Thursday, September 30, 2010

Mark Zabienski: The Stucco King of Oklahoma

By Taylor Thompson

Sitting in the shadows under an overhead awning at the Brookside Bar & Grill, Mark Zabienski enjoys a drink after a sweltering Wednesday at work. Zabienski, 58, has been a Tulsa local his entire life. Although he recently moved to Cherry Street, he was formerly a Brookside resident.

With long gray hair, dark skin, and a full beard, Zabienski is a man who exemplifies the life of the working class, and it's no surprise that he owns and operates his own construction company, Mark Zabienski Construction Inc.

He is the proud father of three sons, all of whom graduated from Cascia Hall High School. They are currently living in Ft. Collins, Colo., Portland, Ore. and Denver, Colo.

While most spend a lifetime planning, Zabienski is a man who has actually lived his life. He has spent time traveling and living in places such as Hawaii, California, and even Paris. "I have survived by the motions of my body," said Zabienski. "If you want to be somebody, you got to make it happen for yourself."

Zabienski is remodeling Sharky's at 3425 S. Peoria Ave. and his brother remodeled the Brookside Bar & Grill at 3368 S. Peoria Ave. After five years of gathering equipment and labor, Zabienski now does exterior stucco work, much of which is found on Brookside's buildings.

"I have made a lot of money off of this neighborhood; I might become the stucco king of Oklahoma," he joked.

When not working on Brookside, Zabienski enjoys cruising Tulsa on his Harley Davidson Road King and spending time at Grand Lake.

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