Beloved Duluth Business Now For Sale

A popular seasonal Duluth restaurant is now on the market, looking for a new owner after being closed for the last couple of years.

A & Dubs, Duluth's first (and last) drive-in restaurant, hasn't been open since the end of their 2023 season. They closed up in October of 2023 after a busy summer, and the following spring, fans of the popular food destination were met with some sad news.

In a social media post in April of 2024, the owners shared that there would not be a 2024 season for the West Duluth restaurant. Owners Syl and Sandy Hantz explained that health concerns made opening the small 'mom and pop business 'not feasible'.

In the following months, we learned that Syl was dealing with a cancer battle. The owners shared this news, saying "life is a circle", explaining how once upon a time, Syl was approached with the idea of starting the Cruise for Cancer. The event is a fall fundraiser to help local families dealing with cancer.

READ MORE: Inside the Twin Ports Area's newest Italian food destination

The 2025 Cruise for Cancer, by the way, is scheduled for Saturday, September 20 at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.

While the restaurant's social media has been silent since 2024, fans noticed that A & Dubs remained closed once again for the 2025 season. Rather than greeting customers this summer, the roadside sign for the business now has a message that the business is for sale.

The phone number listed on the sign is the number for the restaurant, so it appears that the business is "for sale by owner" on the market. It is unclear when the owners officially put the business up for sale, but fans have recently noticed the messaging on their sign.

Fans on business review sites and social media have expressed how much they miss the great food the seasonal business offered over the course of nearly 50 years of operation in Duluth.

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The hope many have is that someone comes along to bring this popular eatery back to serve the burgers, onion rings, and other drive-in foods that made A & Dubs a popular destination for decades.