email: roadarch@outlook.com

Dairy Isle Ice Cream Stands (page 1)

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The Dairy Isle chain was established in Wooster, OH in 1951. These ice cream stands featured giant ice cream cones piercing the roof at the front of the building. The building design was created by Clarence S. Shank and patented in 1952 and 1957. The buildings were shipped as prefabricated kits and assembled on-site by the owner. There were more than 160 locations built. More than 40 locations represented at this page still exist. While most of them were apparently built in Ohio, there are plenty of examples elsewhere in the Northeast, Midwest, and a few in the South. If you know of any still-existing locations that I have missed, I'd love to hear from you.

The locations on these pages are organized alphabetically by state.

Gus's Dari-Bar
Marion, IN
Mallory's Southern Delight
Marion, IN
This photo of Gus's Dari-Bar is from 2010. In 2014, the stand reopened as Shelby's Ice Cream Shoppe. By 2019, the building was housing Morrell's Fish & Chicken. The top part of the cone is gone now and the building was vacant. It now houses Imagine Burgers Express. [map]

The Mallory's Southern Delight stand was vacant when this photo was taken in 2010. The building was still vacant in 2013. By 2019, the building was housing Lucila's Tacos & Snacks. The building is now housing Crazy Munchies. [map]

More Indiana:
Aurora

Burk's Igloo
Hamtramck, MI
former Dairy Isle
Ovid, MI
Burk's Igloo has been repainted a few times since this 2011 photo. [map]

This photo of the former Dairy Isle in Ovid is from 2005. By 2011, the building housed M21 Auto Sales and the cone had been removed. By 2016, the building was housing Tangles hair salon. By 2019, it was housing Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial. [map]

Dairy Korner
St. Joseph, MI
Custard Spot
Shelby Township, MI
[St. Joseph map]; [Shelby Township map]

More Michigan:
Marysville [map]

Dairy Isle & Grill
Steelville, MO
The Dairy Isle & Grill opened in 1964. For more, see this website. [map]

Dairy Bar
Fonda, NY
Gran Gran's
Buffalo, NY
Dairy Island
Newburgh, NY
[Fonda map]

Gran Gran's was previously named Munchies and later Mr. Kones. This photo is from 2010. By 2014, the top part of the cone was missing. By 2017, the building was painted gray. [map]

Dairy Island opened in 1957 as a Dairy Isle. I believe it was just closed for the season when this 2010 photo was taken. [map]

Kone King
West Seneca, NY
Coneheads [gone]
Oneida, NY
The Kone King opened in the 1950s as a Dairy Isle. It has been Kone King since 1976. This photo is from 2010. By 2012, the cone had been repainted with sprinkles. In 2024, the conoe was hit by a car but I believe it will be rebuilt. For more, see this website. [map]

Coneheads opened in this building in 1976. This photo is from 2010. In 2013, the building became home to the Winner's Circle Pizzeria II. The cone sign was still there. The building was still there in 2018 but gone by 2019.

Gilligan's Island
Sherburne, NY
The Gilligan's Island stand is missing the top part of the cone. [map]

Weir's Dairy Bar
Salisbury Mills, NY
Weir's Dairy Bar opened as a Dairy Isle in 1956. [map]

More New York:
Hamburg
New Hartford

Dairy Isle
page 2
Eateries Main Page