Milo’s Meat Market, iconic Toledo butcher shop, closes after nearly a century

TOLEDO, Ohio — After nearly a century of serving the west Toledo community, Milo’s Meat Market is closing its doors for good.

For decades, the small butcher shop at the corner of Lewis and Eleanor avenues wasn’t just a place to buy steaks and sausages — it was a neighborhood gathering spot where customers swapped recipes, shared stories and felt like family.

But on Thursday, co-owner Steve DeLand said it was time to say goodbye.

“We might have a going out of business sale, but yeah, this is the last day for all practical means,” DeLand said.

Milo’s Meat Market has been a fixture in the area since the 1930s. DeLand’s family took over the business in 1970 and kept the familiar sign above the door for 55 years. For Steve himself, it’s been a 38-year routine of opening up shop every day.

“We tried to be a place where people would come together and chat and talk and have a laugh while they’re here,” he said.

But in recent years, the weight of running a small, family-owned business took its toll. DeLand said he made the difficult decision to close to prioritize his family’s health.

“Stress is a killer,” he said. “It’s worked on my brother’s health, and I’m thinking if I don’t get out, it will probably work on me too.”

The news of Milo’s closure hit many in the neighborhood hard, including Toledo City Council member Theresa Morris.

“You can go to the grocery store and you can get a great big pack of any kind of meat you want, but you don’t get the personal experience,” Morris said. “You don’t get the advice when it comes to what can I make with this? It’s a really sad day for west Toledo.”

Lifelong customer Paul Klein also grew up with Milo’s, living just half a block away and shopping there since he was six.

“I walked in and I saw a friend of mine, and he says, ‘they’re closing this place at the end of the day.’ I said, ‘No.’ He says, ‘Yeah.’ I yelled over here at Steve and I said, ‘You guys closing? Where am I going to go now, buddy?’”

For DeLand, closing Milo’s isn’t just shutting off the lights and locking the door. It’s saying farewell to decades of friendships built across the counter.

“The customers deserve all the credit,” he said. “We were just doing our job, and … they’re the stars here. I enjoyed our customers and that was the best part of the job.”

DeLand said Thursday marked the last full day of business, though the shop may stay open a few more days to clear out remaining stock.