Progresso’s celebrates 50th anniversary

San Benito Sun — Progresso’s Restaurant has maintained its family tradition of original Mexican cooking since September of 1939.

This week the restaurant is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Owners Aurelio and Maria Zuñiga’s business originally opened on San Benito Street where the Bank of America now stands.

In 1946 their children, Al and Vincent Zuñiga, started a tamale factory on Wright Road, and began delivering hand-made tamales and enchiladas to stores and restaurants throughout the Central Coast, San Francisco and Fresno.

They would deliver 100 to 150 dozen tamales in the Fresno area in one day alone.

According to Vincent’s son Aurelio Zuñiga, the Zuñiga children and grandchildren grew up riding in the delivery vans.

“When I was small, I used to go on the route with my father. That was quite a treat for me,” he said.

In 1956, Al and Vincent Zuñiga purchased the old Goodfellow’s Hotel on Third Street, where Progresso’s restaurant is located now.

They began remodeling the kitchen and added Mexican touches to the rest of the building.

In 1965, Al sold his interest in the business to Vincent and

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