It’s hard for one person to work at the same place for nearly four decades. But that’s exactly what Roselyn Oates did when she finished her final split shift at Progresso Tamale Parlor last Friday.
The Hollister native finished a 38-year career as a server at one of Hollister’s most renowned restaurants, building a lifetime of memories in the process. Oates, who recently turned 54, said she’ll miss the relationships with her bosses, co-workers and the dozens of regular customers who frequented the restaurant.
“There have been so many wonderful customers over the years,” said Oates, a 1980 San Benito High graduate. “I just waited on four young men whose family I’ve been waiting on for years. I remember them growing up and they were surprised when I mentioned to them that I would be retiring. They said, ‘Oh, we’re not coming back anymore. We’re going to Dona Esther.’ I said, ‘Don’t you dare.’ It was really nice to hear something like that. I know they were kidding and they would be coming back to Progresso.”
She said she has seen generations of families at the restaurant on Third Street just off the main drag.
“I’ve seen generations of families in here,” she said. “ You see kids grow up, get married and come back with their kids. It’s a great experience. And I couldn’t have asked for better people to work for.”
Speaking of generations, Progresso has been owned by the Zuniga family for approximately 75 years. Siblings Gilbert Zuniga and Margaret Zuniga-Healy are the current owners of Progresso, and they’ve continued the culture of treating their employees well, Oates said. Oates credited the Zuniga family as one of the main reasons why she stayed at one place for so long—a rarity in the ever-changing restaurant industry.
“They’re a lovely family to work for,” said Oates, whose husband, Matthew, recently retired after working 35 years for the San Benito County roads department. “The owners here have always been excellent to me as the years went on.”
During her 38 years at Progresso, Oates gave birth to two sons—Jacob, 25, and Dain, 20. Dain was actually born 14 weeks early, at 1 pound, 10 ounces. He had to spend the first 3½ months of his life at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Upon returning home, Dain weighed only 6 pounds—and still needed a device to help pump oxygen to his body.
“It was a very trying experience, but well worth it,” Oates said. “He’s going to be 21 in May, and I couldn’t be prouder for both of my sons.”
Oates started working at Progresso during her freshman year at San Benito High in 1977. Oates was a good friend of Margaret Zuniga-Healy, who is the current owner of Progresso along with brother Gilbert Zuniga. The genesis of Oates’ hiring came during one crazy night at the restaurant. Aurelio Zuniga, who is the uncle of Zuniga-Healy and one of the previous owners of Progresso, recalls the moment in vivid detail.
“We were really busy one night and short on waitresses,” Zuniga said. “Margaret, who was one of our waitresses, said we needed at least one more waitress. I asked her if she knew anyone who could come in. Sure enough, she gives Roselyn a call, and the next thing you know she’s waiting tables. She was all nervous and excited at first, but she picked things up real fast.
“We offered her the job permanently, and she stayed on for all those years. In the restaurant business, you need people you can count on. Roselyn was very dependable and someone you could count on. That’s the best thing you can say about a worker in this business.”
Oates worked the majority of her career doing a split shift. Her first shift was typically from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the second was 5 to 8:30 p.m. Even though the schedule was tiring at times, Oates preferred working a split shift because it allowed her to take the children to school and pick them up.
And because Matthew was home in the evenings, they didn’t have to worry about childcare or finding a regular babysitter.
Even though Oates is retiring, she’ll keep herself busy. In addition to being a cantor at Sacred Heart & St. Benedict Parish, Oates also sings at funerals and weddings. The family will also be taking a trip to Las Vegas when Dain turns 21 in May.
“We have a timeshare in Las Vegas, so we’ll be using that more often,” she said. “And there are always projects to do around the house.”
After graduating from high school, Oates went to dental assistant school. Was Oates close to choosing a new vocation in life?
“I was really used to my tips and made more money, so I chose to stay with this wonderful family at Progresso,” she said. “In the end, I decided I liked this better.”
Oates’ attitude at work was simple: deliver the best customer service possible, and do it with people she loved.
“All of my co-workers and the girls in the kitchen, we all got along like family,” she said. “We try to do the best job on a busy schedule, and we had the mindset that every table was important. Good product, good service. That’s what Progresso is all about.”
