For more than 50 years, Brad Myers has spent life in the fast lane.

Whether it was working seven days a week managing a chain of 15 grocery stores in a highly competitive Michiana market, or zipping through the waters on his racing boat when he had some free time, the words “slow” and “down” were never part of the longtime business owner’s vocabulary.

However, at 71 years old, Myers is looking to pump the brakes and give retirement a shot.

Several weeks ago, Myers closed on a deal to sell Myers Super Valu, the Sister Lakes grocery store he has owned for the past 33 years, to the popular Mexican grocers and eatery La Perla Produce, based out of Benton Harbor. The new owners will take possession of the store, located at 67796 M-152, Dowagiac, at the beginning of 2018, at which point they will remodel the property to transform it into a Spanish-American shop, Myers said.

The sale will mark the end of Myers’ 54-year career in the grocery business, he said.

The native of Elkhart landed his first job in the business in 1963 at the age of 17, as a stock boy and donut fryer with Wilts Food Center in his hometown, which at the time was one of the largest grocers in the country. In just a few short years, Myers worked his way up to managing the store before he was promoted to the corporate office of the chain of Indiana supermarkets in 1975, where he helped spearhead the company’s expansion into Michigan.

In 1978, Wilts began leasing the Sister Lakes grocery store from Eddy Miller before purchasing the M-152 shopping center where the store is located in 1984. That same year, Myers purchased the Wilts chain of stores, which had grown to include 15 stores in Michigan and Indiana.

In 1989, Myers sold the 11 Wilts grocery stores located in Indiana to Super Valu, his wholesaler, along with the Wilts name. He kept his four stores in Michigan, including the Sister Lakes location, which he renamed “Myers Super Valu.”

In 1995, Myers launched an extensive remodel of the Sister Lakes grocery store, adding 3,000 square-feet to the premises and adding a bakery, deli and refrigerated produce department to the business.

“My goal was to have a nice, small store with a little bit of everything,” Myers said.

The business was so popular among part- and full-time Sister Lakes residents that, between 1993 and 1998, Myers kept the grocery store running 24/7, he said. One of the main appeals of the business was its strong meat department, which drew customers from neighboring Benton Harbor and other parts of the area, he said.

In 1998, his son, Tony, became store manager and vice president of the Sister Lakes business, a position he still holds today. His wife, Pam, was also part of the family business, as secretary and treasurer. His granddaughter, Taylor, began working as an office manager at the store around three years ago.

While the fast-paced lifestyle of running a chain of grocery stores kept him constantly busy, in 1989, Myers got into offshore boat racing, a hobby he kept up with for around seven years. He had tried learning golf in the past, but found himself getting bored with the sport by the time he reached hole two, he joked.

His need-for-speed was passed down to his son and granddaughter, both of whom have become accomplished drag racers.

“When you’re working in the food business seven days a week, it’s hard to do something idle like playing golf,” Brad said. “We like to go race at 200 miles an hour, get it out of our system and then get back to work.”

Over the years, Myers sold his other Michigan locations, including those in Buchanan and Cassopolis, but retained ownership of the Sister Lakes business, which has remained a fixture in the lives of many residents in the area.

However, after suffering from heart issues in 2015, Myers said he began considering slowing down, especially as competition from major chains like Meijer and Walmart and value stores such as Dollar General have begun to chip away at his business, he said. After several years of looking for a buyer, Myers worked out a deal with the owner of La Perla earlier this year to transfer ownership of the business to them.

While the change of pace is necessary for his health and his future, Myers said he has mixed feelings about the impending end of his career in the grocery business, and will miss his loyal employees and customers who have supported him for all these years.

“I will miss everything,” he said. “It’s all I’ve ever done, and I’ve loved it.”

Now through Dec. 2, all items inside the store, other than of cigarettes, alcohol, hot foods, fresh meats or sale items, are discounted at 40 percent off. The store is also offering a 20-percent discount on wine and a 50-percent discount on greeting cards.

The supermarket is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, people may contact the store at (269) 424-5219 or at MyerValu@SisterLakesCable.com.