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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Longtime Sacramento businessman Randy Paragary has passed away. He was 74 years old.
Its restaurants across Sacramento and beyond have won awards and accolades for decades.
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Paragary has been a pioneer of local nightlife since 1969 when he opened his first establishment, the ParaPow Palace. He has since opened several other restaurants and most recently the Fort Sutter Hotel.
He also worked with the city to redevelop areas such as the bustling K Street pedestrian mall and recreated a vibe south of the market on 15 and R streets, according to the Paragary Restaurant Group website.
He is known not only as a businessman, but also as a mentor to many, including Patrick Mulvaney, owner of Mulvaney’s B&L.
“I would call him for advice.” Phone calls were always answered and answered promptly. It would still be ‘come in and have a drink,’ ”Mulvaney said.
Café Bernardo and its namesake, Paragary’s, are among its most famous restaurants. He was also a founding member of the Midtown Association, the organization behind Explore Midtown.
Mulvaney worked for Paraguay in the 90s, and now his own restaurant pays homage by serving one of Paragary’s original dishes.
“Randy Paragary lifted the Sacramento dining hall and gave it a platform for the rest of us to take it to another level,” he said.
Paragary Restaurant Group paid tribute to its founder by issuing the following statement:
“His vision and leadership have shaped and guided the company for over 30 years. Its impact on the restaurant industry and the Sacramento community is immeasurable.
Paragary is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, and the McGeorge School of Law.
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Condolences started pouring in shortly after the news of his death was announced.
In a tweet earlier today, Mayor Darrell Steinberg called Paragary “one of the greatest Sacramentians of all time.”
He continued, “He has helped put Sacramento on the culinary map and has invested relentlessly and optimistically in its future. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy is imprinted in our community. “
Other tributes came from the Midtown Association, calling Paragary an incredible force behind the vibrancy of downtown Sacramento.
“Anyone who has lived in Sacramento for a while will think of Randy Paragary when they think of the celebrations,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Angelique Ashby.
City Councilor Ashby just spoke to Paragary a few weeks ago, naming him as the founder of Sacramento’s Sutter neighborhood with his latest achievement: the Fort Sutter hotel.
“This is a hotel you would see in Santa Barbara,” she said. “We’re so lucky because he brought this vision, this level of class, this shameless belief that Sacramento could do more.”
A lasting legacy that helped lift a city to new heights will not be forgotten
“Randy was a mentor to so many, as well as a husband, father and most recently a visionary hotelier. The Fort Sutter Hotel was clearly a labor of love and the Paragary family created a magnificent and lasting legacy for generations of Sacramentians to come, ”said Emily Baime Michaels, Executive Director of the Midtown Association, in a statement.
MP Doris Matsui made the following statement:
“Sacramento has lost a true innovator, whose vision for the Sacramento food scene has shaped our great city for generations to come. Randy had an unwavering belief in Sacramento and its people – his restaurants reflected that passion and built bridges within our community.
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“Although he is remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit and his lasting impact on the cultural fabric of Sacramento, I will always remember his kindness and cherish our friendship. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Paragary family during this difficult time. Randy will be truly missed.
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