Sarasota restaurant closes after 67 years, owner says ‘time to stop and smell the roses’
One of Sarasota's oldest and most beloved restaurants, which opened during the 1950s when the likes of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe were the biggest stars of the day, has permanently closed after 67 years in business.
Hob Nob Drive-In, occupying a prominent spot on U.S. 301 just north of downtown Sarasota, served its final burger and fries this week. The owners of the legendary burger joint had planned to continue serving customers through today, May 15, but they ran out of food around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
When I visited Wednesday morning, the owners and a small crew were already breaking a sweat in the Florida heat, dismantling the open-air restaurant that has served generations of Sarasotans.
"Yeah, we're closing," said owner Cary Spicuzza, his voice tinged with sadness. He wore blue jeans, a ballcap, and a long-sleeve button-down work shirt emblazoned with the iconic red, black, and white logo of the Hob Nob Drive-In, which no longer operates at 1701 N. Washington Blvd.
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Hob Nob Drive-In permanently closed after 67 years; owner says it’s ‘time to smell the roses’
Spicuzza owns Hob Nob with his wife, Debora Spicuzza, and their business partner, Annette Gargett, who was also there working on Wednesday morning. He said they might open a Hob Nob food truck "next fall or winter," which would be run by Gargett on an adjacent property, but that the Hob Nob restaurant has permanently closed. The Spicuzzas and Gargett own multiple properties surrounding Hob Nob, but not the actual Hob Nob property, which is owned by Petros Karras. Cary Spicuzza said their lease ends on June 30.
"Ever since COVID, the restaurant business has changed," Spicuzza said while seated at one of the tables that has likely been covered with thousands of burgers over the years. "The challenges you face are a little more insurmountable."
Spicuzza noted the difficulty in finding capable kitchen workers and mentioned that most days he manned the grill himself. He also pointed to a decline in business as one of the reasons for closing.
"We've been here since Nov. 7, 1991, and this past summer was the first time I lost money — we usually break even during the summer (with our biggest profits coming during the winter tourist season)," Spicuzza said. "I'm 67, and my wife and Annette (Gargett) are in their 60s; it's time to stop and smell the roses."
Hob Nob is a Sarasota dining icon that opened in 1957
Billed as “Sarasota’s oldest outdoor dining experience,” Hob Nob Drive-In served one of the city’s best burgers. In recent years, I recall the classic diner-style patty arriving thin and salty, well-done yet juicy, under a blanket of American cheese topped with mayo, mustard, iceberg lettuce, a thick tomato slice, raw white onions, and pickles.
The fluffy white bun, reminiscent of those from childhood backyard cookouts, proved ideal for soaking up the flavors. I have fond memories of the cheeseburger basket arriving with a small side of coleslaw and a pile of comforting crinkle fries. For a slight upcharge, you could replace the fries with onion rings.
People had been enjoying those cheeseburgers since March 12, 1957. To mark Hob Nob’s 40th anniversary, the Herald-Tribune ran an article noting “in the period of time after World War II, when Sarasota’s Hob-Nob Drive-In restaurant opened, the appeal of drive-in restaurants was growing.”
“As the speeds of cars increased, the design of drive-in restaurants had to become more eye-catching,” Lorrie Muldowney wrote in 1997. “This had the result of buildings so distinctive that they served as their own advertising, often in combination with large neon signs, which could not be avoided. The much-coveted corner lot location added still more to their curbside visibility. Sarasota’s Hob-Nob Drive-In restaurant still has its original neon sign and rectangular building design, allowing parking on all sides.”
The Spicuzza family owned Hob Nob since 1991
The Spicuzza family owned Hob Nob since 1991, longer than any other proprietor of the Sarasota dining icon. They added chicken, fish, vegetables and salads to the menu, which also included staples such as hot dogs and handmade shakes. A cold beer was also a popular beverage choice. In 2013, the Spicuzzas renovated the restaurant with a new roof, new awnings, tables and countertops, plus a wall separating the open-air dining area from the traffic on Washington Boulevard. In 2017, a white cargo van slammed into the concrete barrier.
“Thank God we built that new wall about four or five years ago,” restaurant manager co-owner Gargett told the Herald-Tribune. “That’s why we put that wall there, in case a car did come through here. I’m glad nobody got hurt; the building can be replaced.”
The restaurant, serving burgers since the Eisenhower Administration, reopened for dinner on the same day. Here's to hoping that after some much-deserved rest and relaxation, Gargett will open a Hob Nob food truck for those of us who will forever appreciate their burgers and fries.
"I think people would like that," she said with a smile.
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota restaurant Hob Nob Drive-In permanently closed
