Iconic Duluth Restaurant Announces New Owners, Reopening After Multi-Year Closure

A seasonal Duluth business with a loyal following of fans just got some exciting news!

The West Duluth drive-in diner A & Dubs, which has been closed for the last couple of years, announced Monday (March 9) that the business has new ownership and plans to reopen.

A & Dubs hit the market after the restaurant's owners, Syl and Sandy Hantz, shared some sad news. In a social media post in 2024, Sandy shared that Syl was facing a battle with cancer, which made opening the business "not feasible".

As I shared last fall, the business was put up for sale, with the street-side sign letting the public know they were looking for a new owner to carry on the 40+ year legacy of the business for fans and future generations.

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Originally an A&W in the 1950s & 1960s, the locally-owned drive-in broke away from the chain in the 1970s to become what has been known ever since as A & Dubs/

After remaining silent for the last several months, the A & Dubs social media page suddenly got active again, breaking the news that Mike Koralia and Ryan Spears have purchased the restaurant.

As the post explained, Mike and Ryan made the purchase of A & Dubs "with the help and support of Syl and Sandy", with the new owners planning to serve the same food that has made the business a popular seasonal destination for decades.

The new owners are planning a grand re-opening celebration to kick off the new era of this classic drive-in eatery.  They haven't yet announced a date, but fans are hoping it is in line with a normal spring opening, perhaps sometime in May.

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We'll keep an eye on things and let you know as soon as we hear more! In the meantime, it sounds like everything people loved about A & Dubs is expected to come back under the new owners as they take over.