MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – After more than 50 years, a Merritt Island Dairy Queen is set to close its doors for good this February.
According to the store, located at 265 N. Courtenay Parkway, it had been in business since 1965, and had come under Mike and Deb Gentile’s ownership in 1994.
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The owners posted a flyer to announce the closure, citing issues with Dairy Queen Corporate as the reason behind the decision.
“With each passing year, Dairy Queen Corporate puts more and more unrealistic demands on us, leading us down a path that we would not have chosen,” the flyer reads. “If we were to go the direction they are forcing us to go, we would lose our vision of a sweet, simple, nostalgic, community ice cream store that many families have celebrated over the last 58 years.”
A store worker told News 6 that while the Dairy Queen may be closing, the owners will maintain possession of the property.
The Dairy Queen is set to close at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5.
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