Dairy Queen opens in Hurst to the delight of residents

Michael Clarke wasn’t surprised to see customers lined up early in the morning Thursday ready to dig into their favorite Blizzard frozen treat or a steak finger basket hours before the grand opening of the eagerly awaited Dairy Queen in Hurst.

“We had people standing in line at 6:30 a.m., and we’re finally slowing down a little,” Clarke said at about 10:30 a.m. as customers continued to come in.

He wasn’t going to let Tropical Storm Bill stop him from opening the restraurant. Heavy rains poured through a leak in the roof above the cash registers, and Clarke and his employees spent hours mopping up the mess.

Clarke who owns several Dairy Queen restaurants, including locations in Euless and north Fort Worth, said the iconic chain, a mainstay in many small Texas towns, is making a comeback in the Metroplex.

The Hurst location is the sixth Dairy Queen to open during the past two years in Dallas-Fort Worth, and Clarke said he is also breaking ground at Interstate 35W and Basswood Boulevard to build another.

The Hurst Dairy Queen is located along what is known as the “50-yard line” at Precinct Line Road and the northeast frontage road along the 13.5-mile North Tarrant Express corridor. It features big-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, country music and comfortable booths where people can enjoy their favorite treats.

Clarke said he likes the friendly, family-oriented atmosphere in Hurst.

Customers who crowded into the restaurant liked the new look; the first 100 got a special perk for purchasing an ice cream cake as they will get a free steak finger basket once a week for a year.

Eve Seals, who is studying business at Tarrant County College Northeast Campus, saw the newly opened Dairy Queen and stopped in during her lunch break.

She immediately bought an ice cream cake for her family and sat down to enjoy a Hungr-Buster, one of the chain’s signature burgers.

“I saw the Dairy Queen, and I used to eat there long ago. I wanted to see if it was the same as I remembered. It really has been updated, and the service is nice and friendly,” she said.

Longtime council member Henry Wilson was also there for the grand opening. He described how members of his church gave him a standing ovation when they learned that Dairy Queen was coming to Hurst.

“I guess people are really starved for a Blizzard,” he said.

This story was originally published June 22, 2015 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Dairy Queen opens in Hurst to the delight of residents."