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Other Ice Cream Chains & Imposters

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Dairy Twist
Connersville, IN		 Dairy Dream
Dunkirk, OH
Dairy Twist
Oberlin, OH
These Dairy Twists and the Dairy Dream are probably adapted Dairy Queens with altered signs. For more, see this website.

Dairy Delite/Gyro King
Frederick, MD
The Dairy Delite/Gyro King was probably a rehabbed Dairy Queen or Dairy Twist. This free-standing pole sign was most likely originally a rooftop sign. I suspect that Route 40 was widened, or for some other reason, the stores were rebuilt further back from the road. This combo ice cream/gyro shop is part of a strip mall now.

York Street Treat
Hanover, PA
York Street Treat is probably an altered Dairy Queen based on the sign and building design. However, I have been told that this was originally Farley's Twistee-Treat.

Frigid Whip [gone]
Tell City, IN
This Frigid Whip stand was home to the Christian Connections religious store when the top photos were taken in 2006. There have been several small businesses there since then. Around 2009, the sign was sold on eBay. The building was still there in 2010 (bottom photo). I don't know if there was ever a Frigid Whip chain or if this sign was an adapted Dairy Queen sign.

Dairy Freeze
Alta Vista, VA		 Dexter Queen
Dexter, MO
The Dairy Freeze building and sign are unique and vintage enough that I doubt it was ever part of a chain. [photo thanks Robby Delius]

The Dexter Queen opened as the Daisy Queen in 1949. The name was changed to Dexter Queen in 1950. For more, see this website.

Baskin-Robbins
Ventura, CA		 Baskin-Robbins
Oxnard, CA
Baskin-Robbins was founded in CA in 1953. By the mid-1960s, there were more than 400 stores nationwide. Today, there are nearly 6,000 locations globally. The company is now owned by Dunkin' Brands which also owns Dunkin' Donuts. Baskin-Robbins' surviving, early A-frame buildings have become extremely rare. The three shown here are the only ones that I know still exist. I'm not sure exactly when the company started using A-frames but they were definitely built in the 1960s.

The Ventura Baskin-Robbins building was originally striped. By 2006, the building was painted yellow and an addition was made to the back part of the building. For more, see this website.

The Oxnard Baskin-Robbins metal roof has now been covered with shingles.

Baskin-Robbins
Gardena, CA
The Gardena Baskin-Robbins is the most intact example of their A-frame buildings. If you know of any others, I'd love to know about them. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Victoria's Delite
Parma, OH
Victoria's Delite may have been part of a chain but I don't recognize this signage or building. Does anyone know more about this place?

Dari-Delite
Swissvale, PA		 Dari-Delite
Lake Isabella, CA		 Dari-Delite
Somerset, NJ		 Garner Drive-in
Berryville, AR
Dari-Delite was apparently a nationwide chain with other locations near Pittsburgh (Trafford, Glassport, and Turtle Creek), as well as Clanton, AL), AR, CA, FL, GA, and most likely other states.

The Swissvale Dari-Delite was recently renovated and the sign repainted. The Lake Isabella and Somerset Dari-Delites have other examples of the chain's signs. This stand in Cleveland, OH appears to have a repainted sign. I would love to find more information and see photos of other old Dari-Delites out there.

The Garner Drive-in is a former Dari-Delite. The embossed lettering still shows through the repainted sign.

former Dari-Delite
Chamblee, GA		 former Dari-Delite
Decatur, GA
This former Dari-Delite ice cream stand in Chamblee now houses the Flower Craft florist shop. I don't know if this chain was the same as the one described immediately above. The company, or one of them, was established by 1950, with headquarters in East Moline, IL. This advertisement from 1967 reflects the logo that was associated with this building style. There are a few other surviving buildings like this in Linda, CA, Fairfield, CA, Napa, CA, West Sacramento, CA, Applewood, CO, and Lewiston, ME. If you know of any others, I'd love to hear about them. [advertisement scan thanks Robby Delius]

This former Dari-Delite in Decatur is mostly concealed behind a false front. The weathervane appears to be original. [photo thanks Karen Griffin Dean]

former Dari-Delite
Tyler, TX
This former Dari-Delite now houses a Star Donuts. The location features part of the rooftop weathervane and the bottom half of the original sign.

former Dari-Delite
Burton, MI
This former Dari-Delite now houses Denam Auto Brokers & Trailer Sales.

former Dari-Delite
Eagle Lake, TX
This former Dari-Delite was probably not related to either chain described above. The building now houses a Chinese food restaurant. It has been remodeled a bit. For more, see this website.

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