Felix Stehling

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]

Felix Stehling
Born(1927-04-02)April 2, 1927
Fredericksburg, Texas
DiedDecember 10, 2012(2012-12-10) (aged 85)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSt. Mary's University
OccupationRestaurateur, investor

Early life and education

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]

Career

First restaurants and beanburger

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]

Taco Cabana

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]

Spurs and charity

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]

Personal life

He married Billie Jo Stehling in 1960.[5] He had two children, and a stepson.[2] As he grew older, he continued to pick up meals from Taco Cabana for him and his wife.[7] 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]

References
  1. "Felix Louis Stehling, Jr". Porter Loring Mortuary. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  2. Morton, Neil (2012-12-11). "Stehling, Taco Cabana founder, dies at 87". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
  3. "Tempest in a Taco", Texas Monthly
  4. "Felix Stehling, Taco Cabana founder, dies at 87". KENS. 2012-12-11. Archived from the original on 2013-02-06. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
  5. Ayala, Elaine (2011-05-09). "Stehling created Taco Cabana décor". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
  6. "How a Humble Cut Got a Fancy Price", Florence Fabricant, The New York Times, 1989
  7. "Alamo City an incubator for fast-food chains", San Antonio Express-News, Richard Webner, June 9, 2015
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