Stephen Licata
A Long Island native who found his home, and his calling, in Coconut Grove.
His story is woven into the color, style and entrepreneurial spirit of Miami. What began as a move for school became a lifelong career in fashion, retail and community building.
Four decades of curation
Arriving in the Grove
Stephen came to South Florida to study pre-med at the University of Miami, drawn by warmer weather and the allure of Coconut Grove. Riding his bike from campus to the village, he fell for its waterfront charm, lush banyans, Mediterranean sensibility and cosmopolitan energy.
A passion for fashion
A part-time job at Pilgrims, a clothing store in Dadeland Mall, revealed a natural eye for emerging trends and a gift for reading what customers wanted before they knew it themselves. As his buying and merchandising role grew, he traded medicine for business administration and marketing, inspired by the Studio 54 era and the creativity of prêt-à-porter.
From student to store owner
By 23, Stephen was doing much of the buying for Pilgrims. When the owner retired, he bought the store and made it a high-end European clothing destination for Miami's movers and shakers in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
His taste matched a city reinventing itself through fashion, nightlife, art and architecture.
Building Palm Produce
As Art Deco revival, Christo's Biscayne Bay installation and Miami Vice turned the city pink, Stephen launched two concepts of his own: Palm Produce Resortwear and Pink Palm Gift Company.
Palm Produce grew into an upscale lifestyle brand with a tropical point of view, reaching across Florida and New York, including the Hamptons, following clients between South Florida and the Northeast.
A signature lifestyle brand
Stephen later sold Pink Palm to focus fully on Palm Produce, refining it into a destination for elevated tropical fashion with a loyal following and a small-shop sensibility.
His gift remains the same: reading the cultural temperature and dressing clients in pieces that are stylish, comfortable and connected to place.
Community, history and legacy
Stephen has long championed Coconut Grove, supporting community events, serving on marketing committees and helping preserve local history.
His passion for aviation led to Pan Am-inspired merchandise, the First Flight Out concept and the Air History Project, a nonprofit celebrating Miami's aviation legacy.
For Stephen, success has always meant connecting people, celebrating community and giving back to the place that first made him feel at home.
Dressed by the founder's eye
Visit the boutiques, or ask about private styling for your next trip or occasion.