Milwaukee Monterrey Market expands with new store and community events
Monterrey Market expands with new store and events
Robert Montemayor discusses family inspiration and expanding Monterrey Market across Milwaukee.
MILWAUKEE - Standing in his third store, Robert Montemayor, Monterrey Market president, remembers the early days of Monterrey Market.
"It's surreal, honestly," Montemayor said. "We started on the south side of Milwaukee with a very small store, which was just under 9,000 square feet."
That first location opened in 2010. Then the family business grew in 2020, opening another store near 27th and Howard. The third came in 2025 inside an old Walmart near West Allis.
"We want you to come here and have that feel that you belong to this grocery store as well...It's a staple item here within the community," Montemayor said.
Soon, the business became a food staple at the Wisconsin State Fair, serving traditional Mexican foods and even new fusions like the Birria Bombs, which earned first place in this year's Sporkies competition.
Montemayor said his inspiration to grow started as a child.
"What my father always taught me was, your job, it's not going to be easy for you, and sometimes it cannot be easy for you because you are Hispanic, you are Mexican," Montemayor said. "Because you're going to work harder, you have to strive for what better things are out there that you want for your family to continue on."
Monterrey Market now features a juice bar, ice cream shop and even a restaurant called Montacos.
And on Saturday afternoon, they hosted La Patria Fest right in the store's parking lot. They say it is about making this place more than just a grocery store, but a community space for all.
"What creates the atmosphere here is our staff," Montemayor said. "What we have to focus on as Latinos, we need to really focus on the positive and what we've done in this country and what we've added to this country."
With three locations across our area, Monterrey Market is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. – seven days a week.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Andrew Amouzou and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Robert Montemayor and Monterrey Market president.