dairy queen
Today is a bittersweet day for my family. It’s the end of a huge chapter; a chapter that defined our story and set the course for so many chapters to come.
Today, we say goodbye to DQ.
Thirty years ago, I was in fifth grade at the time, my parents were struggling to make ends meet. My dad lost his job and my mom’s part time job wouldn’t cover the monthly bills alone. They saw an ad in the newspaper that the walk-up DQ in Bethel Park was for sale. Having no experience owning a business, or in the restaurant field, (thanks to some help from family and friends) they decided to take a chance on it.
They jumped all in and got to work. Working everyday, open to close, weekends, and holidays. They poured their blood, sweat, and tears into that little walk-up. Within six years they outgrew the space and set their sights on the current location. There were people that thought the move was a mistake, the location wasn’t great…. But boy were they wrong.
Over the next 23 years, they worked harder than I’ve ever seen anyone work. They grew their business beyond what they had imagined. They even expanded again after a few short years. They navigated the uncertainties of Covid and took it all in stride. And despite that, they still steadily increased their business.
Dairy Queen has given us so much, and meant so much to our family. It was the first job for my sisters and me, and it was the first job for my nephew and niece. Even the little ones have been known to pitch in and clean some windows!
Dairy Queen enabled my sisters and me to go to college and become successful. It gave us all the weddings of our dreams, allowed us to take many family vacations, and in Amy’s case, allowed her to meet her husband and start her beautiful family.
Dairy Queen is where the five of us shared so many memories together, and where we have gone on to share so many memories with our kids and significant others.
That one decision back in 1993 to buy DQ, changed our lives forever. I am forever grateful for the memories and friendships I made throughout the years.
When we lock the doors tonight, I know we will be flooded with emotions. Tears of joy, tears of sadness, but mostly, tears of pride.
I’m so proud of my parents and their success. They are the two hardest working people I know. They sacrificed so much, especially in those beginning years. They taught my sisters and me the meaning of hard work and perseverance.
So congratulations to them both! Let’s raise one last blizzard to them as we make a toast to the next chapter!