By Claire Sachse
claire.sachse@tryondailybulletin.com

As of Oct. 4, O’Duggan’s Coffee Pub, located at 163 N. Trade St., has new owners. Matt Meininger and Brandi Royar bought the business from former owner, Walker O’Duggan, and they plan to continue the use of the pub’s name.

Meininger, 42, and Royar, 27, will keep most of the items on the menu the same, but will add more specialty coffees.

“We would like this shop to be a destination,” said Meininger, a Detroit, Mich. native. “We offer specialty coffees, and we’re perfecting our cappuccinos and lattes,” he added.

They also sell 12 flavors of Blue Bell ice cream, milk shakes, sundaes and floats. Meininger plans to continue the O’Duggans tradition of taking the ice cream pushcart to local events.

Royar, a Canton, N.C. native, also added that the couple will continue to sell mobile phones, phone plans and minutes, through Selectel.

Currently the couple resides in Canton with their young son, and they commute to Tryon. Meininger said that after his job at a plastics plant was downsized, he wanted “to do something different.” He found the listing for the business on Craigslist, and bought it quickly.

Currently the small shop is decorated for Halloween, Royar’s favorite holiday. On the afternoon and evening of Oct. 31, she plans to give away ice-cream shaped balloons, and have a photographer in the shop to take photos to share of trick-or-treaters in costume.

“I love Tryon,” Meininger said, “and in this business I get to talk to lots of people. We plan to be here for a long time.”

O’Duggans is open from10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The shop is on Facebook as O’Duggans Coffee Pub.