West Seattle, 1986. That's where it all began - in the small home kitchen of David and Meg Haggerty. David had worked in the restaurant industry for years, and together with Meg, that experience lead them to the idea that catering could be synonymous with fantastic service, food as delicious and lovingly made as in any fine dining restaurant, and sprinkled with creative decor and presentations. What if you could build a lifetime of gathering and nourishing community through that catering company?

Ready to take the plunge, David came home from work one day and told Meg that they'd landed their first catering job; they were going to cook Fettucine Alfredo for 40 people. She responded, "Wow! I didn't know you could do that!" David told her he wasn't sure he knew how to make it happen, but said, "You do, right?" And so, they did!

For three years, the company ran its catering operations out of David & Meg's West Seattle home kitchen. When their oldest son, Reed, was born, Meg fondly remembers carrying him on her hip while stirring pots of simmering sauces, and David bustling about cooking, designing, and delivering. Together, they worked tirelessly to grow the business.

In 1989, they took the next step in their evolution and partnered with a friend, David Meckstroth. Another young restaurant industry veteran, David M. brought his shared passion for hospitality, community, and delicious food to expand Tuxedos & Tennis Shoes into the greater Seattle area. Now the two Davids & Meg formed a fab trio, and set out to transform catering in the Pacific Northwest.

The Haggertys credit Meg's dad with helping to dream up the Tuxedos & Tennis Shoes name. The original logo featured a classically drawn character, complete with laced-up tennis shoes. Our company has always embraced our identity as a talented culinary and hospitality team capable of producing some of Seattle’s most noteworthy events, while also calling upon the ecclectic and fun-loving side of our personalities. It’s tuxedos, AND tennis shoes!

Soon after David Meckstroth joined as a partner, Tuxedos & Tennis Shoes outgrew its humble home kitchen origins, and our trio decided to lease commercial space in the Swedish Medical Center. It turned out to be a fateful move, as the new space also had a storefront that allowed them to serve up a deli style menu direct to customers. Before they knew it, people from all over West Seattle were coming in for their memorable homemade Chicken Salad Sandwiches. As the West Seattle community got to know T&T through the deli, the catering side of the business grew exponentially.

To this day, there are still folks who remember being regulars at the Tuxedos Junction Deli, and that delicious Chicken Salad Sandwich. And while we won't give away our full secret recipe, let's just say a little cream cheese and slivered almonds will go a long way to making the perfect mix.

One day, while driving through West Seattle, David Haggerty saw a "For Lease" sign on the old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. Having already nearly outgrown the deli, the Davids and Meg were in the market for a larger kitchen, but also a space where they could host events on their own. Familiar with the schoolhouse, the trio knew it could be a beautiful event venue, filled with joyful occasions - weddings, birthdays, picnics, community gatherings, and more - the perfect way to keep the historic building thriving within the West Seattle community.

In 1993, the Hall at Fauntleroy was born, and over the next several years it became a landmark venue for weddings and special events. All of this, and the Haggerty family was growing right alongside the business with the births of their additional children Abi, Matt, and Andrew.

For two decades, the company steadily expanded to become one of Seattle's top catering companies, employing hundreds of people in full or part-time positions. The company further stretched its operations and partnered with Seattle’s iconic Benaroya Hall in 2015, bringing elevated food and drink, and exceptional hospitality, to patrons and events at the venue. As the business continued to grow, it moved into a new larger commercial space, lovingly dubbed “The Works” at 4101 Airport Way S.

With new opportunities cropping up over the years, we created additional lines of business that included venues, restaurants, and corporate cafes. The need finally arose to restructure the business in a way that made sense administratively and financially. DSquared Hospitality Company was established as the parent company to Tuxedos & Tennis Shoes and our entire family of brands!

In 2020, DSquared won a valuable corporate dining contract at T-Mobile’s headquarters and campus in Bellevue, which includes counter service ordering, staffing and management for a Starbucks, and catering for events and meetings. In addition, we opened the View at Russell Investment Center, expanding our corporate dining offerings & cafe concepts.

David Meckstroth retired in 2021, and we honored his legacy with a scholarship through The ICA Educational Foundation (ICAEF), the philanthropic partner of the International Caterers Association (ICA), at the 2022 Catersource Scholarship Reception in Anaheim, CA.

In 2023, DSquared played host to the Leading Caterers of America, an industry network comprised of some of the nation’s best caterers. Over three event-packed days, our company showcased our operations at Russell Investment Center, Benaroya, our commissary at The Works, and hosted an event in our newest venue, 4105.

And, in 2024, we rebranded our company, calling upon our past experiences, our people, and our commitment to hospitality to develop a new visual identity to express our values and services.

In the decades since our humble beginnings, David & Meg have been growing the business through their love of hospitality and care for community, with an abundance of joy and creativity.

What began as quiet roots in a small West Seattle home kitchen has blossomed into one of the Pacific Northwest's best catering companies, several venues, cafes, and restaurant concepts. Today, the company is evolving under the leadership of the younger generation of Haggertys, Meg & David's children Reed, Matt, Abbi, and Andrew, who carry the legacy and mission to gather and nourish forward into our future.