A much-loved owner of an iconic milk bar enjoyed by generations of Australians has been remembered as one in a million.
Salami Abounajm, also known as Sam or ‘Amigo’, 71, died earlier this month after 25 years of serving customers at the Red Robin Milk Bar in Mount Evelyn, in Melbourne’s east.
In 1999 he opened the general store, which was famous in the community for its wide range of candies and Mr. Abounajm’s kind nature.
Her children confirmed the sad news on the milk bar’s Facebook page last Friday, sparking an outpouring of tributes and plans to keep the milk bar open in her honour.
Past and present customers recalled returning to the store just to see Mr. Abounajm because of his kind and friendly nature.
Local federal deputy Aaron Violi headed the messages of condolence that flooded the mail.
“Sam will be greatly missed by the entire community. My kids loved nothing more than stopping by the ‘candy store’ after school and chatting with Sam,” Violi wrote.
Others remembered Mr. Abounajm as “one in a million” who touched the lives of countless people with genuine compassion and kindness.
Tributes have poured in for the much-loved owner of the Red Robin Milk Bar in Mount Evelyn, Salami Abounajm (pictured), after he passed away aged 71 on August 12.
Others remembered Mr. Abounajm as “one in a million” who touched the lives of countless people with genuine compassion and kindness.
“This world is full of people making a real impact, a real difference, and at Mt Evelyn, Sam was our little bit of kindness,” wrote one.
“He has been a treasured icon, the sweetness of everyday life for many people, across generations, and he will be deeply missed.”
A second said they had never “imagined a world without Amigo… (who) loved his family and community like nothing I’d ever seen.”
“We were never ‘clients,’ we were family,” they wrote.
‘Walking into a candy store is like walking into your favorite parents’ or grandparents’ house in search of comfort.’
Mr. Abounajm opened the milk bar in 1999 and, thanks to his friendly and welcoming nature, helped the shop grow to become a staple for generations of locals.
A third remembered Mr Abounajm as a “very strange” person and one of his family’s first friends after moving to Mount Evelyn.
“He was there for all of our kids’ birthdays with a huge lollipop and bags of lollipops for the kids’ parties, always genuinely interested in how the family was doing and always smiling,” she wrote.
“We moved out of the area a while ago, but he still stopped by for a chat whenever we saw him around.”
TO GoFundMe A campaign has been launched for Mr Abounajm’s family to help pay for funeral expenses and keep the milk bar open in his honour.
Locals have left dozens of bouquets of flowers outside the shop (pictured) in the week since his passing to honour the kind shop owner who treated customers more like family.
More than $20,000 has been raised in a matter of days.
“Amigo has warmed and sweetened the hearts of people of all generations in our community and has shown incredible generosity,” local Dan Hickingbottom wrote on the page.
‘He was an icon of our community and served Mt Evelyn for decades.’
In the days since her death, bouquets of flowers and messages of support have also been left at the door of the milk bar.
His funeral was held on Sunday.
