BUSINESS PROFILE: Appeared in the June Issue of Capitola Times
Written by Cynthia Howe
Back in the 60’s, my Grandpa use to take my brother and I down to get an ice cream cone after we’d gone to church and had our lunch. I don’t know who enjoyed the trip more. My grandpa
was a serious man, thought in black and white, so when he smiled, he lit up my whole world.
Ice cream made him smile. There’s something about ice cream and memories, I don’t know what it is, but for many of us, it happened at the Dairy Queen. For over 60 years, the Dairy Queen
has sat at the heart of small town America.
It all began in 1938 when a father and his son held a sampling of their new creation at a friends’ ice cream store. They had been experimenting with a soft frozen dairy product in their Kankakee, Illinois home. Two hours and 1,600 servings later, at 10 cents a pop, they knew they were onto something good. The love affair Americans have with soft-serve ice cream had begun.
Before World War II there were 10 Dairy Queen Stores, but after the war, demand for this frozen concoction resulted in 100 stores being opened by 1947, 1,446 stores by 1950 and today you can find over 5,900 restaurants around the world.
Whether you dip it in chocolate or cherry, choose vanilla or chocolate, put it in a sugar cone or plain, the DQ cone is delicious. What kids favor most however is the DQ Blizzard. Take soft-serve ice cream, any flavor, and throw in crushed candy bars, a variety of syrups, chips and goobers, and you’ve got a storm for your mouth.
Drive by our local Capitola Dairy Queen at about 3:30pm on a weekday and you’ll see that the Queen still reigns supreme with the locals. It’s swarming with young adults, buzzing about with Blizzards or chocolate dipped cones. But the Capitola DQ is much more than a teenage hot spot, it’s a local landmark for Capitola memories.
The Capitola Dairy Queen was established in the 1960’s. Michael Babich is the third and current owner, with the previous proprietor working the business for over 30 years. Since purchasing the business, Michael has made a few changes.
Michael is a member of the Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program. By following
their guidelines, he has been able to conserve environmental resources in a number of ways.
“We are using less electricity, less water, using products made from recycled products, and greatly increasing our recycling program,” Michael shared in a recent testimonial. “At the same time we are saving money, getting good feedback from our customers, and feeling good about conserving.”
Michael also buys his produce locally from Watsonville, and purchases some of his buns from Aldo’s. These practices and more lead to less carbon footprints on our environment. But any business isn’t successful based on business practices alone; it’s about who does the business.
Employees are the face of any business, and the Capitola Dairy Queen has ‘welcome’ written all over theirs. “They are so friendly and always say “hi,” Margo shared. She lives just two blocks away and admits she goes to the Dairy Queen about five times a week. Michael works hard to
make sure that his employees have the vibrant personality that generates return
customers.
And they do return, over and over again. Some local customers have enjoyed their visits for decades, visiting at least two or three times a week. Michael remodeled the restaurant shortly after he purchased it.
The décor takes you back to the 70’s, with classic rock being played in the background. Their visits aren’t just about the ice cream either; it’s about the food – glorious food!
Whether it’s the hamburgers, wraps, chicken strips, onion rings or salads, the food is All-American-Awesome! The Flame Thrower hamburger is a huge hit with a quarter-pound or half-pound burger, jalapeños, bacon, pepper jack cheese, and Tabasco sauce. All of the hamburgers are flame broiled, never fried!
Did You Know?
• The DQ Blizzard turned 25 this year! To celebrate you can join the Blizzard fan club and receive 6 free Blizzard treats a year. Go online for details.
• This months Blizzard flavor: Midnight Truffle
• DQ can make a birthday cake with your picture on it! Just provide them with any custom picture for them to scan.
• DQ has a variety of items for immediate pick up. Choose from Dilly or Buster Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches and much more.
•••
Dairy Queen: 816 Bay Avenue, Capitola -
(831) 475-8325
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