We are members of the Carbondale, Illinois, community, and we are heartbroken and shocked to learn that our beloved Carbondale Dairy Queen has lost its franchise.

The Dairy Queen is more than a restaurant to us. It is a city landmark, traditional gathering place, and heart and soul of our memories. It is the single most often mentioned business on Carbondale Facebook pages. For decades, students at Southern Illinois University have bought their DQ treats and sat on the curb in front to gossip and watch passersby. We treasure childhood memories of Dilly Bars, and Mr. Misty, and our very first banana split, bought at this same window. Some of us have returned with our own children and then grandchildren to share our memories along with a Dairy Queen treat.

To our understanding, this is one of the oldest continuously open Dairy Queens in the nation. Rather than pulling its franchise and forcing the owner to take down its iconic sign, you should be celebrating its history and featuring it in commercials. Heck, we think you could get the entire population of Carbondale to turn out to help film a commercial!

We urge you to reconsider this decision and keep our landmark Dairy Queen open.

Sincerely,

The devoted customers of the historic Carbondale Dairy Queen