Longtime Dallas sandwich shop Antoine's has closed. The shop was a fixture along Harry Hines Boulevard, serving the Medical District and nearby workers for six decades.
Owner Sam Ayoub and his wife, Maria, bought the sandwich shop 41 years ago, some 20 years after it had been opened by the previous owner. Mario Chavez worked with them for 25 years.
We spoke to the family last summer, and they told us when workers left offices to work from home at the start of the pandemic, it was devastating for their business. Sales were still down 50% from pre-pandemic times, and business was even worse during the height of COVID lockdowns. They had a hard time adjusting to pandemic protocols and couldn't navigate the bureaucratic Paycheck Protection Program loans.
At the time he said they were starting to "little by little" stand on their own again, adding, "It would be a shame to let go after all these years."
Alas, earlier this week they posted on their Facebook page that the time had come.
The menu of po' boys at Antoine's was simple, barely changing over the decades. It was simple, soft hoagie bread with a slightly crisp exterior filled with slices of turkey, roast beef or pastrami peppered beef. All were topped with a signature bright orange chow-chow. The most expensive item on the menu was $5.99.
CultureMap reports that the couple plans to retire. But if you ever met Sam you'd know he's not the sit-down and soak-it-up type. After their original post on Facebook, they added they might not be done just yet. They are considering some home-catering.
Our former food editor Beth Rankin listed Antoine's Foods as one of her favorite bites during her three and a half years in Dallas.