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Bullets
1980
The Mariel Boatlift has a dramatic effect on our city with many newcomers settling in Hialeah. After
1980, Hialeah becomes an overwhelmingly Hispanic city. Today, about 94% of residents speak Spanish. -
Bullets
1980
Miami-Dade College opens their Hialeah Campus in a small second floor office of a shopping center
on Palm Springs. Today, their new campus is a massive compound with its own art gallery. -
Bullets
1980
Amelia Park is established in the northern edge of Hialeah. Although technically part of Miami-Dade County, it has become a staple for Hialeah residents.
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Bullets
1980
The legendary nightclub Casanova’s opens in east Hialeah. One of the most popular clubs in the US during the 80’s. It attracted top Disco & pop performers like The Village People, KC & the Sunshine Band to pop acts including the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna.
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Bullets
1980
The popular 24-hour Chico’s Restaurants opens just after the Mariel’s Boatlift and right as the new Mango Hill neighborhood starts to rise on the west side of Hialeah. This area will eventually become the most densely populated part of Hialeah.
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Bullets
1981
Cuban American politician, Raul Martinez, is sworn in as our mayor. This marks a turning point in the
city’s political landscape. The Hispanic vote becomes the most dominating force not only in politics but also economics & civic issues. -
Bullets
1982
The popular Molina’s Ranch Cuban restaurants opens on the east side, often considered the gold standard of Cuban cuisine, Molina’s has been serving classic Cuban dishes for over 40 years now.
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Bullets
1984
The Hialeah & Opa-locka (now closed) open air flea market opens. At its peak, it had over 900 vendors and more than 100K visitors a week.
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Bullets
1984
Gus Machado takes over an old car dealership right on 49th street. It would later become the largest Hispanic owned Ford dealership in the state of Florida. Gus Machado is a symbol of the American dream, he also become one of our most generous businessmen in our city’s history.
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Bullets
1988
The first Nicaraguan restaurant opens in Hialeah, Los Hermanos Mendoza. A delicious Fritanga style restaurant right on Palm Avenue, for many years it was the center of Nicaraguan American culture in our city. Nicaraguans make up the third largest ethnic group in Hialeah.