Kim Graham is the Owner of Make & Mellow. Read her story as this week’s #PeopleOfWilmDE!
Wilmington Connection
How long have you lived/worked in Wilmington?
I’ve worked in Wilmington since 2018 and have lived 2021. However, during the late 1980s, I spent summers in Wilmington with family.
Brief background of life/how did you end up in Wilmington?
I found myself in Wilmington after 12 years with Liberty Mutual as a Sr. Relationship Manager when I transitioned to an alternate side of the Insurance industry with a company based in Wilmington.
Where did you grow up, go to school, have your first job, etc.
My younger years were in Kingston, Jamaica, then migrating to New York during the 1980s, and then to Philadelphia. My time in Philadelphia was during the very formative years, junior high, high school and then on to Temple University! My first teen job was with Boston Chicken (yes, it was Boston Chicken before rebranding to Boston Market). With dreams of becoming a doctor, I also held a work-study with St. Christophers Hospital for Children. That role pushed me to learn that administration was more of my strong suit, so I enrolled in the Fox School of Business, focusing on Marketing and Business Administration.
Why do you continue to choose Wilmington to work in/live in?
Wilmington is a wonderful place to raise a family. With young boys, their schooling is a priority (my oldest attends The Charter School of Wilmington), and the community is small and super supportive. The business side is easy to navigate and fosters great working relationships. The landscape is also beautiful – parks, museums, and pop-up events are uniquely good times.
How has being in Wilmington helped you be where you are today, professionally and personally?
I often joke that Wilmington connections are less than half a degree of separation. Red tape does not exist in Wilmington. The size of the city allows professional and personal connections to be easily made, our corporate sector relies on one another for supply and consumption, and our children attend neighborhood schools. With this, upholding a respectful reputation lends heavily to overlapping networks.
Wilmington Favorites
Favorite Wilmington attraction/event and why:
Rockwood Park Fairs/Festivals. The fairs are family and dog friendly. Local foods, rides, vendors. Nostalgic summer fun!
Best place to catch live music: The Queen for sure!
Ideal itinerary for a night out in Wilmington/weekend in Wilmington (where to go for drinks, dinner, events, etc.):
Summer outings, dinner at Bardea, followed by The Quoin rooftop for nightcaps and mellow vibes.
Insights and Future Vision
What are you excited about that’s going on in Wilmington right now?
It’s been exciting to see the explosion of elevated restaurants and experiences, along with the steady incline of transplants relocating to Wilmington.
How would you like to see our city grow in the next year, next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years, I’d like to see growth for a more vibrant yet safe nightlife scene. I would also like to see less privatized schools, which may increase stronger funding to public schools.
Personal Reflections
What is one of your proudest moments of being a Wilmingtonian?
One of my proudest moments being a Wilmingtonian was taking the leap to Found and Manage Make & Mellow Custom Candle Bar.
What are 3 interesting or surprising facts about you?
I am Jamaican, I wanted to be an orthopedic specialist, and I moved into my very own studio apartment at the age of 17 (yikes).
