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It’s Dairy Queen season in Minnesota. And in Rochester, what’s thought to be the state’s oldest location just reopened after closing in 2023.

“It’s very special because it’s the oldest one in Minnesota. They opened it in 1946,” said Mardoche Pierson, who may have scored the best summer job in town. At 19, he’s the operator of this iconic institution with its glowing blue, red and white Dairy Queen marquee. 

Pierson’s parents recently bought the location on Rochester’s busy Broadway Avenue from a family that owned and operated it from the day it opened nearly 80 years ago. 

Pierson is studying business in college, and he’s getting a crash course in customer service plus the classic DQ menu of Blizzards, slushies and hotdogs on opening week.

“It gets busy at night, like really busy,” he said. “The lines are long. Some people don’t have patience, so we have to just expect that and try to do the right things.”

Pierson said one reason his location is special is because of their Dilly Bars. 

"We make our own handmade daily bars. It’s like ice cream soft serve, and we dip either in chocolate or cherry, and we also have butterscotch, Heath [bar] flavor,” he said. 

Dianne Atkinson is among local DQ loyalists who lined up earlier this month to get a chocolate malt. 

“It's so good to have you open,” Atkinson told Pierson. “My husband is ice cream crazy.” 

“You know, it’s ice cream,” said Pierson. “Everyone loves it.”

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Catharine Richert

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The landmark reputed to be Minnesota’s oldest Dairy Queen just reopened in Rochester after being shuttered for more than a year. Patrons are lining up for ice cream.

Known as Minnesota's oldest Dairy Queen, iconic 1946 ice cream shop reopens in Rochester

The iconic Rochester Dairy Queen just reopened

Known as Minnesota’s oldest Dairy Queen, the 1946 ice cream shop reopens in Rochester

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