Ribbon Cut on Dairy Queen's New Look, New Party Room, All Under New Family Ownership
By Julie Perine on June 07, 2021 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
With plenty of supporters on hand for the occasion, the LeFevre and Keith families cut the ribbon Monday morning on Bridgeport’s Dairy Queen, marking extensive exterior and interior renovations, which include a meeting/party room.
Mayor Andy Lang said it’s about reinvesting in our community.
“Our community continues to build new structures – as we should – but we also continue to reinvest in our community and that’s important,” he said.
The Dairy Queen is located at 154 West Main Street, inside one of the city’s oldest structures, built in 1914.
Although originally
situate across Main street, the Bridgeport DQ celebrates 65 years this year. It was established 15 years after the Dairy Queen brand originated.
situate across Main street, the Bridgeport DQ celebrates 65 years this year. It was established 15 years after the Dairy Queen brand originated.
“The Alvarez family was the first family to have the franchise across the street and after that, Jerry Boyce and his wife maintained the family ownership. After a number of years, they sold it to Ed and Sharon Helmick and junior partner Tim LeFevre,” said Mike Queen, who served as master of ceremonies at today’s celebration. “Tim ventured out on his own over the next 40 years, having a career with Nestle that took him all over the country. In the meantime, he and his wife Amy built a chain of Dairy Queens.”
The LeFevres presently own 10 Dairy Queen stores, from Grafton to Parkersburg. The LeFevres’ daughter Lindsey and husband Roger
Keith co-own and operate the Bridgeport store.
Keith co-own and operate the Bridgeport store.
They all thanked those who gathered for the occasion and the community in general for supporting the longtime family business.
The Bridgeport Dairy Queen is the first in the state with the new “3.0 look,” Lindsey Keith said.
It included complete renovation of the dining room – everything from lights to tables and floors, as well as new front counter and a new expeditor, shelves and walls. The kitchen was also remodeled, adding new equipment. The exterior underwent a repaint with new lights and windows, highlighted by a giant red Dairy Queen spoon, a recognizable icon.
The fully renovated meeting & party room features wall-mounted TVs and will accommodate up to 60 people.
Roger Keith oversaw the $600,000 remodel project.
“This is a real asset to Bridgeport - state-of-the-art stuff,” Queen said.
Read the full history of the Bridgeport Dairy Queen below and read more about the renovations and new ownership HERE.
Editor's Note: Pictured are owners, former owners, Bridgeport mayor, City Council, Chamber of Commerce and County Commission members, city staff officials, a representative of Dairy Queen International and others who gathered for the June 7 ribbon cutting. Also pictured is the Dairy Queen mascot, featuring the famous DQ curl.
History of Bridgeport Dairy Queen
Bridgeport, WV. Before there was ever a McDonald's, Wendy's, Hardee's or Taco Bell, there was Dairy Queen. In fact, the first Dairy Queen opened 80 years ago (June 22, 1940) in Joliet, Illinois.
In April of 1956, Herman and Ruby Alvarez opened the first Bridgeport Dairy Queen in downtown Bridgeport. A couple of months earlier, the couple had opened the first Dairy Queen in Clarksburg as well.
The Bridgeport Dairy Queen was originally located across the street from its current location. The original store was a walk-up window where soft serve ice cream treats were first introduced to thousands of immediate fans.
In March of 1979, Jerry and Margaret Boyce purchased the store from the Alvarez family. At that time, a large ice cream cone was 59-cents. A fully loaded banana split was just 99-cents.
In 1985, Ed and Sharon Helmick became the third family to be entrusted with the Dairy Queen franchise with that famous walk-up window and the curl at the top of the ice cream cone. The Helmick's teamed up with entrepreneur Tim LeFevre to purchase the store from the Boyce family.
In 1987, LeFevre would leave the partnership to expand his interest in owning additional Dairy Queen locations. They remained great friends.
In November of 1991, the Helmick's moved the Dairy Queen from the walk-up location on the east side of Route 50 to its current location in the historic Centennial Building on the west side of Route 50.
The Centennial Building in downtown Bridgeport dates back to 1852 making it one of the oldest business locations in West Virginia. The original owner was Thomas B. Martin. Over its 169-year history, the Centennial Building was home to a tavern, a restaurant, a dry goods store and a very popular hotel for Route 50 travelers. The Helmick's purchased the building from Bridgeport businessman John Conley and it has been the home to Dairy Queen ever since.
The Helmick's would own and operate the Dairy Queen for 35 years before LeFevre returned to Bridgeport to purchase the location in 2020.
Tim LeFevre is an entrepreneur. After being introduced to Dairy Queen in 1985 with the Helmick's, he would go on to purchase, lease or own thirteen Dairy Queen stores. He and his wife Amy built the locations while Tim still worked full time as Regional Operations Manager with Nestle USA Corporation. Tim just retired from Nestle in 2019 with 40 years of service.
In 2018, LeFevre was featured in the regional media when he purchased the Salem Dairy Queen. At that time, LeFevre said he believed that the Dairy Queen franchise could help save small downtowns. Today, the family owns stores in Grafton, Nutter Fort, Clarksburg, Salem, Ellenboro, Sistersville, Parkersburg, South Parkersburg and Vienna. All together, the LeFevre stores employ more than 220 full and part time employees.
Tim is a graduate of Liberty High School. He and Amy still live in their home in Suan Terrace in Clarksburg. The LeFevre's have three daughters and son-in-laws: Courtney and Alex Boyce of Kalamazoo, MI; Whitney and Zack Densmore of Houston, TX; and Lindsey and Roger Keith of Bridgeport. Tim and Amy have seven grandchildren.
Tim and Amy are proud that their daughter and son-in-law (Lindsey and Roger) are co-owners. They will operate the Bridgeport Dairy Queen location as well as the nine other stores as a total team effort. Lindsey and Roger Keith are residents of the Brierwood community in Bridgeport. The Keiths are the parents of three children: Bentley, Georgia and Maverick.
