Lewes Dairy Queen: New owners, same community spirit

The Lewes Dairy Queen opened in 1954 as one of the first franchises in the Cape Region and, from the start, it became a community hub. The business has changed hands and the building has been updated several times, but the sense of community the Dairy Queen embodies remains the same 61 years later.

Ed and Shirley Mihm bought the business in the early ‘80s and recently retired.

“We’ve created friendships that last a lifetime. We have employees that have grown up to have children of their own,” Ed Mihm said fondly.

The Mihms sold the business to their friends Jeremy and Ashley Diehl in January. The Diehls reopened Feb. 27. They decided to keep all of the former employees, including long time General Manager Chanelle Hopkins.

“I’m confident in their abilities,” Mihm said, “I know they’ll do well. They’re very enthusiastic and energetic.”

Jeremy Diehl is an accountant in Lewes, while Ashley, who now heads up the Dairy Queen staff, was an office manager at Big Fish for 15 years prior to the purchase. The Diehls' two daughters, Landon, 8, and Ally, 6, attend Shields Elementary School.

“Landon loves chocolate ice cream, so it’s a hit for her!” joked Ashley Diehl.

As the newest generation to own the Dairy Queen, the Diehls want to continue community-centered traditions. They sponsor a Little League team and are planning future events to stay involved with the town and its citizens.

“It’s been part of the Lewes community for so long,” said Diehl.

The Dairy Queen franchise itself has been around since 1940 and specializes in soft serve ice-cream, milkshakes, the iconic Blizzard, burgers and fries. They also make custom ice cream cakes, which can be ordered online.

The Lewes Dairy Queen is at 107 E. Savannah Road and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

For information about happenings at the Lewes Dairy Queen, visit their Facebook page. For menus and other information, go to www.dairyqueen.com.