Dutchman Hospitality Group buying Troyer's Dutch Heritage

Walnut Creek, Ohio-based Dutchman Hospitality Group has contracted to purchase the Troyer's Dutch Heritage restaurant property and business at 3713 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota this April. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

The change is expected to have almost no impact on restaurant operations except for a name change to Der Dutchman.

The 34,742-square-foot restaurant was developed as Der Dutchman in 1999, but it was renamed in 2001 after the family split up a number of its Amish/Mennonite restaurants between Troyer Corp. and Dutchman Hospitality Group. Troyer Corp. received ownership of the Sarasota restaurant and one in Bellville, Ohio.

Troyer's Dutch Heritage employs 250 people. “While by law all of the employees' jobs will end when the sale goes through for things like workers compensation, they will be given the opportunity to reapply. We are not one of those companies that goes in planning to clean house,” says Vicki VanNatta, marketing coordinator for Dutchman Hospitality Group.

Dutchman Hospitality Group says it has no immediate plans to develop the Troyer family's proposal for an inn on nearby property. The sale, which included the Bellville, Ohio, restaurant, is expected to grow Dutchman Hospitality Group from more than 800 to about 1,200 employees and seven restaurants.