| Eateries |
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| DAIRY QUEEN |
| Dairy Queen Charlotte, NC |
Dairy Queen Charlotte, NC |
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The first Dairy Queen opened in 1940 in Joliet, IL, serving only soft-serve ice cream. Expansion was exponential: by 1947, there were about 100 stores and by 1955, there were 2,600. Today, there are more than 5,900 DQs worldwide. In the early 1950s, DQ developed its slanted roof, rounded corners walkup with the classic tilted cone signage. In 1960, the company dropped this design for its barn-like building. For more about Dairy Queen, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Dairy Queen at the left was built in 1947. It is the oldest location left in NC and the third oldest in the Southeast. The Eskimo sign on the roof appears to be a recreation. The person represented is a little older and more Eskimo-y than the original (see the signs below) and the sign's shape is a little different. For more, see this website. The Dairy Queen at the right is from 1951. It has the name "Dairy Queen" in neon script above the awning in front. For more, see this website. I'd love to know of any other examples of these signs. |
| Dairy Freeze Quincy, MA |
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| This Dairy Freeze must have originally been a Dairy Queen. The sign is a well-preserved original. |
| Dairy Queen Grafton, WV |
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| The Grafton DQ features another original sign. For more, see this website. |
| Dairy Queen Pawcatuck, CT |
Dairy Queen Riverside, CA |
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The Pawcatuck Dairy Queen has been here since 1954.
The Riverside Dairy Queen is from the 1950s. It sounds like their "sister" location in town from the same era will be demolished, if it hasn't been already. For more, see this website. |
| Dairy Queen Janesville, WI |
Dairy Queen Butler, PA |
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This sign in Janesville appears to be old while the building itself seems to be modern (not the slant-roofed stand).
The Butler DQ looks like an oldie. |
| Dairy Queen Perryopolis, PA |
Dairy Queen Carbondale, IL |
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The Perryopolis DQ was built in 1963. The roof sign is from 1953, brought from an older location in Masontown, PA. For more, see their website.
The Cardondale Dairy Queen opened in 1952. For more, see this website. |
| Dairy Queen Buckhannon, WV |
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| Dairy Queen Lombard, IL |
Dairy Queen Shelbyville, IN |
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| The Buckhannon, Lombard, and Shelbyville DQs look to be from the late 1950s or early 1960s. For more, see this website. |
| Dairy Queen Williams, AZ |
Dairy Queen Holdrege, NE |
Dairy Queen Newberg, OR |
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The Williams DQ features a rare, freestanding pole sign. The building's roof appears to have been retrofitted to look similar to the newer type. For more, see this website.
The Holdrege and Newberg DQs have nice old signs. I haven't seen either one anywhere else. For more, see this website. [Newberg photo thanks Jeff at Vintage Roadside] |
| Dairy Queen Holbrook, AZ |
Dairy Queen Benson, AZ |
Dairy King Richmond, VA |
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I have never seen the Holbrook or Bensons sign styles before either. I'm not sure if they are earlier designs or retro creations. I don't believe DQ's early signs or advertising promoted hamburgers but I could be wrong. The Holbrook location also features an incredibly tall, modern sign that is visible from I-40.
I assume this Richmond Dairy King was once a DQ and this sign was altered for the name change. Over the years, Dairy Queens have been remodeled to look new - and now they are being remodeled to look old! A Dairy Queen in Salina, KS replaced its original building with a new nostalgic design. |
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More Dairy Queen Signs:
Duluth, MN |
| Dairy Queen Aurora, IL |
former Dairy Queen Mattituck, NY |
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| Dairy Queen Fraser, MI |
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The barn-style Aurora and Mattituck Dairy Queens feature the now rare "Little Miss" weathervane signs on the roof. The Mattituck building has been home to the "Magic Fountain" since at least the 1970s. They feature homemade ice cream.
The Fraser example is missing the weathervane arms. There is another Little Miss in Saco, ME. |
| Dairy Queen Naples, FL |
Dairy Queen Miami, FL |
Dairy Queen Terre Haute, IN |
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These Naples and Miami Dairy Queens are examples of the A-Frame design. I don't know if these were built before, after or concurrently with the slant-roof design. It's possible that these were only made in the South as I had never seen them before. I don't think there are many survivors of this style. There was one in Bradenton, FL but it has now been replaced with a modern building.
This Terre Haute DQ has a simple rooftop sign that I haven't seen before. Was this a one-time replacement sign or did other locations have this? |
| Dairy Queen Paris, TX |
Dairy Queen Willcox, AZ |
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This Paris DQ has an extended canopy that I have not seen before.
This Willcox DQ is being pressured by corporate management to become either a DQ Grill & Chill or to merge with Orange Julius. I don't know if this vintage signage will survive the transformation if it takes place. For more, see this website. |
| Dairy Queen Yuma, AZ |
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| This Yuma DQ features more plastic era signage. The photo on the right is of their pole sign. |
| Dairy Queen Mesa, AZ |
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| This Mesa DQ features two rooftop signs: the older porcelain enamel sign and the newer (still vintage) plastic one. |
| former Dairy Queen Flint, MI |
Dairy Queen Verona, PA |
Dairy Queen Bowling Green, OH |
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This Flint building is an example of the split-roofed Dairy Queen. The A-frame structure with a box in front reminds me of a Mister Swiss. The drive-in canopy was added when the business became a "Jr. Varsity Root Beer" (hence, the giant "V"). That lasted about ten years. After that, it was another restaurant and then it became "Maria's Mexican". In 2006 when this photo was taken, the building was being fixed-up for another fast food operation. It looked like the "V" would remain. I'm told that as of 2008, the building is still vacant.
This Verona Dairy Queen has a rare and unusual old freestanding sign. While their building looks 1980s, this sign appears to be 1950s. This Bowling Green Dairy Queen has another unusual sign. According to the the owner, Meredith Myles, this store has been here since the 1940s. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Dairy Queen Alpena, MI |
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| This Alpena Dairy Queen is housed in a geodesic dome. I was told that this has always been a Dairy Queen and that there were others of this design in the South. Does anyone know more about this? For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
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More Dairy Queens:
North Hollywood, CA [vintage] Sacramento, CA Iowa City, IA [gone] Duluth, MN Rochester, MN Missoula, MT Las Vegas, NV Tacoma, WA Rosemount, Canada |
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