Dic Ann's opens first ever "hamburger emporium" in downtown Montreal

Dic Ann’s, the storied hamburger chain which was launched by the husband and wife team of Dick Potenza and Ann Collechia nearly 60 years ago, officially opened its first ever downtown  location on  St. Catherine Street near Forte Avenue on October 15. When I visited the place at noon on day three of the new operation, lineups were out the door already. Lloyd Brown, who brought us the first NDG Dic Ann’s on St. Jacques seven years ago, initiated the “Centre Ville” project as well. That now makes 15 Dic Ann’s restaurants in the  Greater Montreal area. Marché Central and the Old Port (a food truck) were added to the mix last summer.

 

Lloyd Brown at the new locale.

In a few short weeks, Brown will make an unprecedented announcement where Dic Ann’s Centre Ville is concerned. Let’s just say that there will be something added to the offerings that no fast food hamburger spot has done here before.

First of all, what a superb location this is.  This was once a pet store. Located right across the street from LaSalle College and only blocks away from both Dawson College and Concordia University, this is already attracting a strong youth clientele.  However, the area itself has recently been rejuvenated and there is a lot of traffic from shoppers and  businesses. As he did on St. Jacques, Brown has installed one of his Bonatarte dessert emporiums here featuring great pies, pastries, cupcakes, brownies,  smoothies, bubble tea, milkshakes and a full coffee bar. A small breakfast menu will be introduced soon.

 

Lineups already at the new locale.

There are 40 seats in the new location (and 40 ready for a terrasse next summer), which is a mixture of old (retro) and new décor. Above the  traditional menu, featuring  pricing for the famous burgers, hotdogs, poutine and fries are LCD panels. Brown has even installed thematic tables: four for  sports (Impact, Expos, Canadiens, Alouettes), three for entertainment (Jazz and Just For Laughs Festivals and the Grand Prix; two of Dic Ann’s nostalgia; and one for La Place (the electronics store Brown ran for years on St. Laurent Blvd.

I do tend to be in this area often and its is great to have an alternative to McDonald’s.  Dic Ann’s the trademark flat hamburger patties are made fresh each morning from 100 percent beef and of course there is the famous hot sauce to look forward to.

Pasquale Massa waits on his order.

I saw several recognizable faces when I was there, including the owner of Côte Saint-Luc’s highly popular Quality Fruits store, Pasquale Massa. He has known Brown for years  and carries Bonatarte products.

A delicious order of a burger and fries.

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.”