Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen

Four Generations has Never Been so Sweet

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April 14th, 1947. A small, local Dairy Queen opened on Main
Street, north of Fairground Street. After a few years, the business moved to 561 N. Main Street, where it still stands today. Amos and Rosida Adkins purchased the establishment in 1966 and reopened it as their own in February of 1967. While the business remained a Dairy Queen, the Adkins family made some welcomed changes, turning the business into a family owned and operated establishment that would remain in the family for generations to come.

Amos and Rosida set the Adkins Dairy Queen apart from other local ice cream shops by serving more than just ice cream. They perfected a Coney dog, while continuing to offer other savory sandwiches and tasty frozen Dairy Queen treats. In the 1960s, Amos and Rosida spent a great deal of time finely tuning and eventually perfecting the Coney Sauce that makes their Coney dogs so famous – still made fresh daily. The Adkins Dairy Queen was an instant success, eventually outgrowing its small structure and prompting the 1998 expansion and rebuild. The business continued to fl ourish, and its growing popularity was creating a need to expand yet again. But with no neighboring properties available to purchase, the Adkins Dairy Queen made due in its current structure. In late 2015, the Adkins family received news that they had been waiting for. The next door property had become available for purchase, allowing another expansion and even the new and exciting opportunity to build a drive thru. The new drive thru will allow Adkins Dairy Queen to stay open longer and serve customers regardless of weather.

This new development is exciting for customers who miss their DQ favorites in the winter. The recent expansion gives Adkins DQ the opportunity to grow, but Jeff Adkins knows that his business is about more than dollars and cents. “There is something about ice cream, it’s summer, it’s nostalgia, it’s memories. Most everyone, regardless of whether you were rich or poor can remember going to get ice cream with someone you loved. You can remember the place, the time in your life and that childlike joy. What we do is bigger than cones and sundaes, our family gets to be a part of those memories and we love it.”

Since 1967, the Adkins Dairy Queen has been true to it’s name by keeping the business in the family. The Adkins strive to provide the same great service and quality products today as the day they opened their doors. In June of 1976, at the young age of 50, Rosida Adkins passed away, leaving husband Amos to run the business. At this time, Jean Adkins, who had been working at the Dairy Queen since 1973, stepped up in the business and helped run the store with Amos. Amos Adkins passed away in
November of 2007 at the age of 84. His grandchildren, Brynn, Kyndra, and Geoffrey are proving that a third generation can be as successful as the fi rst. In 2007, the birth of Emmah Grayce began the fourth generation of Adkins Dairy Queen in Marion. Jeff, Jean and the Adkins family would like to say thanks so much for the support and we look forward to the next 50 years of our family serving yours!

You can visit Adkins Dairy Queen at:
561 N. Main Street
Marion, Ohio 44302
You can also find them on Facebook or reach them at
(740) 382-3838

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