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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Locally owned restaurants add to the diversity and |
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character of Texas towns and cities, and Quality Seafood Market is |
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celebrating 75 years of serving the Austin community; and |
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WHEREAS, Quality Seafood Market's origin dates back to 1938, |
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when Garnett Lenz first rented a stall at Starr's Fruit and |
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Vegetable Market on Congress Avenue to sell fresh seafood from the |
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Texas coast; he eventually moved his business to Brazos and Third |
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Streets and expanded his offerings to include specialty items such |
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as quail eggs and rattlesnake meat; in 1958, Chester Husted, a |
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frozen foods entrepreneur from Burnet, purchased Mr. Lenz's |
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business and merged it with his trucking company, Austin Frozen |
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Foods; Mr. Husted's first kitchen, Quality Seafood, served up to-go |
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orders on East Avenue, known today as Interstate 35; in 1970, he |
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moved the business to its current location on Airport Boulevard; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Husted's children took over operations when |
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their father died in 1982 and turned the kitchen into a sit-down |
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restaurant; when they sold the business in 1990, the new owner, Sam |
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Eaves, took advantage of the increasing popularity of fresh seafood |
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among chefs and diners and offered local seasonal favorites like |
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Texas drum, shrimp, and oysters alongside salmon, halibut, and sea |
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bass; in 2003, Mr. Eaves sold the restaurant to Paul and Carol |
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Huntsberger, who changed its name to Quality Seafood Market, |
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continued to expand the menu, and added a catering business; today, |
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Ms. Huntsberger is the sole owner of the restaurant, and it remains |
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a favorite community institution; and |
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WHEREAS, The restaurant's 43 dedicated employees include Tom |
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Cantu, who began as a delivery driver in 1960; though he officially |
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retired in 1997, Mr. Cantu continues to come in several times a week |
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to take orders, help with paperwork, and even make deliveries; and |
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WHEREAS, The well-being of the people of Texas depends on a |
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vibrant economy, and independent businesses like Quality Seafood |
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Market that are rooted in their communities and employ area |
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residents are important components of a prosperous future; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quality |
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Seafood Market in Austin and extend to all those associated with the |
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restaurant sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Quality Seafood Market as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |