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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami Area GROCERY STORES and Food Markets Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1964 - Grand Union supermarket (former Stevens) at 11301 South Dixie Highway, Miami
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1964

1964 - Grand Union supermarket (former Stevens) at 11301 South Dixie Highway, Miami

Dade County, Florida


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Andy1953 werner 10-Feb-2017 20:12
I meant the Old Stevens store on Dixie Hwy
Andy1953 werner 10-Feb-2017 20:11
Larry I stand corrected. I transferred to the Store on Red Road from the one on eighth,District manager was Mr Cobb.
Larry 21-Jan-2017 07:01
You are wrong, It was the store on US1 and Red Road.
I was there as a produce manager at the time.
Andy Werner 01-Jun-2014 04:07
Alan, Bob Toltz then transferred to the Grand Union on 61st and eight st. I closed this store down in 1974 after a cashier and check clerk Peter Hilton was shot to death as he was running his register, my first night there as an assistant manager. I decided retail was not for me and went to pursue my college career at Florida.
Michael 16-Jul-2009 19:09
Without question, Suniland is the greatest shopping center on South Dixie Highway of all time. It was the greatest back then, and it remains the greatest today!
Guest 30-Oct-2008 05:50
Egads, I wasn’t actually looking for this picture, but darned if I didn’t find it anyway! This Grand Union is where I also had my first job in the 11th grade, I believe. It was in 1961-62. I first began bagging groceries and later worked in the produce dept where every Saturday night I had to hose and clean out the gacky produce bins mostly by myself and stay past 9:30pm while all my friends were out having fun. (Saturday night was clean-up time as groceries stores were closed on Sundays back then.) Mostly for this reason, I began to hate the job. I didn’t make much, and I did not get tips anymore when working in the produce department. I probably made less than a $1.00/hour back then. Fortunately, (unlike some of the folks below) I don’t remember any of the managers’ names or who my fellow employees were; totally suppressed my memory on those points.

Beyond the Grand Union, I have fonder memories of other parts of Suniland Shopping Center. I, too, got my hair cut at Pete’s where haircuts cost $1.75. I preferred that Morris would cut my hair and waited my turn for him. (I can’t believe I remembered his name!) He was a kind old guy who gave a nice haircut.

I would often hang out after school at Palmetto High and miss the school bus,. So I would have to walk the 3/4 of a mile from Palmetto up to Suniland, cross US 1, and hitchhike west three miles down 112th to get home. So, Suniland was a place to fuel-up on snacks and such before heading the rest of the way home. Do you folks remember Grable’s Bakery near Senn’s? They had unbelievably great and huge chocolate éclairs for 35 cents!

I’d stop in at Senn’s 5 & 10 and buy another pocket comb for 10 cents, because I had lost my 27th comb of the year. Sometimes in the evenings my mom would take my brothers and me to eat at the Suniland Luncheonette for dinner if our dad would be home late. I ate my share of open-faced hot turkey sandwiches in there. The waitresses knew us all by name.

The owner of Suniland Jewelers, Harold Wikel, befriended me when I would stop in often to look at a silver initial ring I wanted so badly. He later became a family friend, and my mom ended up working there for a few years. In the mid 60’s she opened her own flower shop, Charlotte’s Flowers, in Suniland in the new part added on the north end of the shopping center next to –- Grand Union!

In the summer after my senior year, I got a job bussing at Shorty’s BBQ; up a few miles on US 1. What a rat hole that was. It was the dirtiest kitchen I ever saw, and I swore off eating in the place ever again –- except about 20 years later when during a trip back home, I just HAD to have another pork sandwich. Actually, they really did have the best-tasting BBQ in town!

Finally, during my first year at MDCC, I got a job in the new Suniland Theater and worked for Gus Kavouris – a nice middle-age greek guy who was blind as a bat and had to put his face right down to the paper to see what he was reading or writing. (I used to think it was funny back then, until the same sort of thing has happened to me the past decade!) A few months after I began working at the theater, a pretty girl named Karen started to work there, too, and it took a few times of me asking, but she finally went out with me. She also ended up marrying me a few years later and we created a great daughter!

OK, this story could go on forever, but you get the idea, I have LOTS of memories surrounding this picture of the “Grand Onion” grocery store in Suniland.

Best Regards to all who read this,

Mike Antonucci PHS ’63 (who now lives 3500 miles away from Suniland in WA State!)
Guest 29-Apr-2008 01:13
The clothing sore was Heritage House.
Guest 21-Apr-2008 04:13
I don't know if this was ever a Steven's, but I shopped here many times in the 1960's when it was Grand Union. Two of my friends were bag boys there...Kermit Weeks and Mark Morris, both graduates of Miami-Palmetto HS. The 5 & 10 nearby was called Senn's 5 & 10. It closed 10 or so years ago. When I was a youngster, my best friend's brother was a bus boy at The Flame !! Anyone remember the name of that men's clothing store near The Flame ? It was there for years....it was something-or-other-"House", I think...I used to get my hair cut at Pete's Barber Shop. The one with the 6-man bicycle out front. Pete's is still there, but they're now behind the Starbuck's coffee shop. Lefty STILL cuts hair there, he's been there since his brother bought the place from Pete in the mid-1960's. He's in his 70's now. This area is now known as Pinecrest, formerly known as Suniland, for those who may have it confused with another area. I grew up down US1 a few miles, in an area they called "Rockdale", off Coral Reef Drive. Now it's called Palmetto Bay. I prefer Rockdale !!
Arizona Al 07-Mar-2008 16:21
I worked at this very Grand Union during my Senior Year at Palmetto High School 1963-1964. I was located almost directly between the US#1 Split in Perrine adjacent to Franjo Road. Andy Maccina was the Manager, Tom Portera was the Assistant Manager, Bob Toltz was the Produce Manager and John Truxall, Bill Ealy, David Pressler, Bill Walladyka, Brent Burnette and myself were clerks and bag boys. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona
S 06-Mar-2008 06:18
I almost certain there was never a Stevens Mkt at 113 and Dixie...see my other posts, at the other Stevens Mkt pic...My dad was on the Board of Directors of the 9 Stevens Stores, I worked at two of them, visited them all with him, as a teenager in the 60's.
There was a Stevens Mkt at 57th (Red Rd) and Dixie, in S. Miami...One out Bird Road at 87th Ave., And one in Perrine, in the "Middle Island" down there where Dixie split, N, and S lanes, at around 160th...another Stevens in the Gables, on Coral Way, just East of Miracle Mile and the "New" Sears bldg (we played in the construction site in the 50's)...It's really just a simple mistake, I'm almost certain...you probably mean the one in Perrine. Cheers, S
ENRIQUE LOPEZ 02-Mar-2008 03:53
WOW I REMEMBER THE GRAND UNION NEAR MY HOUSE IN THE CONCORD SHOPPING PLAZA. WE USE TO SHOP THERE BEFORE THE PUBLIX OPENED IN 77 NEXT DOOR AT THE WEST BIRD SHOPPING CENTER. I GUESS PUBLIX TOOK OUT THE COMPITITION.
John 24-Jan-2008 03:21
Brad, I don't remember the Hayes twins. I hung out w/ Jeff Staley for a year or so while growing up. I don't remember the Holsom train, but I remember the smell of the bakery as you entered S. Miami.
pinecrstbrad23-Jan-2008 12:01
Rode my bike here hundreds of times to the 5 & 10. John, did you know the hayes twins? my sisters. Daria Staley just sold the stationary store about a year ago. These pics are amazing. Such good mems. remember the holsom bakery trains at christmas? so cool
John 13-Jan-2008 01:12
Joanne, Yes, you are correct on the Flame restaurant. Grand Union was on the left side of "Suniland" shopping center, just across from the duck pond and to the right of 112th st if you were standing on Dixie Hwy (U.S. 1). There was also a pony rink on the far right of the shopping center, a Pizza Place, Carvel, 5 and 10 store, and a stationary type office supply shop owend by the Staley family.
jaci 07-Jan-2008 00:28
oh wow, it looks like the one hmm might be the one that was on franjo rd and us 1 i lived a few blocks away behide the bank of perrine.... wonderful memorys i just love this site thank you for sharing
gail 01-Dec-2007 07:54
Hello anyone remember Grand Union/Grand way on NW 54th street and 12th ave. I remember this in the city when I was a child. We drive from Hialeah in the 60's to this local.
Joanne 16-Aug-2007 19:38
Was this the same shopping center that had the "Flame" Restaurant and a wonderful little pizza place?
Keith 29-Jun-2007 01:39
I also worked here at Grand Union during my senior year at Killian, 1969-1970! My first job in Miami. Now I work for Prudential Florida WCI, at the other end of the same shopping center! LOL! Time flies!
Alan Ogus, Ph.D. 31-May-2007 03:47
I worked at this Grand Union during my senior high school year(1964) Andy Maccina was the Store Manager, Tom Portera was the Assistant Manager
and Bob Toltz was the Produce Manager. Other Bag Boys and Clerks included Willy Ealy, Bill Walladyka, David Pressley,John Truxall and Brent Burnette. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and Well in Phoenix, Arizona
Guest 15-May-2007 21:15
Prior to acquisition by Grand Union this store was called Steven's Market. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Miami Palmetto High Class of 1964
Guest 15-May-2007 21:13
Hello all current and past South Floridians: When I was a Senior at Miami Palmetto
Senior High School (Class of 1964) I worked as a bag boy and produce clerk at the
Steven's Market. Been a long time and many memories. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Miami Palmetto High School Class of 1964. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona 5/15/2007