Hamburg Inn No. 2 owner Dave Panther said today that the sale of the historic restaurant has been pushed to next week.
A manager at the restaurant on Wednesday said the sale was planned for that day, but Panther later clarified, “We were going to sign the papers today, but there’s a few things that didn’t come through … It’ll be next week sometime, probably the earliest will be Tuesday, depending on how these pieces of the puzzle get put together.” He said the new owners did not want to be identified until the sale was complete.
Panther emphasized that the sale of Hamburg Inn, which has been in his family for more than half a century, was for the best. “It was a good deal for me and my family and I think it’s going to be a good deal for my staff, too. [The new owners are] not coming in here to mess up an icon.”
He confirmed that Hamburg’s staff will be staying on under the new ownership. “That’s part of the value of the company,” Panther said. As part of the deal, he’ll also remain with the restaurant as a consultant for about a year. “They were very interested in having me around to help them transition, not only with becoming familiar but with transitioning the staff so that it all goes smoothly. And with the presidential elections coming up next year, they wanted me available to kind of help with the political angle.”
Hamburg has long been a popular stop on presidential campaign trails, and the restaurant’s interior is adorned in political paraphernalia. “The new owners are very interested in the political connection that we’ve developed over the years as a marketing tool,” Panther said.
He also recalled a bit of the history of the legendary restaurant, which has been in his family since its inception. “The Hamburg Inn tradition started in 1935,” he said. “This location my dad bought in 1948, and I bought it in 1979. We wouldn’t have lasted this long if we didn’t have great people and great food and service over the years. So we appreciate all the people that have helped get this far, and all the customers and guests who have come in and made it all possible.”
Seth Dudley, Hamburg’s general manager and executive chef, who has been with the restaurant for six years, will begin to take over some of Panther’s duties. Dudley was also upbeat about the changes. “From my understanding, having talked to Dave and someone involved in the new ownership, it sounds like they understand what they have here and they don’t see any reason to come in and make any drastic changes or anything like that.”
Visitors to Hamburg Inn can expect the experience to largely remain the same. “As far as customers are concerned, if we didn’t say anything, they probably wouldn’t even notice other than the fact that Dave won’t be around as much,” Dudley said. “At some point, they may want to change up the menu a little bit or maybe make some updates to the restaurant but nothing drastic.”
He added, “I think they understand that you’d have to be a fool to want to come in and overhaul something that’s as iconic as it is.”
Dudley said that the attention paid to the sale was proof of Hamburg’s treasured status: “It goes to show the kind of special place this restaurant holds in the hearts of Iowa City and has for generations now. I look forward to keeping that going.”
