Connoisseur Management Inc., which sells premium condiments and frozen gourmet meals, has purchased Tea-Licious restaurant outside of Austin, Texas.
Connoisseur Management owners, Trace and Liz Catlin, succumbed to the charms of the small town of Burnet after a train ride from Austin included a visit to its historic square dating back to the 1880s. It was happenstance they came upon Tea-Licious and immediately appreciated the atmosphere of its eclectic mix of tearoom and homey general gift store, which included the owner’s unique pickle line.
Opened in 1996, Tea-Licious owner Sam McLeod placed his restaurant on the market in 2010 after experiencing two heart attacks. It was during a routine meet-and-greet where he learned of the Catlins’ dream to own a business in Burnet. After several visits, the Catlins, along with their daughter and her fiancé, moved to Burnet and took ownership of Tea-Licious on June 1st. While Liz and daughter Krysten plan to focus on the restaurant, Trace will continue to run Connoisseur Management on the premises.
The Catlins will make upgrades to the restaurant and change its menu slightly, adding a few steak entrées for more masculine appeal. The gift shop will be converted to a gourmet food store with “Texas” added to “Tea-Licious,” emphasizing the focus on state-made products and ingredients, including McLeod’s acclaimed pickles.
“We view Tea-Licious as an icon, a name recognized throughout Texas,” Liz Catlin said. “We think this is a great opportunity to be part of our beloved state’s history, and will respect the Tea-Licious tradition while also making it relevant to current times.”
Caption:
Trace and Liz Catlin (couple at right) with original Tea-Licious owners, Sam and Vicki McLeod.
