Dairy Queen Honored as Expansion Champion

In October 2024, Holdrege’s Dairy Queen celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 924 Burlington. This October, Dairy Queen is being recognized as PCDC’s Expansion Champion Business of the Year. 

The business will be honored at the PCDC Business Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Holdrege Country Club.

Dairy Queen made a substantial investment in the community by relocating its business from its longtime location 224 4th Ave. to its new building on busy Highway 183. The move has been positive as this year Holdrege’s DQ is number one in sales growth in its region that includes 32 stories from York to eastern Colorado. It’s also number five in sales volume. The store increased its customer capacity from 350 to 600 customers per day. It can now accommodate larger crowds, including the frequent school buses that stop after games.

The Expansion Champion Award honors established businesses that are growing, expanding and investing.

“In selecting your company, PCDC board members noted your substantial investment at a prominent location on Burlington Street, which would replace a popular but aging facility,” the nominated letter stated. “Your decision required confidence in our market as well as in your ability to run your business. Competition in the fast-food sector is intense, and it takes dedication, determination, and creativity, not to mention skill. You excelled in all categories, and our community is the beneficiary.”

The Holdrege Dairy Queen is co-owned by Stacey Johnson and Kelly Morten.

“We are very surprised and very grateful to be receiving this award,” Morten said.

Johnson and Morten purchased the land on Burlington Street after they sold their Cozad location. Their DQ representative persistently encouraged them to build a new DQ Grill and Chill location as he saw the potential in Holdrege. After two years of research and planning, they finally broke ground. The approval of tax increment financing encouraged their decision. Also, they were outgrowing the old location that didn’t have enough seating, parking or a long enough drive-through lane to keep up with customer demand.

The new Dairy Queen boasts significant upgrades, including a larger seating area, a three-door freezer for more cakes, and more space for staff, including a separate area for cake decorating. These enhancements ensure a better experience for both customers and staff.

Small details such as a kids’ menu posted at kids’ eye level and a giant spoon door handle make the new location fun and unique. Plus, there’s now ample seating compared to the former location.

“Our customers enjoy not being rushed out due to limited seating,” Johnson said. “For our staff, the larger workspace means they’re not tripping over each other, which was a challenge at the old location.”

For Johnson and co-owner Kelly Morten, the most rewarding aspect has been seeing their vision come to life and the community's enthusiastic response. 

“It’s an honor for us to give back to the community that has supported us for so many years,” Johnson said. “Taking an empty lot and seeing the progress has been amazing.”

With 25 employees, including 6 full-time, the Dairy Queen team is still growing, welcoming new hires to meet demand. As the business continues to thrive, the owners are focused on further improving efficiency and maintaining their connection with the community.

“A great thank you to the community for supporting us on this adventure,” Morten said. “Also, I want to thank the staff for everything they do for Stacey and myself, and I want to thank the PCDC staff and board members for being supportive of us.”