo- gurt, an artisanal brand that might have other- wise struggled to get shelf space. By making room for local products, Milam’s not only of- fers customers high-quality, unique finds but also helps small entrepreneurs thrive in a highly competitive industry. But it’s not just customers who stick around — many of Milam’s employees have been with the company for decades, some since the very first store opened in 1984. “Our employees aren’t just numbers. We know them personally,” Kristie says. “We talk to them, we share stories, and we’re just really blessed to have such an amazing group of people who choose to work with us because we know they have so many other options.” At the original Red Road location, several em- ployees have been there for 40 years, forming close bonds not just with the Milam family but also with the customers they see every day. “For some, their coworkers and the cus- tomers are their friends — it’s their commu- nity,” Kristie explains. Some employees, including retirees, work at Milam’s not just for a paycheck but because they enjoy being part of something, staying active, and con- necting with people. It’s that sense of belong- ing — of being part of a tight-knit team — that has kept so many employees around for the long haul, making Milam’s feel like more than just a grocery store. As Milam’s enters its fifth decade, the fam- ily has no plans to slow down. While they are open to expanding if the right opportunity presents itself, their main focus is on improv- ing existing stores. That means refining their product selection, enhancing services, and continuing to put customers first. So what’s the biggest challenge ahead? “Staying true to who we are while continuing to grow,” Kris- tie says. “It’s easy to get caught up in trends, but at the end of the day, people come to Milam’s because they know us. They trust us.” That trust, built over decades of family-run service, is what sets Milam’s Markets apart. And as Miami continues to change, one thing seems certain: Milam’s isn’t going anywhere. [email protected] ▼ Cafe Milam’s Markets photo Milam’s Markets photo In 1984, the first Milam’s Market opened at the corner of Red Road and Bird Road in Miami, which is now the Red Bird Shopping Center. Many Milam’s Markets employees have worked for the company since 1984.
