Melbourne community in mourning as Red Robin Milk Bar owner Salami Abounajm dies

A beloved owner of an iconic milk bar enjoyed by generations of Australians is being 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 Red Robin Milk Bar in Mount Evelyn in Melbourne’s east.

In 1999, he opened the shop, which was known in the community for its wide range of sweets and the friendly nature of Mr. Abounajm.

His children confirmed the sad news on the milk bar’s Facebook page last Friday, prompting an outpouring of tributes and plans to keep the milk bar open in his honour.

Customers past and present reminisced about the store, when they would return just to see Mr. Abounajm, because of his friendly and kind nature.

Local federal MP Aaron Violi led the condolence messages that flooded the post.

“Sam will be greatly missed by the entire community. My children loved stopping by the ‘Lolly Shop’ after school and chatting with Sam,” Mr. Violi wrote.

Others remembered Mr Abounajm as “one in a million,” who touched the lives of countless people with genuine compassion and kindness.

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 who make a real impact, a real difference. And in Mt Evelyn, Sam was our spark of goodness,” one person wrote.

“He was a beloved icon, a source of sweetness in the days of many people – for generations – and he will be greatly missed.”

A second said they ‘couldn’t have imagined a world without Amigo… (who) loved his family and community like I had never seen before’.

“We were never ‘customers,’ we were family,” they wrote.

“When you walk into the candy store, it’s like walking into your favorite parent or grandparents’ house for comfort.”

Mr. Abounajm opened the milk bar in 1999 and his friendly and welcoming nature has ensured that the shop has become a household name for generations of locals.

A third remembered Mr Abounajm as a “very rare” person and one of her family’s first friends after moving to Mount Evelyn.

“He was there at all our children’s birthdays with a big lollipop and candy bags for the children’s parties. He was always genuinely interested in how the family was doing and always had a smile on his face,” she wrote.

‘We moved away from the area a while ago, but he still came by for a chat when we saw him.’

A GoFundMe was established to help Mr Abounajm’s family pay for funeral expenses and to keep the milk bar open in his honour.

Locals have left dozens of bouquets of flowers on the store’s doorstep in the week following his death (see photo) to honor the kindly store owner who treated his customers more like family

Within a few days, more than $20,000 has been raised.

“Amigo has warmed and pleased the hearts of people of all generations in our community and has shown incredible generosity,” local resident Dan Hickingbottom wrote on the page.

“He was an icon of our community and dedicated decades to Mt Evelyn.”

Since his passing, bouquets of flowers and messages of support have also been left on the sidewalk outside the milk bar.

His funeral took place on Sunday.