Loves Park Dairy Depot opened Memorial Day weekend

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO The Journal
Brittany Larson is ready for the Dairy Depot to open for Memorial Day weekend.

The 2020 Dairy Depot season started on Friday, May 22 at 4 p.m. To help protect employees and customers, Dairy Depot, 5413 North Second St., has implemented new health-safety and social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are excited to open for the 2020 season,” said owner Brittany Larson. “We know there will be challenges but we are hoping to adapt and overcome them as the season goes on.

“We invite you to come and enjoy some refreshing ice cream. You can also let us know if we can improve our service and precautions. Give us your feedback.”

1. To help limit touch points between employees and customers, Dairy Depot has added a new credit/debit card payment option from being a “cash only” business. Dairy Depot now accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
2. New technology tools available through The Parks Chamber of Commerce allow customers to place orders from a safe distance, without having to stand in line at walk-up windows.

– Yard signs placed all around the building will instruct customers to either:

1. Text the word DAIRYDEPOT to 72727 (customers will immediately receive a link via text to Dairy Depot’s new web-based mobile app that has a new “Place Your Order” feature)
2. Visit DairyDepotLovesPark.com (customers will see a “Place Your Order” button on the landing page)

– Dairy Depot employees will then text or call customers on their mobile phones, instructing them that their order is ready for payment and pick up at a designated walk-up window

3. For customers unable to access technology tools to place their orders from a safe distance, signage on walk-up windows will instruct them to use a designated window to “place” their orders, while all other customers will go to the other designated window to “pick up” their orders.
4. Non-slip social-distancing floor decals will be spaced six feet apart going out from each walk-up window, thanking customers for practicing social distancing with us.
5. All employees will be required to take their temperature upon arrival, including when they return from taking breaks. Employees will also be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including gloves and masks. Designated employees that interact with customers will not be making ice cream treats, and designated employees making ice cream treats will not be interacting with customers.
6. Employees will ensure that extra cleaning and sanitizing practices will occur in addition to limiting contact with customers.
7. Dairy Depot will continue to follow guidelines set by the State of Illinois and the Winnebago County Health Department. Outdoor seating will not be provided for customers until allowed by the Health Department.

Announcing new menu items

Dairy Depot is pleased to announce the following new menu items for 2020 while supplies last:

– Family Survival Kit: Contains two Pints of Ice Cream, cones or cups, sprinkles, twinkles, M&M’s, and gummy worms plus spoons and napkins; all packaged in a box

– Mint Cookie Craze Flurry: Made with Grasshopper Ice Cream (available only when designated as weekly special) and Thin Mint Cookies (in support of local Girl Scout Troop # 967)

– Cherry Dole Whip: Featuring Dole’s new flavor of soft serve that is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan

– Cherry Lime Float: Made with Cherry and Lime Dole Whip twist soft serve and Sierra Mist

About Dairy Depot

Dairy Depot is a seasonal, soft-serve, walk-up window ice cream parlor located in Loves Park. Open seven days a week during summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, Dairy Depot welcomes hundreds of daily customers, who enjoy vanilla, chocolate, twist, and a weekly special flavor of ice cream treats.

In addition to cones, sundaes, flurries, milkshakes, floats, smoothies, and slushies, Dairy Depot serves specialties like banana splits, brownie hot fudge sundaes, dirt sundaes, caramel cashew sundaes, grasshopper parfaits, peanut butter hot fudge sundaes, turtle sundaes, and ice cream nachos.

John and Diane Elliott purchased the business and building in 2000 from the estate of Norman Gerth, who founded the Dairy Depot in 1984. Since John’s passing, long-time Dairy Depot employee Brittany

Larsen has operated the seasonal business.

The 2020 Dairy Depot season ends on Sept. 7.

About technology tools provided to Parks Chamber Members

Dairy Depot is one of many local businesses benefiting from new technology tools being offered through The Parks Chamber of Commerce.

The Parks Chamber documents each Premium Members’ businesses for Internet searches by providing a customized marketing Landing Page, Business Catalog, and Mobile Web App that are integrated into the chamber’s master Directory and master App. All of these customized tools are mobile responsive and link to existing websites (if applicable). Included in this service is also a customized Texting Keyword and Number that members can advertise to drive traffic to their new Mobile Web App.

The newest and most exciting feature of technology tools provided by The Parks Chamber is that businesses have access to a new “Checkout” System for selling online to include curbside pickup, shipping, and payment processing options. Dairy Depot is the FIRST Premium member of The Parks Chamber to utilize this new feature.