Historic Dairy Queen location in Roseville will soon house new ice cream shop
Tim Hughes, owner of Maverick's Roast Beef, has purchased an 80-year-old Dairy Queen in an attempt to breathe new life into an iconic piece of Roseville, Minnesota history.
In 2018, Hughes would get a call that would change his life forever.
"Maverick's opened in 1999, it went out of business and I purchased it in 2018," said Hughes. "I got a call from my mother and this was her favorite restaurant. I left my corporate management job and I decided to get into the roast beef business."
Hughes is a Roseville native, attending Roseville High School and working at Snuffy's Malt Shop as a waiter.
"I've spent more years on this corner, Lexington and Larpenteur, than most people. I've been here for 15 to 20 years," said Hughes.
Hughes purchased Maverick's from the original owners in 2018, and is sticking to the original owners' vision.
"I try to keep the spirit of Maverick's alive, it's a great concept. The original owner, the founder, had a great vision for what they wanted," said Hughes.
Over those years, he said he has seen the area's ups and downs. Opening his shop in 2018, he faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I had to work by myself for 90 days straight. That was crippling, 10 to 11 hour days for six months and we were going just to pay the bills," said Hughes.
The business survived and Hughes says it was all thanks to the community.
"It wouldn't be here without the community, the restaurant would be closed. The community showed up," said Hughes.
Hughes says that his business has been thriving, and it's all thanks to the community.
Growing up, like many others in the area, Hughes and his family would often go to the historic Dairy Queen. That Dairy Queen opened in 1947, and is the oldest in Minnesota.
"My parents would take me to that Dairy Queen and we'd get a dipped cone and that was a big deal for us. My parents worked multiple jobs, they'd still take care of their kids," Hughes said.
After seven years selling roast beef sandwiches, Hughes has had his eyes on that Dairy Queen ever since he was a teenager.
"I've had my eye on that Dairy Queen since I was a waiter at Snuffy's," said Hughes.
In early April, Hughes would put pen to paper and make his dream come true, purchasing the Dairy Queen to convert it into a new ice cream shop.
"People have been going there for generations, entire families. We got grandparents with grandkids. It's got three to four generations that have gone to that ice cream stand. It's cool to keep that tradition going," said Hughes.
Looking to capitalize on the history and nostalgia of the old Dairy Queen, he plans to open the new ice cream shop on June 1. The Dairy Queen will need to be renovated inside and out.
"I have to do some renovations on the inside, it needs a lot of work. We're getting the permits now and expect completion to be done soon," said Hughes.
Hughes is still working out a name and what exactly will be served, but he wants to keep it true to the original.
"It's going to be some work but it's the perfect situation because I can operate here and it'll just be a little extension over there," said Hughes. "We're going to have the best soft serve ice cream in Minnesota, I got the best equipment coming. It's going to blow people's minds."
The new ice cream shop will serve ice cream, sundaes and pre-made frozen treats.
