Dic Ann’s to open its first ever downtown location

Dic Ann’s, the storied hamburger chain which was launched by the husband and wife team of Dick Potenza and Ann Collechia 59 years ago, will open its first ever downtown location in June on St. Catherine Street near Forte Avenue. Nino Zammit and Delbina Potenza, the grandchildren of the original owners and present day managers of the operation, are working with consultant Lloyd Brown on this project. It was Brown, a noted local businessman, who introduced the first Dic Ann’s West End franchise seven years ago on St. Jacques Street in NDG.

Delbina Potenza and Nino Zammit

 

Zammit told me he believes the time is perfect to debut franchise number 13 downtown, emphasizing that the area is on the verge of a boom with a new condo/apartment project going up on the site of the old Seville Theatre, a planned reboot of the Pepsi Forum entertainment complex and Lasalle and Dawson College’s to draw from.  Dic Ann’s has sold more than 50 million of its trademark slim hamburgers since its inception, complete with their secret recipe hot sauce.  Dic Ann’s established a world record in 1998, when their St. Jerome location served 1,452 hamburgers in one hour, each with custom condiments. 

    

Like the Dic Ann’s on St. Jacques Street, the downtown location will be twinned with a Bonatarte dessert emporium.   

 

Mouthwatering Dic Ann's hamburger and fries.

As Dom Potenza, Delbina’s dad and son of the original owners says, “My dad would have loved the idea of moving into downtown close to the old Montreal Forum, where the hockey team he so worshipped provided all of us with so many great memories. We look forward to welcoming, and for those who don’t know us, creating, a new legion of fans.”