MOORHEAD, Minnesota: It may be winter in Minnesota, with the temperature in the single digits, but for those queuing up outside the ice cream shop, Moorhead Dairy Queen, it could well be spring.
Every year on March 1, the 77-year-old walk-up ice cream shop opens for the season — no matter how cold or snowy it is. Even during heavy snow or freezing temperatures, people still come out. As they like to say, they'll go through a blizzard to get a Blizzard.
Jerry Protextor, a retired pastor, stood in line for a butterscotch milkshake and a chocolate-mint Blizzard. He said it shows how strong and committed the community is. "It's just part of who we are," he said. "It's part of the community."
March is still winter in the Upper Midwest, and the weather can change quickly. But the yearly opening of this "heritage store" of Dairy Queen gives people hope that spring is coming. Owners Troy and Diane DeLeon said it gives families something happy to look forward to, especially during difficult times in the world.
"It brings people together. It's a family tradition," Diane said.
About 1,200 customers usually visit on opening day. Some arrive early and wait in their cars. The first person in line earns bragging rights for the whole year. The shop usually closes in late October.
Julie Bergseid arrived before 7 a.m. because she had been second in line for the past two years and wanted to be first this time. She said you have to come early before the line grows.
Wearing snow pants, warm layers, wool socks, and mittens, she planned to sit outside and enjoy barbecue food, a Peanut Buster Parfait, and a Dilly treat. "It won't melt," she joked.
The shop offers special treats that are hard to find anywhere else. Popular items include the Mr. Malty, a frozen chocolate malt on a stick; the Curly Shake, which has a milkshake on the bottom and a sundae on top; the Monkey Tail, a frozen banana dipped in chocolate; and old Blizzard flavors that are no longer sold in most places.
Troy DeLeon said they continue to make these discontinued items because they still have the ingredients on hand. "If we can make it and customers want it, why not?" he said.
Because of the store's age, it has some special permissions and focuses on customer service and unique menu items.
Protextor said the butterscotch milkshake he was buying for his wife isn't available at other Dairy Queen locations nearby. "We have to come to this one," he said.
Customers wearing coats, hats, and gloves stood near the street while others went up to the window to order. There are no apps or self-service machines — just friendly service from staff, the DeLeons said.
People brought their dogs and children and took photos under a giant Dilly Bar display. The Dilly Bar, a chocolate-covered ice cream treat, was first created in the 1950s at a Dairy Queen in Moorhead.
