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Officials break ground on the new Ironton Dairy Queen at a ceremony on Friday. (Heath Harrison | The Ironton Tribune)

Ironton Mayor Sam Cramblit II speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Dairy Queen on Friday. (Heath Harrison | The Ironton Tribune)

Corby Leach, owner of the new Ironton Dairy Queen, speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the restaurant on Friday. (Heath Harrison | The Ironton Tribune)

Lawrence County Commissioner Mike Finley shovels dirt at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Ironton Dairy queen on Friday. (Heath Harrison | The Ironton Tribune)

Ironton aLive! Director Sam Heighton speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Ironton Dairy queen on Friday. (Heath Harrison | The Ironton Tribune)

The weather for the big day was a downpour, not a Blizzard.

But, even though it was not sunny, a crowd came out Friday for the groundbreaking for a long-awaited restaurant for Ironton. 

Dairy Queen is set to build at a site, located on Eighth Street.

“We are grateful to be here,” Mayor Sam Cramblit II said of the day, joking about the rain as thunder boomed in the distance. “And we are glad to be here for this beautiful weather.”

The location has been slated for construction for some time, with a “coming soon”
posted the last several years. 

Owner Corby Leach said he and his father began looking at potential site in 2021. And, with construction equipment in place, they are ready to move forward.

Leach, a native of Ironton and graduate of Ironton High School, noted he also an alumnus of the school’s Million Dollar Band.

He owns six Dairy Queen franchises and said he wanted to bring “something special” for his hometown.

He said the restaurant will have a patio and fire pit and he envisions it as “a gathering spot” for celebrations on special days, such as victories for local athletic teams.

He said the hope is for the restaurant to open in October. Mullins Construction is handling the building of the location.

“We are excited to bring Blizzard to Tiger Town,” he said.

The Ironton location of Dairy Queen is already active on social media, with a Facebook page for the coming franchise launched recently.

Dairy Queen is an international chain, based in Bloomington, Minnesota and founded in 1940. It locations specialize in ice cream and frozen treats, such as milkshakes and their signature Blizzards, but also offer a hot food menu, including hamburgers, chicken and French fries. 

The company has more than 4,400 locations in the United states and 6,800 worldwide.

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