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Michigan Ice Cream

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Frosty Boy
Jackson, MI

Frosty Boy
Watervliet, MI
The Frosty Boy ice cream chain originated in Australia in 1976 and later expanded to the U.S. and elsewhere. Unlike the cartoon character's depiction everywhere else, this one wears glasses and is identified as "Jacob". The Kalamazoo, MI location also uses the cartoon character on its sign. There was a sign at the Grand Rapids, MI location which is gone now. There are other locations in Michigan City, IN, Adrian, MI, and elsewhere. For more, see this website. [Jackson map]; [Watervliet map]

Sweet Retreat [gone]
Grand Rapids, MI
I don't know how long the Sweet Retreat ice cream stand had been here or if it was another ice cream place or another business originally. The building was probably from the 1960s. The place was closed in 2018 and was still vacant in 2019. It was gone in 2021.

Dairy Park
Hazel Park, MI		 Sherman Dairy Bar
South Haven, MI
The Dairy Park building had a flat roof with a rooftop sign in 1972. The barn-like roof was added sometime after that. These photos are from 2011. By 2015, the rooftop sign, lanterns, and eagle had been removed from the building. The doors on the second story at the back of the building were also gone. In 2022, the building was remodeled and repainted gray for S.H.R.E.D. [map]

The Sherman Dairy Bar's origins go back to 1916 when it was a milk producing and delivery business. In the 1950s, one of the sons began making ice cream. Today, in addition to this retail location, the ice cream is distributed in southwest Michigan, northeast Indiana, and the greater Chicago area. In 2022, the sign was destroyed by high winds. It will be replaced. The cow on the roof of this stand is named "Blue Moo". This photo is from 2006. Around 2015, a baby cow was installed next to the larger cow. It is also painted blue. For more, see this website. [map]

Dairy Dan
Westland, MI		 Dairyville [gone]
Traverse City, MI
Dairy Dan opened in 1956. The stand sells soft and hard ice cream, as well as a local favorite beverage: the Boston Cooler. The building has been remodeled since this 2006 photo. [map]

Dairyville was built in the late 1970s and has always been Dairyville. This photo is from 2006. In 2010, the building was destroyed in a fire.

Bardon's Wonder Freeze
Traverse City, MI
Bardon's Wonder Freeze opened around 1950. The sputnik sign on the roof was mass-produced. [map]

Dairy Lodge
Traverse City, MI
The Dairy Lodge opened in 1958. [map]

Swirly Top Dairy Bar
Chesterfield, MI		 Eva's Dairy Cafe
Lake Orion, MI
I believe the Swirly Top Dairy Bar opened around 1950. [map]

Eva's Dairy Cafe has been here since at least the 1980s. It probably went by another name before that. The building appears to be from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

Dairy Deluxe
Birmingham, MI		 Dairy-Go-Round
Plymouth, MI
Dairy Deluxe opened in the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

The Dairy-Go-Round features a fun merry-go-round shaped building. [map]

Captain Sundae
Holland, MI
Captain Sundae is famous for its Tommy Turtle (ice cream with caramel, hot fudge, and salted pecans). These photos are from 2006 when the stand featured a ship-shaped picnic area behind the store. That ship is gone now but there's a ship-like feature in front of the building. [map]

C.J.'s Shiver Shack
Allegan, MI		 Jones Homemade Ice Cream Parlor
Baldwin, MI
C.J.'s Shiver Shack had been here since at least 2005. This photo is from 2011. By 2015, the stand was housing Temptations Ice Cream & Mini Golf. [map]

Jones Homemade Ice Cream Parlor opened in 1942. In addition to the great ice cream, the interior features historic photos of downtown Baldwin. [map]

More Michigan:
Dairy King (Beulah)
Dairy Hill (Mason)
Dairy Barn (Sebewaing)
Cold Cow Ice Cream (St. Clair Shores)

Michigan
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Drive-ins		 Michigan
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