It didn’t matter that the temperature hovered around 40 degrees, or that the sun didn’t shine. It was opening day at Homewood’s Dairy Queen on Thursday and people lined up for their favorite ice cream treats.

 

“I live just one street away and my kids watch as the number changes for the countdown ‘til opening day,” said Robin Noble who walked to Dairy Queen with her daughter, Molly, and son, Cadd.

 

Cadd said his favorite selection is a Mr. Misty cherry slush, “but it’s too cold today” so he opted for a cookie dough Blizzard and his sister, Molly, had a cherry dipped ice cream cone.

 

While some took their ice cream back to the warmth of their cars, there were many who stood outside wearing winter coats, hats and gloves as their licked the Dairy Queen cones.

 

Jack Castidy, 9, said Dairy Queen means “yummy ice cream!”

 

And Courtney Trainor of Flossmoor, who brought her toddler, Liam, for his ice cream treat, said despite the cold “it’s worth it.”

 

The Welsh family has operated the business at the corner of Ridge Road and Gladville Avenue for 50 years. Store manager Kelly Welsh starts the great countdown changing the number 15 on the front of the building down to one to remind the community opening day nears.

 

Staff started work behind the scenes a week in advance. The Welsh family gathered Wednesday evening for what now is a family tradition of unwrapping the front of the store from its protective plastic and plywood winter covering.

 

Kelly was behind the counter on Thursday serving up the ice cream cones, Dilly Bars and Blizzards that residents from Homewood and Flossmoor have anticipated. She said business was constant from the time Dairy Queen opened at 2 p.m. until closing at 10 p.m.

 

Tom Welsh remembers when his dad, Art, bought the Dairy Queen in 1967. He sold small ice ream cones for five cents and 24-ounce milk shakes for 25 cents.  Today’s prices reflect 50 years of inflation. A small cone now is $1.59.