Wright’s Gourmet House first opened its doors on April 20, 1963, the vision of Marjorie and Pete Wright who saw the need for a gourmet shop in Tampa. They had lots of ambition and sought to be the best by offering the best. The original restaurant was located in a tiny storefront with second-hand equipment, and offered imported and domestic delicacies, fresh coffees and teas, exotic spices, unusual cheeses, fresh-roasted meats and big wheel sandwiches.
They worked hard to build business and believed that sampling their fare was a great way to introduce new flavors to Tampa and create excitement. “Sampling sells,” Marjorie would say. And she would have sold the broom in her hand if it would have made the cash register ring.
The couple believed that if customers asked for something, that Wright’s would be the first and best at offering it. So when Marjorie Wright made a Chicken Tetrazzini for her own dinner one evening and sat it on the counter to cool, a customer was so captivated by the casserole’s aroma that she asked to buy it. Marjorie of course said, “Yes!” That’s how Wright’s began offering frozen entrees, making it somewhat of a pioneer back in the 1960s!
