"International Dairy Queen, Inc. (DQ) is an American multinational fast food chain founded in 1940. It is currently headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. The first Dairy Queen was owned and operated by Sherb Noble and first opened on June 22, 1940, in Joliet, Illinois, United States. It serves a variety of hot and fried food, as well as original frozen dairy products that vary from location to location.

"The soft-serve formula was first developed in 1938 by John Fremont "J.F." McCullough and his son Alex. They convinced friend and loyal customer Sherb Noble to offer the product in his ice cream store in Kankakee, Illinois. On the first day of sales, Noble sold more than 1,600 servings of the new dessert within two hours. Noble and the McCulloughs went on to open the first Dairy Queen store in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois. It closed in the 1950s, but the 501 N Chicago Street building is a city-designated landmark.

"Since 1940, the chain has used a franchise system to expand its operations globally. The first ten stores in 1941 grew to 100 by 1947, 1,446 in 1950, and 2,600 in 1955. The first store in Canada opened in Melville, Saskatchewan in 1953. In the US, the state with the most Dairy Queen restaurants is Texas. Using the 2010 census, the state with the most Dairy Queen restaurants per person is Minnesota."  (Wikipedia)

"International Dairy Queen Inc., (IDQ), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation and Dairy Queen Canada, Inc.," the official website says.

"Through its subsidiaries, IDQ develops, licenses and services a system of more than 7,000 locations in over 20 countries. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which is led by Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire."

"The Joliet Area Historical Museum has acquired one of Joliet's long-lost treasures — the world's first Dairy Queen store — at 501 N. Chicago St. The two-story brick building is on the northern edge of downtown near the old Tezak Funeral Home," the Patch.com says.

"The building housing the original Dairy Queen dates back to the 1890s. Dairy Queen opened its first ice cream store here in the summer of 1940; Peerbolte said the museum has not determined exactly when the original Dairy Queen closed, but a city directory listed the property as being a lawn mower store, starting around 1954-1955.

"Over the years, the property has also served as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership, a plumbing and heating business and an insurance agency. The second story includes a couple of apartments, where tenants continue to live to this day. Joliet's historical museum has signed a lease with the building's current owner to use the property for the next several years."

"Who treats you right? Dairy Queen. Where did they start treating you right? Joliet, Illinois. That’s where Sherb Noble opened his first Dairy Queen on June 22, 1940. Dairy Queen became an immediate sensation by specializing in a revolutionary invention, soft-serve ice cream," the Northern Public Radio says.



"In 1938, Noble ran an ice cream store in Kankakee called Sherb’s. His supplier and friend, John McCullough, was experimenting with a softer ice cream and offered it to Noble. Noble tested the soft-serve as a 10-cent all-you-can-eat special. His entire stock, 1,600 servings, ran out in under two hours.

"Two years later, Noble opened a new store at 501 North Chicago Street in Joliet. John McCullough had always referred the cow as the queen of the dairy business, so Noble named his new store “Dairy Queen.” It was a huge success, and Noble saw the opportunity to open franchises. Within a year, he expanded to 10 stores. By 1955, there were 2,600 across the country. Today, Dairy Queen has over 7,000 locations in over 20 countries."

"The Dairy Queen story begins in 1938, two years before the restaurant opened, with the dawn of soft-serve ice cream," the Taste of Home says.

"The inventors, J.F. McCullough and his son Alex convinced ice cream man Sherb Noble to sell it at his shop in Kankakee, Illinois. It was an immediate hit. They served 1,600 customers in two hours at an all-you-can-eat ice cream sale.

"Noble and the McCulloughs opened the first Dairy Queen store (pictured above) on June 22, 1940, along historic Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois. Though no longer serving customers, the site still stands as a local landmark."

"The first Dairy Queen store received local landmark status, which should help people realize Joliet's importance in the birth of the ice cream giant that today has 5,900 locations in the U.S. and 21 other countries. Being home to the first Dairy Queen is not a well-known fact in the City of Steel and Stone," the CBS News says.

"Other than that, the storefront does not look dramatically different. The brick structure on Chicago Street was already 45 years old when Kankakee native Sherwood Noble used it to sell his newly concocted soft-serve ice cream.

"There has been interest in years in making the building's Dairy Queen history more prominent because Joliet attracts many Route 66 enthusiasts. Not only is the city along the historic highway route, but the Joliet Area Historical Museum has a Route 66 welcome center."

"Sherwood "Sherb" Noble’s invention was first sold as "all you can eat" for 10¢. Unsurprisingly, it was a smashing success as customers clamored for a cup or cone of the creamy concoction. Two years later, in 1940, Noble and his business partners opened the world’s first Dairy Queen in Joliet, Illinois," the Only In Your State says.

"The family celebrated the 80th anniversary of Sherb Noble's invention of soft-serve with a sale. They offered customers "all you can eat" soft-serve for 10¢ at each of their Dairy Queen locations. Like the original, it was a smashing success, with folks lining up to take part in the celebration."

"Inscription.  On this site and in this building, erected ca. 1895, the world's first Dairy Queen store opened on June 22, 1940.

"Soft serve ice cream was unknown before its inception in Kankakee, Illinois in 1938 by John Fremont "Grandpa" McCullough (1871-1963), and his son Alex McCullough. They convinced friend and customer Sherwood D. ("Sherb") Noble to offer the product in his ice cream store in Kankakee," The Historical Marker Database says.

"The new treat was extremely popular and Noble and the McCulloughs went on to open the first Dairy Queen store right here. Since that humble beginning in 1940, the Dairy Queen system has grown to more than 5,900 locations in the United States, Canada and 17 additional countries around the world."