Here's the story of how Lupe & Bea's came to be in the great City of Memphis, TN. Bea Gonzalez, who grew up in Tampico, Mexico, teamed up with her chef, native Cuban Esteban Nodal, to open the restaurant at 394 N. Watkins at Overton Park Avenue (Memphis, TN) in August 1984. "I'm from Texas, but I was raised in Mexico after my mother died. I went to school at The Incarnate Word from elementary to college. Then I worked for Pemex, the government oil company, came to San Antonio, got married and had two children" said Bea. "This is the only restaurant we owned. My husband (Lupe Gonzalez) and I found a location in Midtown Memphis, right behind the old Crosstown theater. We saw the sign on this building on the corner and I said, `Why don't we try it.' I told him the restaurant was close to home and he could help with the up-keep as needed without going too far out of his way. Lupe maintained his job at the Memphis International Airport (and on occasion did repairs at the restaurant) while Bea and Esteban did the cooking and ran the restaurant. From a small building in Midtown Memphis, Lupe & Bea's Texican Restaurant delighted Memphians for 12 years with great Tex-Mex food and Cuban cuisine. Memphians from all over the city would come to midtown to enjoy the food, ambiance and social experience of this quaint little cafe'. Bea Gonzalez would also lend an ear to all her regular customers when they needed to chat about life in Memphis. After 12 years serving Mexican and Cuban cuisine in Midtown, Lupe & Bea's Texican Restaurant closed Nov. 1, 1996. No other restaurant, since, has had the benefit of this type of exquisite food and Bea's exquisite smile, listening ear and kind words of encouragement. Formerly located on the corner of N. Watkins and Overton Park. Above is a look at the restaurant in its day.