Several generations of West Benders were saddened when Dairy Queen, a longtime hallmark of Main Street, unexpectedly closed. Both city locations ceased operation in late January.
What is your favorite memory of Dairy Queen?
“We’d always go to DQ after all our swim meets. The poor workers were so overwhelmed with our presence, they’d always give us plastic numbers. But instead of giving the number tags back, we’d just steal them! On the last day they were open, we admitted to stealing them, so they gave us all of them, 1-100, and we were so happy. Now we will pass those tags down to all swim captains of the future to help remember the place we always went.”
Josh Nowak, East senior
“One time I went to Dairy Queen with my grandpa and my friend Angelica. My grandpa paid, and after we received our order, he said, ‘I haven’t had ice cream in ten years.’ We had a fun time.”
Alex Martinaios, East senior
“My favorite DQ memory was when the East boys swim team fit 36 people in one side booth. They gave us so much free food and we always had a great time. Spirits were never low!”
Lucas Dommisse, East junior
“One time I had an Oreo Blizzard and I didn’t want to finish it, and for whatever reason I went in the bathroom and put the Blizzard in the toilet and flushed it. After I flushed it, though, the toilet got clogged and started overflowing. I booked it out of there.”
Loretha Jack, West senior
“As a band, we’ve always visited DQ after events. Good times. Some nights we would even receive free ‘Blizzard of the Month’ samples, which, for some reason, always had pickles and ketchup in them.”
Ian Flora, West junior
“Me and my buddy T-Love started talking to an employee, joking about the jukebox and making several jokes about the ‘70s and ‘80s. I remember laughing and genuinely enjoying myself. It was an amazing and quite funny night.”
Jacob Becker, West freshman
Interviews and photos by Trina La Susa, Current Staff
(Photographs of Dairy Queen by Mike Smale, Current Staff.)
The West Bend Current 
Many great memories, most of them spent with the softball team after a great win or terrible loss.
More than 20 years ago, my then-girlfriend and I were regulars and were often given special treatment. Later I married that girl.
My favorite DQ story is from a few years ago and involves my wife. Since she would use the drive-thru nearly every day, the employees knew her by name and by order. (“Medium Pepsi with light ice, please!”) In fact, they would routinely give her a special discount. One day, my wife made her order and as the clerk handed her the soda, he also produced an envelope and made a unique request: “Can you take this paper home to Mr. Beltmann? I missed his class today, and I still want to turn it in today.”
That can only happen in West Bend. Great story and hopefully one to pass down to K & K!
I can hear the voice “Medium Pepsi, light ice!”