Duane’s House of Pizza changes hands, but will continue to delight in F-M

FARGO — Longtime Duane’s Home of Pizza proprietor Steve Schultz has retired.

However, fear not, zah zealots!

Tacky, tavern-style Duane’s pizzas will proceed to be a slice of life in Fargo-Moorhead – due to a number of licensing agreements.

“I’ve been on this enterprise 47 years, making pizzas, and I stood within the window of that South College for 30 years, , in order that was sufficient for me. I say, what, my physique isn’t holding up very nicely,” Schultz stated Thursday, Dec. 29.

“My Moorhead location, these guys have bought the correct to make use of my identify. The identical with South College, the investor(s) purchased that constructing and the correct to promote the product. And I simply finalized my sale with the SouthTown PourHouse yesterday, so (that proprietor) has the rights to promote my product,” Schultz stated.

The Duane’s Home of Pizza constructing at 1629 S. College Drive is now owned by a bunch that operates as Slice, LLC., which incorporates Fargo developer Jesse Craig. Craig can be main the hassle to redevelop the entire 1600 block of South College, which is dominated by the growing older South Plaza mall, into an house and retail complicated referred to as BLOC. Craig has stated Duane’s will transfer into the brand new constructing when it’s accomplished.

“They (the event group) had requested me to maneuver into that new location, that new constructing, they usually did supply me the house, as a result of we’re sort of a staple there. I simply instructed them, what, I’m 61 years outdated, I’ve had sufficient. I’ve executed these for 47 of these 61, I’m actually not trying ahead to going into debt to place collectively an entire ‘nother retailer,” Schultz stated. “That’s after they approached me and requested if they may simply purchase the enterprise in addition to the constructing. So, that’s what they did.”

Schultz finalized a take care of SouthTown PourHouse’s Craig Klimek on Wednesday, Dec. 28, that can have the sports activities bar and grill take over the Duane’s operation that had been renting kitchen house at 4281 forty fifth St. S., within the Shoppes at Osgood.

Schultz stated the deal ought to assist Klimek simply cowl the alcohol/meals gross sales ratio required by the liquor license for SouthTown PourHouse. That Class FA license requires that a minimum of half of the bar and grill’s receipts come from the gross sales of meals, a requirement that has precipitated friction between town and the enterprise.

“So now he’ll (Klimek) make his numbers” with the meals and alcohol gross sales ratio, Schultz stated.

“The town can be pleased and he’ll be pleased.”

Midtown Tavern, a sports activities bar and restaurant at 2223 Freeway 10 E. in Moorhead, is owned by RKB Investments. RKB leases the constructing, which as soon as was the house of a Duane’s Home of Pizza. Midtown has bought Duane’s pizza beneath license because it opened in spring 2022.

Schultz stated the pizza licensing offers with Craig and Klimek are for 10 years and require the licensees to stay to the Duane’s recipe and to purchase particular merchandise to make sure high quality and consistency.

“I’m going to keep watch over issues … simply to ensure they’re doing issues proper,” he stated.

The Discussion board reached out to Craig and Klimek for touch upon persevering with with the Duane’s model.

Schultz, who now lives in Fort Myers, Fla., stated it feels good to be retired and out of the snowbelt.

“I acquired the blessings of my mom. My dad did pizza for 35 years, then I did it … The time is now,” Schultz stated. “I do benefit from the 80 diploma climate in Florida, I’ll inform you that. I don’t miss shoveling.”

Schultz stated it’s “been fairly a blessing” to have been on the job lengthy sufficient to see three generations of some households cease in to purchase his pizzas.

He stated he needed to thank the metro space’s residents for his or her loyalty and help of Duane’s.

“Fargo-Moorhead handled me very, very nicely for a few years, my complete household, for that matter,” Schultz stated. “Fairly grateful for that.”