Family History


Rene and Martha Perez

Papagayo
(English translation: Parrot)

Papagayo opened its doors at its original location in 1973 under the direction of Rene A. Perez Sr.

Our story begins with my great-great-grandfather Alexander Levin. A Jewish pioneer born in Bahn, Prussia made his way to America through Mexico where he met, fell in love with, and married Zenona Molina of Sonora, Mexico. Their travels landed them in Tucson in 1865-66. They were among the first families to settle in Tucson after the civil war.

Levin, a brewer by trade, foresaw a demand for a good, cold lager in the arid climate and opened Levin & Co.'s Pioneer Brewery in 1866 with J. Goldtree. He bought out Goldtrees' interest in 1870, and purchased Wheat's Saloon, arranging for music and dancing. The same year he took over the Hodges Hotel on Main Atreet. Those enterprises allowed him to purchase a three-acre parcel "West of Town" and "at the end of Pennington" called Levin Gardens which is now the Arizona State office building located on the northwest corner of Granada and Congress in downtown Tucson. Over the years he added a dance hall, restaurant, and an opera house that seated 2,000 people. Additionally a shooting gallery, archery range, an ice house, a bath house, riding stables, and a bowling alley completed the endeavor.

When the first Southern Pacific train made its grand entry into Tucson on March 20, 1880 Levin Gardens was the site selected for the welcoming banquet.

Sophie Levin, the daughter of Alexander, continued the family's history in the restaurant business. Having worked in the restaurant at Levin Gardens and loving it, she decided to open her own place at 401 S. Sixth Avenue by the name of "La Contessa". A true businesswoman, she was landlord to many and ran her restaurant until her death in 1943.

It has been said, but not confirmed, that in 1933 she received the first-issued liquor license in Arizona after prohibition.

Rene A. Perez Sr., the son of Sophie, had a dream to get the family back into the restaurant business, so at the age of 55 and after spending many years in the aircraft industry, he decided to chase that dream. With the help of his wife Martha, they opened Papagayo Mexican Restaurant at 840 E. Ft. Lowell. At first, they started out with fourteen tables and over the years kept adding, ending up with a total of 124 tables with a seating capacity of over 500 people.

Rene and Martha's business thrived over the years and in time they helped all three of their children open a restaurant of their own. First, they helped daughter Martha (Perez) Ayala and her husband, Rudy Ayala, open a very successful restaurant by the name of El Payaso on the northwest side of Tucson, which they later sold to pursue other interests. Next was the Sunrise location in the Catalina Foothills, which daughter Alice was to run. The third was a Tanque Verde Location which was owned and operated by son, Rene A. Perez Jr., until the time of his death.

Rene and Martha spent the rest of their time together realizing their dreams until the death of Rene Sr. in 1996, at that time the family decided it would be better to close the original location and concentrate on the Sunrise location. Rene was inducted into the Arizona Restaurant Association Hall of Fame in 1999 for his dedication to the restaurant industry, and for his charitable contributions to help the community, which was often done anonymously.

Alice (Perez) Mazon was a librarian turned restaurateur in 1980 when she quit her job of 17 years with the Tucson Public Library and began working for her father at the Ft. Lowell location. In 1989 both she and Rene felt it was time to open her own location, with the help of her parents they opened the Sunrise location.

For the last eighteen years Alice has won many awards and continued the charitable nature of her father. She is now handing over the helm to the fifth generation, son Bryan Mazon, this making the family one of the oldest restaurant families in Arizona.

As a continuum, my story has yet to unfold, but I would like to thank my family Gus (father), Alice (mother), Todd (brother) and Maria (wife) for all the support and help I have been given and will receive, when needed.

Gracias,
Bryan Mazon

4717 East Sunrise Drive
(Northeast corner of Sunrise and Swan.)
(520) 577-6055