Sharon O'Quinn, Store Manager - Here since the very beginning, Sharon has been selling housewares and kitchen products for nearly 30 years. She's been an enthusiastic baker for most of her life, ever since her grandmother taught her how to bake bread when she was 11. She collects vintage cookbooks, and thinks you should always eat dessert first. Sharon started with Faraday's a couple months before our opening in July of 2005 - she's Associate #1!
Laura Rosado, Assistant Store Manager, Lead Merchandiser and Ecommerce Manager - Laura brought her West-coast style to Austin from Seattle eight years ago. When she isn't watching Harry Potter or inventing new holidays, you'll find her enjoying life with her husband, who is- you guessed it- a chef.
Harvey Salinas joined us as our Outdoor Kitchen Manager and Sales Lead in January of 2022. He got interested in cooking when in his early 20s, attending culinary school at St. Philip's and Le Cordon Bleu before working in restaurants in every job from dishwasher to Manager. He also worked at Barbeques Galore in San Antonio, first as an installer and then moving into sales, so he knows barbeques inside and out. Lately, he's been having fun experimenting with combining sous vide cooking paired with grilling. Ask him how to cook nilgai (Indian antelope) when you see him! If you have an Outdoor Kitchen need, please give Harvey a call on his cell phone at 954-215-9140
Jeanmarie Ficken, Sales - Jeanmarie is a born-and-bred Italian New Yorker who has been in Texas for 24 years. She has cooked since she was a young girl with her mother and grandma- especially Italian food! She was a long-time Faraday's customer before she came to work with us. She loves the beach and traveling to Lubbock and Houston with her husband to visit their sons.
Maxwell Maurer, Sales & Outdoor Kitchen Expert - Texas born and bred, Max grew up around a various assortment of smokers and grills, and has become our in-house Eggspert! His first job was as a fry cook, and he's always expanding his food knowledge. He builds computers (so he's very handy when things go wrong around here) to playing high-graphic video games- and he's also a musician. Lately he's been enthralling us with the gorgeous breads he's been baking. Quite the renaissance man!
Kellye Green, Sales, is a long time resident of Austin. She is a professional bartender, self-taught chef and Artist. She enjoys combining her talents to create delicious, beautiful, innovative food and drinks. She shares her love of cooking with her 11 year old daughter, Emma Jo. She has two cats, because that's all the apartment complex will allow.
Beth Hathaway, Kitchen Assistant Extraoirdinaire, started baking at age 5 with a set of miniature pans, and soon graduated to cooking for the entire family. (She still has trouble cooking in small batches!) She taught her two sons to cook, and loves to make a good stir-fry. She was a devoted customer for several years before joining our team, so it was a very easy fit for all of us. In her "real life", Beth is an RN at a nursing facility.
Sonie Mills-Prettyman, Sales, also a medical professional as an LVN, is studying integrative nutrition and functional medicine, so she's a great one to ask about healthy foods. She's also been a barista, so she can answer your coffee questions, too! She's a mom to a Blue Heeler, and she loves cooking and eating healthy meals, and sipping a Hot Springs Peach Tea Latte.
Kyle Hathaway, Logistics Manager, is in charge of our Warehouse and Grill Deliveries. He's a budding baker and avid board gamer. And yes, he's Beth's son!
Our newest associate at Faraday's is Rusty Banki, who joins us as VP in charge of New Business Development. After 28 years in the real estate industry, 14 of those in New Home Sales, he will be building relationships with local builders and developers to bring the joy of Outdoor Kitchens to a larger audience. He's a native Texan and a social butterfly, so say hello if you see him out and about! If you have an Outdoor Kitchen need you can contact him on his cell phone 713-480-0889.
Tony and Melissa Curtis-Wellings- Store Owners, are the captains of the ship! They provide the direction that drives all of us to present the best products and service to you every day. You can catch them each week eating flavorful curries (love those spices!), hiking the trails with their Belgian Sheepdog, Dasher, and enjoying everything Texas has to offer.
The OGs: Tony, Melissa, Sharon and Blakely
