Since the early 1930s, the Miami neighborhood of Allapattah has been recognized as a booming center for produce, wholesale markets, and textile industries. In the heart of the city, at the corner of Northwest 13th Avenue and 21st Terrace, sits a collection of warehouses better known as the Miami Produce Center.
The area is a focal point for produce distribution across the southeast United States. It is home to bodegas, docking sites, and a terminal market vital to residents of Allapattah.
Armando Angulo and his brother Claudio opened Brothers Produce Incorporated. A wholesale shop, in 1990, and have been serving the community for over 30 years.
The operation is an anchor to the neighborhood that has dedicated their efforts to creating a dedicated clientele.
“In my 30 years of service, I’ve seen Brothers Produce help so many businesses and so many people,” said Armando Angulo, co-owner of Brothers Produce Inc. “Things have changed…and we’ve continued with the same clients and even gained more.”
Brothers Produce offers imported products such as fresh Atlantic cod and dried pasilla peppers, sourced from Latin America and the Caribbean. The market was recognized as the “Best Neighborhood Wholesale” by Miami New Times in 2007.
“Inside you’ll find an accessible store with great bargains and a stupendous selection,” the newspaper wrote. “Especially good are the varieties of spices, bulk dry goods (ranging from twenty to 50 cents a pound), and exotic hot sauces and marinades.” stated the Miami New Times.
This locale, along with others in the produce center, is in the crosshairs of those hoping to build highrises and industrial projects. Some plan to tear down the shops and create residential units and hotels.
Miami Beach developer Robert Wennet purchased properties in the Miami Produce Center in 2016, planning to convert the warehouses into multi-complex buildings spanning over eight acres. The last public meeting to discuss the remodeling proceedings was held in 2019, with developer Wennet and his business partners present.
Although there have been no further updates on the remodeling plans, business owners like Angulo have already felt the impact of encroaching developers.
“They opened a restaurant there, so they gave us the option to move here…well, that affected us quite a bit,” said Armando Angulo. “We lost many clients because a lot of people think we’re not active. It was like starting all over again.”
Located directly behind the Miami Produce Center, ‘Hometown Barbeque,’ a New York restaurant, opened its second location in the Allapattah neighborhood. This location is featured in the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand rating for good quality and good value cooking. The guide describes the restaurant as a “space amidst a sea of industry in the Miami Produce Center, where trucks and moving pallets roam the streets.”
Brothers Produce Inc. took a massive hit to their established clientele after being forced to relocate from the backlots—where Hometown Barbeque now resides—over six years ago. In the last couple of years, they’ve dedicated their efforts to regaining their clients and making a name for themselves amidst the relocation proceedings.
“So it would be very unfortunate to take this away, considering all the businesses here,” said Armando Angulo. “They help so many businesses and so many people. Meanwhile, we are here still fighting.”
