The young Martinez had his sights set on a music career.
"I grew up as a Mexican American who didn't fit in the all-white
neighborhood my family lived in," Mar tinez says. "Many of us strapped
on a guitar—then you're not just a nobody anymore." As a bass player,
the determined entrepreneur shared stages with some of the biggest
names of his era: Chuck Berr y, the Drifters, B.B. King and Jimmy Reed.
He counted the late Trini Lopez among his closest friends. Even today,
his conversation is filled with musical metaphors.
The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails. Several
have laid claim to inventing the classic mixture of tequila, lime juice and
orange liqueur, served in a salt-rimmed glass, but when it comes to the
frozen variety—those with the consistency of a 7-11 Slurpee—its inno-
vator is unquestioned: Mariano Mar tinez.
162 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 1
An inveterate and tireless marketer and
promoter, Martinez has built an empire
of Tex-Mex restaurants in the Dallas
area. "I started with $500 and an SBA
loan," he says. His early career as a
musician gave him a show-biz flair that
he used to great effect in his eateries.
Photo: Courtesy of Mariano Martinez
Photo:
Courtesy
of
Mariano
Martinez
Photo:
Dan
Garza/Courtesy
of
Mariano
Martinez
