Old Applebee's restaurant sold

The first sign that the former Applebee’s building may have new owners came when a crew of workers were crawling all over the extensive roof earlier this month, shoveling off snow.

Carlton County assessor Kyle Holmes confirmed that the building at 1405 Highway 33 was purchased by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for $600,000. The seller was Koller Family Trust and the filing date was Dec. 30.

In response to the Pine Knot News, spokesperson Rita Aspinwall said the Band has no formal plans for the longtime restaurant site at this point.

“We are exploring options for the property,” she said.

The Applebee’s franchise in Cloquet closed in March 2018 as part of a number of corporate closures nationwide.