Felix Stehling | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | December 10, 2012 | (aged 85)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | St. Mary's University |
Occupation(s) | Restaurateur, investor |
Felix Louis Stehling, Jr. (April 2, 1927 – December 10, 2012) [1] was an American businessman and restaurateur. [2] Stehling and his brother Mike Stehling co-founded Taco Cabana, a fast food restaurant chain specializing in Tex-Mex cuisine, in 1978. [2] Stehling is credited as the inventor of the beanburger, a now common dish in the San Antonio area, consisting of refried beans, Fritos and Cheez Whiz. [2]
Stehling was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, the second oldest of his family's eleven children. [2] His parents were German Catholics who operated a men's clothing store. [3] He graduated from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. [2]
Stehling initially worked for an insurance company, but left that industry after just two years. [2] He then owned and operated a series of restaurants and nightclubs in San Antonio, including the Crystal Pistol and the Bombay Bicycle Club. [2] In 1952, he signed a three-year lease to rent a small, shack-like restaurant on Austin Highway from Frank Sills, the owner of the first Sills' Snack Shack. [2] It was here that Stehling invented and first offered the beanburger. [2] Stehling is credited as the inventor of the beanburger, a now common dish in the San Antonio area, consisting of refried beans, Fritos and Cheez Whiz. [2] [4] Frank Sills later sold Stehling's beanburger creation at his own restaurants once Stehling's lease on the building expired. [2]
In 1978, Stehling and his brother, Mike, opened the first Taco Cabana in San Antonio at the intersection of Hildebrand and San Pedro streets at the site of a former Dairy Queen, dubbing the restaurant "the original Mexican patio café". [2] Felix Stehling's wife, Billie Jo Stehling, created the décor and overall interior look for the restaurant chain. [5] Margie Lopez Abonce was hired to prepare the food and menu. [3] They made it a 24-hour restaurant because Felix Stehling didn't want to spend an hour every night working with patio furniture. [5] Mike Stehling later left the company in 1986. Felix Stehling kept five restaurants and the name, while Mike Stehling kept four outlets and renamed them TaCasita. [3]
As of 1989, Stehling remained president of the company. [6] Stehling made Taco Cabana a public company when the chain reached fifty stores, including locations in Austin and Houston. [2] However, in 1994 Taco Cabana's board of directors ousted Stehling from the company. [2] [4]
Stehling was once a partial owner of the San Antonio Spurs. [2] Outside of Texas, Stehling held real estate investments in Colorado. [2]
He founded a charity which provided funding for the Special Olympics of Texas, his alma mater, St. Mary's University, and other charitable groups. [2]
He married Billie Jo Stehling in 1960. [5] He had two stepsons. [2] [7] As he grew older, he continued to pick up meals from Taco Cabana for him and his wife. [8] Billie Jo died on May 6, 2011, at the age of 86. [5] Stehling, who suffered from dementia during his later years, died on December 10, 2012, at the age of 85. [2]
Felix Stehling | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | December 10, 2012 | (aged 85)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | St. Mary's University |
Occupation(s) | Restaurateur, investor |
Felix Louis Stehling, Jr. (April 2, 1927 – December 10, 2012) [1] was an American businessman and restaurateur. [2] Stehling and his brother Mike Stehling co-founded Taco Cabana, a fast food restaurant chain specializing in Tex-Mex cuisine, in 1978. [2] Stehling is credited as the inventor of the beanburger, a now common dish in the San Antonio area, consisting of refried beans, Fritos and Cheez Whiz. [2]
Stehling was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, the second oldest of his family's eleven children. [2] His parents were German Catholics who operated a men's clothing store. [3] He graduated from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. [2]
Stehling initially worked for an insurance company, but left that industry after just two years. [2] He then owned and operated a series of restaurants and nightclubs in San Antonio, including the Crystal Pistol and the Bombay Bicycle Club. [2] In 1952, he signed a three-year lease to rent a small, shack-like restaurant on Austin Highway from Frank Sills, the owner of the first Sills' Snack Shack. [2] It was here that Stehling invented and first offered the beanburger. [2] Stehling is credited as the inventor of the beanburger, a now common dish in the San Antonio area, consisting of refried beans, Fritos and Cheez Whiz. [2] [4] Frank Sills later sold Stehling's beanburger creation at his own restaurants once Stehling's lease on the building expired. [2]
In 1978, Stehling and his brother, Mike, opened the first Taco Cabana in San Antonio at the intersection of Hildebrand and San Pedro streets at the site of a former Dairy Queen, dubbing the restaurant "the original Mexican patio café". [2] Felix Stehling's wife, Billie Jo Stehling, created the décor and overall interior look for the restaurant chain. [5] Margie Lopez Abonce was hired to prepare the food and menu. [3] They made it a 24-hour restaurant because Felix Stehling didn't want to spend an hour every night working with patio furniture. [5] Mike Stehling later left the company in 1986. Felix Stehling kept five restaurants and the name, while Mike Stehling kept four outlets and renamed them TaCasita. [3]
As of 1989, Stehling remained president of the company. [6] Stehling made Taco Cabana a public company when the chain reached fifty stores, including locations in Austin and Houston. [2] However, in 1994 Taco Cabana's board of directors ousted Stehling from the company. [2] [4]
Stehling was once a partial owner of the San Antonio Spurs. [2] Outside of Texas, Stehling held real estate investments in Colorado. [2]
He founded a charity which provided funding for the Special Olympics of Texas, his alma mater, St. Mary's University, and other charitable groups. [2]
He married Billie Jo Stehling in 1960. [5] He had two stepsons. [2] [7] As he grew older, he continued to pick up meals from Taco Cabana for him and his wife. [8] Billie Jo died on May 6, 2011, at the age of 86. [5] Stehling, who suffered from dementia during his later years, died on December 10, 2012, at the age of 85. [2]