Photo: Vintage Rare USA
The day had finally arrived, and it was 30 years ago that the doors opened to the long-awaited addition to the San Antonio Riverwalk, the Hard Rock Cafe.
Full of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia, the San Antonio Hard Rock Cafe, the 29th worldwide, and the 9th to open in the United States, was a main drawcard to the newly-established Southbank development on the Riverwalk.
Photo: Author
As the opening day approached, George Stalle, the executive director of the Paseo del Rio Association, which was a business group promoting the river, was quoted as saying, “The Hard Rock Cafe is arguably the single most important business to ever come to the San Antonio Riverwalk because of it’s potential to attract San Antonio residents”
At a private, invitation-only function, 400 guests attended the opening night fundraiser to benefit the The Children’s Shelter of San Antonio, and the San Antonio Children’s Museum.
It was a cold and rainy night in the Alamo City, but that did not deter the guests from attending and enjoying the music from Selena Quintanilla, Campanas de America mariachis, Flaco Jimenez, the Texas Tornados (with Freddy Fender) and Cheap Trick.
Photo: Facebook
Photo: Deviantart
After the show, the performers gathered backstage.
Photo: Quintanilla family and Hard Rock SA
It was a cold and rainy night in the Alamo City, but that did not deter the guests from attending and enjoying the music from Selena Quintanilla, Campanas de America mariachis, Flaco Jimenez, the Texas Tornados (with Freddy Fender) and Cheap Trick.a Estefan and Tommy Lee Jones.
Today when you visit the Hard Rock Cafe, you can see a number of displays dedicated to Selena throughout the restaurant, including the outfit that she wore on stage at that opening concert.
Photo: Author
Other great features of the restaurant are displays all around the first floor dedicated to notable Texan entertainers, including lots of memorabilia on show for all to see.
A few months later, and following her tragic murder, Selena’s father, Abraham, and her husband Chris Perez, revisited the establishment for the unveiling of a star on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, as a permanent reminder of her.
Photo: San Antonio Express News
Photo: Author
Today we remember that celebrity-packed opening of San Antonio’s Hard Rock cafe 30 years ago.
Photo: Ebay
Sources:
San Antonio Express News
Texas City Sun
Kerrville Daily Times
Odessa American
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