Adam Gremminger is no stranger to running a business.

For 10 years, the St. Charles County native co-owned a lawn care business with wife, Cecilia. Now, he’s the owner of Dairy Mart.

Gremminger bought the longtime Wellsville restaurant in early August from Brian and Michelle Maskey, who owned the business for 10 years. Gremminger is Dairy Mart’s 12th owner since it was first opened in 1962.

“What it’s going to be is a family friendly atmosphere,” Gremminger said. “It always was. When somebody wants to go somewhere to get a good burger and fries, I want it to be the first place they can think of.”

Gremminger said there is no specific date on when the restaurant will reopen. It has been closed since July 31, when the Maskeys spent their last day as owners.

“Right now, we’re buttoning up on what we have to do or what I feel needs to be done before we open,” Gremminger said. “Then, we’ll be able to open it.”

The new owner said ever since he bought the restaurant, he’s been busy cleaning up the place and upgrading the equipment.

“The big thing is the deep cleaning,” Gremminger said. “Everytime I turn around, I find something else that I want cleaner, nicer or neater. We started by putting up a wall that separates the kitchen from the counter area properly. We’re going to do digital menu boards. That led into repairing the ceiling, which is probably going to lead into putting a new floor down.”

With Gremminger taking over ownership duties at Dairy Mart, his wife will concentrate on the lawn care business.

“She’s been with me doing it since day one,” Gremminger said. “I knew she would do fine with it. But she has taken it over completely, where she’s doing everything. The day we signed the contract and Dairy Mart officially became ours, she officially took that over 100 percent.”

Gremminger said Cecilia influenced him to buy Dairy Mart after an injury in July.

“Over July 4th weekend, I threw my back out running away after lighting off a firework,” he said. “With us owning a lawn care business, I wasn’t able to work. So my wife took that over for a week. After I threw my back out, my wife said I can’t do this lawn care business much anymore. It was not going to work out for me.”

Gremminger is originally from St. Paul, which is north of O’Fallon.

“It kind of reminds me of a town like Wellsville,” Gremminger said. “It’s just a real small town. Everybody knows everybody. I grew up with that small-town mentality. Whenever we moved out here 4 or 5 years ago, I just really liked it.”

The Gremmingers started their lawn care business 10 years ago in St. Charles County before later moving it to Montgomery County. They have four boys – Devin, Caleb, Logan and Tyler.

“We’re always trying to stay busy,” said Gremminger, whose grandfather once owned an A&W restaurant. “We’re always trying to have money to come in and put away. Ultimately, it’s about the future of my kids. We want to make sure they have a comfortable life and a comfortable future.”