Taste of Round Rock and Chamber auction

Taste of Round Rock and Chamber auction

Written by Amy Stansbury Tuesday, 18 March 2008

Sixth annual Taste of Round Rock and Chamber Auction, March 18 • 6-8 p.m., Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Tickets $15 in advance • $20 at the Door

About five years ago, the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce was hearing from its members in the restaurant and food service industry that revenues were down. Focused on supporting local businesses, the chamber staff began brainstorming ways to help these companies draw in more customers.

“As we see a trend, the chamber wants to respond to it. So we wanted to do what we could to help the restaurants in town,” said Scott Swindell, chair of the Taste of Round Rock committee for the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce. “We flat stole the idea from the Taste of Austin.”

That idea was an event showcasing local restaurants and caterers to generate the public’s interest in eating out and hiring local caterers for parties, receptions and business meetings.

The first Taste of Round Rock in 2003 featured 20 restaurants and caterers. That number has more than doubled since then, with this year’s event expected to have more than 40 area businesses and attract more than 1,000 attendees.

Each year, Round Rock Express Baseball has allowed the chamber to use Dell Diamond as the event venue for free. The Taste of Round Rock is held in the concourse area, which is the covered walkway inside the gates near the concession stands.

Each business has a booth where they offer food samples, display menus and provide information about their restaurant or catering services. The Round Rock Express concession stands are also open, serving sodas and beer.

Swindell said many businesses have acknowledged the benefits of participating in the Taste of Round Rock.

“Usually after a restaurant does it, they say ‘boy, I want to do that again,’” he said.

Attendees will be able to stroll from booth to booth and sample various foods. There will also be a silent auction featuring goods and services donated by local vendors.

In addition to spotlighting restaurants and caterers, the event has also become the largest fundraiser for the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce. It generated more than $20,000 last year.

For more information on the Taste of Round Rock and Chamber Auction, go to the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce at 212 E. Main Ave. or contact Lori Petersen at 255-5805, e-mail lpetersen@roundrockchamber.org or visit www.roundrockchamber.org, then click on Taste of Round Rock.

Exhibiting restaurants

• 620 Café & Bakery
• Austin Margarita
• Carol’s Creations Specialty Bakery
• Casa Chapala
• Cool River Café & Steakhouse

  

• Edible Arrangements
• El Matador
• Fantasy Cakes
• Firehouse Subs
• Grapevine Market
• Gumbo’s Louisiana Style Café
• HEB Plus/Spoonz Cafe
• Hooter’s
• Hungry Howie’s Pizza
• IKEA
• Jason’s Deli
• Johnny T’s BBQ
• Lamppost Pizza
• Louisiana Longhorn Café
• Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream
• Main Street Grill
• Mangia Pizza
• Parkwood Meadows Retirement Center
• Pizza Hut
• Pok-e-Jo’s Smokehouse
• Round Rock Donuts
• Sam’s Club
• Sirloin Stockade
• Smokey Mo’s BBQ
• The Ranch House at Teravista
• Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery
• Twin Peaks
• What’s for Lunch

  

Some silent auction items

• Six-day stay at a condo in Colorado
• Two Southwest Airlines plane tickets
• Rounds of golf for four at Avery Ranch Golf Club
• Rounds of golf for four at Cimarron Hills Golf and Country Club
• Four tickets and End Zone Club passes to Longhorn football game
• Mack Brown autographed football
• One-night stay at the Driskill Hotel
• $750 item from Dell Inc.
• Owner’s Experience package: Feel like Nolan Ryan, Don Sanders or Drayton McLane during a Round Rock Express game at Dell Diamond

What an annual attendee says

“I love food. That’s why I wanted to go. I found some new restaurants that I didn’t know existed in Round Rock and now have become some of my favorites. The weather was great last year, and the open air feel was so nice at Dell Diamond. It was packed and the good thing about it is, you see a lot of people in the community you know. So, it’s a great networking event, too.” Kimberly Bronner, Round Rock resident