Dairy Queen is operating in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A BELOVED ice cream shop franchise has been purchased after nearly 50 years of serving the community.
The longstanding “treats only” Dairy Queen in Middleboro, Massachusetts has been sold, but the business will stay safely in the family.
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Former owner George Pennini, who ran the business since 1978, sold the Dairy Queen to his nieces, Nicole Pennini Ferrara and Kara Pennini Kendrigan, and their spouses Mike Ferrara and Joe Kendrigan.
This marks the third generation of Pennini’s to own the shop.
The Dairy Queen was purchased originally in 1966 by John Pennini, who sold the business to his son George in 1978.
”We’re so thrilled to keep it in the family,’’ Pennini Ferrara said, according to Nemasket Week.
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The new owners report being honored and excited to carry on the family business.
“George didn’t just run a great business; he built a community landmark,” Pennini Kendrigan added.
“George set a standard of excellence that is known throughout the entire Dairy Queen system.”
Although Dairy Queen has expanded to a wide food and drink menu at its Grill & Chill locations, the Middleboro Dairy Queen has stayed true to its roots as a “treats only” location, specializing in soft-serve ice cream.
There are approximately 727 treat-only locations out of Dairy Queen’s 7,700 total operations, according to The Takeout.
Most are found in malls or amusement parks – smaller spaces without commercial kitchen grills.
Middleboro’s Dairy Queen is the second most profitable treat center in the country, according to Camila Madera, public relations specialist for real estate brokerage firm Marcus and Millichap.
The site is also a top performer in the country and the most popular Dairy Queen out of 30 Massachusetts locations based on foot traffic, Madera reported.
The building and business, which stand on 0.75 acres and feature a double-lane drive-through, were sold by Pennini to his nieces for $4.2 million, according to Madera.
The new owners credit some of the business success to Pennini’s treatment of his staff, noting that the two most senior employees have worked at the Dairy Queen for 27 and 20 years.
They also look forward to maintaining community outreach, referencing their uncle’s support of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and other local charitable organizations.
“We intend to protect the traditions they built while ensuring the ‘Middleboro DQ’ remains a favorite destination for families for years to come,’’ Pennini Kendrigan said.
“It is a privilege to take the torch from him and lead this store into its next chapter,’’ she said.
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