Al Trajkoski was just a teenager when his father opened Little Party Shop in 1982. Located near the intersection of 15 Mile and Ryan roads, the store stood for nearly a decade until a nearby shopping center went up.
That’s when the 960-square-foot shop began to evolve into Max’s Imports, the 9,100-square-foot Midwest distributor beloved in the area today for its award-winning international product lines.
“Most of our products are from Eastern Europe,” said Trajkoski, 62. “We import and distribute from Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Turkey—if you want to do your shopping, this is where you come.”
Since taking over as owner and CEO, Trajkoski has expanded Max’s Imports into a destination market for European delicacies, with warehouses in Detroit and Chicago and distributors from New York to Florida.
“If we were still just a liquor store, we would be out of business,” Trajkoski said. “People come all the way from Livonia, Canton, even Cleveland to make a weekend trip. Sterling Heights is very centrally located.”
In 2015, Trajkoski purchased the shopping center that houses Max’s and refaced it in 2021 to support Sterling Heights’ beautification efforts.
“I don’t look at it as an expense—I’ve been invested in Sterling Heights for 42 years,” he said. “This place is still growing. I couldn’t be more proud of how well the city is doing.”
Security at the company’s facilities allows Max’s to focus more on refining its product line—18 different specialty brands, including Mama’s Macedonian spreads and dips; Gradina’s Bulgarian pickled vegetables and honey; and Domašen, home to the award-winning burek pie, a flaky, savory pastry traditionally filled with meat, cheese or spinach.
“All our products were inspired by another country—you tweak it a little, but keep the tradition,” Trajkoski said.
One of the next big focuses for Max’s brand expansion is getting products into stores nationwide, with the team attending expos and trade shows coast to coast. The Mama’s line of ajvar—a roasted red pepper and eggplant spread—has been a smash success, with distribution in local grocery stores and a recent placement on Meijer shelves.
“The most rewarding thing is seeing your product on a shelf,” Trajkoski said with a smile. “Going from a vision to an actual product and having other people love your work—that’s special.”
Despite the company’s growing reach, Trajkoski said they won’t be spread too thin—Sterling Heights will always be home.
“We would love to have a couple other satellite locations, but we’re very committed to Sterling Heights. This is our home where we started,” he said. “Some residents have been here for 20 years and still have never come in the store. As long as we’ve got future customers in the city, we’re going to stay right here.”
Max’s International Market is located at 4160 15 Mile Road, near Ryan Road. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.