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MOORHEAD, Minn. — Despite the lingering chill of Minnesota’s winter, the spirit of spring was palpable among those braving the single-digit temperatures outside the Moorhead Dairy Queen on Sunday.
For 77 years, this beloved walk-up ice cream shop has adhered to its March 1st opening tradition, weather be damned. Whether it’s heavy snow or biting cold, locals are undeterred, venturing out for their favorite Blizzard treat even during the harshest conditions.
“It shows how resilient we are and highlights the things that truly matter to us,” remarked Jerry Protextor, a retired pastor patiently awaiting his butterscotch milkshake and chocolate-mint Blizzard. “It’s an essential part of our community fabric.”
Though March often brings a continuation of winter in the Upper Midwest, the weather can be capricious. Yet, the annual reopening of this Dairy Queen “heritage store” symbolizes the promise of spring and offers a beacon of hope for residents seeking comfort amid global uncertainties, according to store owners Troy and Diane DeLeon.
“It’s all about fostering a sense of community,” Diane DeLeon explained. “This tradition has become a cherished ritual for many families.”
An average of 1,200 customers stop by on the opening day. Some show up early and wait in their cars. Being first in line brings yearlong bragging rights. The store typically closes in late October.
Julie Bergseid arrived before 7 a.m. to be first in line after two years in a row as second.
“Usually there’s a little bit of a line after a bit, so you gotta get here before they start,” she said. “It’s momentous that this is the start of spring, no matter what the temperature. This starts it, going to the DQ, getting your first ice cream of the season.”
Bundled up in snow pants, long underwear, wool socks and mittens, she planned to sit down at a patio table and enjoy her barbecue, a Peanut Buster Parfait and a Dilly frozen treat.
“It won’t melt. That’s the nice thing,” Bergseid said.
Customers have their pick from an array of treats found almost nowhere else. Among the favorites is the Mr. Malty, a chocolate malt frozen on a stick; a Curly Shake, a shake on the bottom and a sundae on top; a Monkey Tail, a frozen banana dipped in chocolate on a stick; and a variety of discontinued Blizzard flavors.
“It’s just that we have always had and made those special treats through the years. Even though they’ve been discontinued, we still have them because we have the ingredients and why not make it?” Troy DeLeon said. “If you still have the ingredients, ‘give the customer what they want’ is our feeling.”
The store is grandfathered to a point due to its age and focuses on customer service and having unique items, he said.
The butterscotch milkshake that Protextor sought for his wife can’t be found at any other DQ in the area, he said.
“We have to go to the right Dairy Queen to do what she wants,” he said.
Customers in coats, hats and gloves stood back near the street as others took their turn to go up to the windows to place their orders. No apps or kiosks for ordering here; just a knack for customer service, the DeLeons said.
People brought dogs and small children and took photos under a towering Dilly bar — a beloved chocolate-coated ice cream treat created in the 1950s at the Moorhead DQ. It seemed a bit like a summer day. Almost.
“This is beautiful today. I mean, it’s a little chilly, but the sun’s shining, it will get a little warmer,” Troy DeLeon said. “Typically it’s either snowing or probably closer to zero or below zero, so this is a beautiful day.”