How does the Dairy Queen on East Market Street stack-up against the other DQs near York? That was a query posed of me last Friday at New Eastern Market by a woman that has regularly attended History Night events in Springettsbury Township.
Meg wondered if the DQ in Springettsbury has any claim-to-fame compared to nearby Dairy Queens on South Queen Street and Roosevelt Avenue. A sendoff query was about the former DQ west of York, questioning if it was actually the first Dairy Queen in the state.
Dairy Queen at 1938 West Market Street – 1st in York County, 2nd in PA
In 1950, Warren E. Townsend acquired controlling interest in the earliest Dairy Queen franchises in York and Cumberland Counties. He is credited as opening the first two Dairy Queen stores in Pennsylvania.
Warren Townsend, and his wife Stella, operated the Shell Diner in Selinsgrove, PA for 15-years before opening their first Dairy Queen on August 4, 1950 at 1006 Market Street in Lemoyne, Cumberland County, PA. It became the first Dairy Queen in Pennsylvania. Townsend ended up selling that Dairy Queen to his store manager Lucian Dmochowski, along with his Cumberland County franchise rights.
Thereafter Warren Townsend focused on establishing and expanding the Dairy Queen footprint in York County. To start that ball rolling, on November 9, 1950, Warren and Stella Townsend purchased a lot at 1938 West Market Street, in West Manchester Township, York County, PA.
Townsend ended up in a race to open the second Dairy Queen in Pennsylvania with K. M. Reed, the holder of the franchise for Delaware County. The Dairy Queen at 1938 West Market Street opened on March 30, 1951, claiming the title of the second Dairy Queen in Pennsylvania and the first Dairy Queen in York County. It barely beat the April 5, 1951 opening of the Dairy Queen on the Chester Pike at Simpson Avenue in Eddystone, Delaware County, PA.
The introductory newspaper photo shows what the early Dairy Queen businesses looked like; they were walk-up ice cream stores. Warren Townsend rarely operated his stores, however his son Wallace became a Dairy Queen manager. Ernest Seebold was the early manager of the 1938 West Market Street store, and in 1957 Jim and Ruth Oberdick became the new managers, as announced in the July 20, 1957 York Dispatch ad. The Dairy Queen on this lot went out of business about 2003; making it about 52-years as a Dairy Queen location in York County.
Longest operating Dairy Queen location in York County is at 1455 South Queen Street
Warren G. Thomas acquired a Dairy Queen franchise from Warren Townsend and opened the Thomas Dairy Queen on the Queen Street Hill in Spring Garden Township on May 8, 1952.
The Grand Opening featured free cones on opening day from 4 to 10 P.M., plus entertainment from 7 to 10 P.M. per the following ad in The Gazette and Daily.
Ad announces the Thursday May 8, 1952 opening of the Dairy Queen, located at 1455 South Queen Street. (The Gazette and Daily, York, PA, May 8, 1952, Page 17)
Warren Townsend acquires the Thomas Dairy Queen in 1957 and his son Wallace T. Townsend becomes the store manager. The Dairy Queen at 1455 South Queen Street would have started as a walk-up ice cream store, similar to the 1951 store on West Market Street. Most of those walk-up Dairy Queen stores were upgraded to the year-round, peaked, red roof design in the 1960s and 1970s; such as seen the 2012 photo of Dairy Queen at 1455 South Queen Street. This DQ was extensively remodeled in 2018 as the boxy style of building, and remains in business as of 2026; now 74-years as a Dairy Queen location in York County.
This 2012 photo shows the Dairy Queen, located at 1455 South Queen Street, in Spring Garden Township, York County, PA. The Dairy Queen at this location opened May 8, 1952. This DQ was remodeled in 2018 in the boxy style, and remains in business as of 2026. (Google Historic Streetview of 2012)
Dairy Queen at 3020 East Market Street – 53-years in the original building
Shortly after John W. Poff opened his OK Corral restaurant at 3014 East Market Street, he acquired the neighboring lot at 3020 East Market Street from Ralph Freed, for future business expansion along Market Street. That was Lot No. 1 in the plan of the Yorkshire development; and it had an older house, being leased to a tenant. In 1973 John Poff acquired a Dairy Queen franchise, torn down the house and replaced it with the present year-round, peaked, red roof design Dairy Queen building.
Prior to the opening, John Poff, and his wife Elizabeth, attended a Dairy Queen two-week training course in Minneapolis, MN. The grand opening on July 13, 1973 featured “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” all day, free balloons, free whistles, and free Dennis The Menace & Gang Iron-Ons. Soon after this Dairy Queen opened, their son Harold L. Poff became the manager.
Ad announces the Friday July 13, 1973 opening of the Dairy Queen, located at 3020 East Market Street. (The York Dispatch, York, PA, July 13, 1973, Page 19)
The 2024 photo shows the Dairy Queen, located at 3020 East Market Street. As of 2026, this DQ is still in business and remains in its original building; now at 53-years and counting.
This 2024 photo shows the Dairy Queen, located at 3020 East Market Street, in Springettsbury Township, York County, PA. The Dairy Queen at this location opened July 13, 1973. As of 2026, this DQ is still in business and remains in its original building. (Photo source: 2024 Google Streetview)
Dairy Queen at 1300 Roosevelt Avenue – Only Dairy Queen in York City limits
In 1983, Terry L. Brenneman and Joann Brenneman plus Dale M. Brenneman and Lois E. Brenneman obtained a Dairy Queen franchise for the business to be conducted at 1300 Roosevelt Avenue. The lot at that address was just inside the 14th Ward of York City. The business opened on April 14, 1984, with Joann Brenneman as the manager.
Ad announces the Saturday April 14, 1984 opening of the Dairy Queen, located at 1300 Roosevelt Avenue. (York Daily Record, York, PA, April 14, 1984, Page 4)
This was the first Dairy Queen in the area with a drive-in service window. This building was torn down in 2013, upon the opening of a new DQ at 1740 Roosevelt Avenue, in West Manchester Township, York County, PA.
This 2012 photo shows the Dairy Queen, located at 1300 Roosevelt Avenue, in the 14th Ward of York City, York County, PA. The Dairy Queen at this location opened April 14, 1984. This building was torn down in 2013, upon the opening of a new DQ at 1740 Roosevelt Avenue, in West Manchester Township, York County, PA. (Google Historic Streetview of 2012)
Summarizing a claim-to-fame of each of these four York area Dairy Queen stores:
• Dairy Queen at 1938 West Market Street was the first Dairy Queen to open in York County, and the second to open in Pennsylvania.
• Longest operating location of a Dairy Queen in York County is at 1455 South Queen Street, presently at 74-years, and counting.
• Longest operating Dairy Queen in its original building in York County is at 3020 East Market Street, presently at 53-years, and counting.
• Dairy Queen at 1300 Roosevelt Avenue was the only Dairy Queen within York City limits.
Click on this LINK for a yorkblog.com Full View of the photos and illustrations in this post.
Links to related posts that preceded Dairy Queen stores in the York Area:
Melvin’s Ice Cream Bar opened along Lincoln Highway East
The Cherry Top ice cream place on South Queen Street
The Amber Light drive-in on Queen Street featured Warner’s Ice Cream