LOCAL BUSINESSES
Think of all the events and changes that have happened in the last 50 years. Through all of that, one local restaurant staple has remained in business and is going strong. Grins, co-owned by Texas State graduates Paul Sutphen and Johnny Ferrell, has been in operation since Valentine’s Day of 1975, serving San Marcans delicious food since day one.
According to a press release provided by Grins, in 1975, the Lightfoot house was converted into a restaurant. At the time, the restaurant could hold up to 60 customers and hosted live music with recognizable names like Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and the Beacon City Band. It has now been expanded three times: once in 1983, again in 1987 to include a deck, and in 1996 the original deck was enclosed alone with the building of the final deck. Today, Grins can accommodate up to 250 customers and has an extensive menu to choose from.
