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Twenty-five years ago – in 1980 – computers were the size of refrigerators, Ronald Reagan was president, we learned who shot JR on Dallas, and the Market Street Grill opened for business downtown. I wasn’t around then, but I can imagine what a seafood desert Salt Lake City must have been in 1980. Frozen cod and Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks were probably the best seafood lovers could hope for.
But then along came business partners John Williams, Tom Sieg, and Tom Guinney – the executives behind Gastronomy Incorporated – with a fresh idea. They arranged to have Western Airlines, Delta’s predecessor, fly fresh seafood from the coast directly to Salt Lake City. Suddenly Salt Lakers found themselves with fish on their plates that had been swimming in the ocean 24 hours earlier.
Well, back then Market Street Grill served mostly salmon and halibut – about 34,000 pounds a year. Today that quantity has more than doubled and along with Market Street’s popular Alaskan king crab, famous clam chowder and the like, they also sell more than 185,000 oysters annually. That’s a lot of shuckin’ going on!
For regular customers, Market Street Grill has become a tradition. They look forward to seeing long-time servers like Mark Lacy, who was on duty twenty-five years ago when Market Street Grill opened and continues to work there today.
In today’s competitive business atmosphere, it’s remarkable for a restaurant to last five years. And for one to be celebrating a 25th anniversary is truly exceptional. So to all the folks at Gastronomy and Market Street Grill: Happy Anniversary!
