By: Simpson H.R. No. 2162
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, After 66 years of serving the residents of Longview,
Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House closed its doors on March 28,
2015, but this local institution has left generations of customers
with many happy memories; and
WHEREAS, The restaurant was founded in 1949 by John S. Cace
Jr., a Louisiana native; while growing up, Mr. Cace worked with his
father, who fished and cultivated oysters, and helped his parents
in their seafood market and restaurant; he also learned to cook a
wide variety of seafood himself; and
WHEREAS, After serving for four years in the U.S. Army Air
Forces during World War II, Mr. Cace moved with his wife, the former
Valerie Savony, to Longview and opened a fine-dining seafood
restaurant that showcased his New Orleans-influenced cuisine; the
eatery quickly found success and was soon renovated to increase
capacity; in 1964, it was relocated to Marshall Avenue, where it was
eventually expanded to accommodate 450 diners; Mr. Cace was elected
president of both the Texas Restaurant Association and the Longview
Chamber of Commerce in 1966, and in 1992 he was named Man of the Year
by the Longview Federated Clubs; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1980s, Mr. Cace handed over the
operation of the family business to his son Gerard Cace and his
wife, Cathy, and she continued running the restaurant with their
daughters, Chelsea and Jenni, after her husband's passing in 2012;
the founder's other two sons, John Cace III and Danny Cace, also
played active roles in the restaurant by serving on its board of
directors; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, Longview residents shared some of
the most joyful moments of their lives at the award-winning
restaurant, which routinely hosted anniversary, engagement, and
graduation celebrations and other special occasions; in tribute to
Johnny Cace and his contributions to the community, an official
Texas Historical Marker was dedicated at the site of the restaurant
in March 2015; and
WHEREAS, Although the closing of Johnny Cace's Seafood and
Steak House marks the end of an era in Longview, the Cace family may
indeed take great pride in the landmark status their restaurant
achieved during its long and illustrious history; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House
for its many decades of service to its customers and extend to all
those associated with the restaurant sincere best wishes for the
future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Cace family as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.