One step backwards, but a few steps forwards for a Dairy Queen to come to Squamish.
While one potential franchisee has walked away from a deal to open up a restaurant in town, that gap has quickly been filled.
After making a Facebook post proposing a Dairy Queen that drew 191 likes and hundreds of positive comments, Steven Wheelhouse has decided he will not be opening up the restaurant in Squamish.
Wheelhouse said he’s pulling out because the District wouldn’t allow him to place signs by the highway.
This was a concern, he said, because the site of the Dairy Queen isn’t visible to cars travelling on the Sea to Sky.
“It was a hard decision but it came down to signage,” said Wheelhouse in a Facebook conversation with The Chief. “I had been trying for weeks to secure any kind of signage but the final nail in the coffin was I contacted the council and they gave me a flat out no.”
On the other hand, the District describes a different version of events.
“No-one at the District of Squamish, to our knowledge, has been in communication with anyone proposing a Dairy Queen,” wrote spokesperson Christina Moore in an email.
The municipality, however, acknowledged that Solterra, which is behind the Sea to Sky Business Park where Dairy Queen will be located, has requested a height variance to the district sign bylaw.
The decision is expected to come to council in the near future.
But in the meantime, have no fear – a Dairy Queen representative says there appears to be someone willing to fill the void.
Chris Falle said he’s been talking with potential franchisees, and a deal has been closed.
The new owner still has to get approval from head office, said Falle, but he’s fairly confident that this will get the green light.
Once that’s done, it’ll be a matter of getting a building permit and other necessary approvals.
Falle says he’s confident a Dairy Queen will be opening, saying he was about 85 per cent sure things will go through.
If all goes according to plan, he added, the Dairy Queen could be open as early as summer 2018.
While signage is a concern for some potential franchisees, he said, that won’t be stopping Dairy Queen from trying to open up a spot in town.
The company is considering building a standalone store, complete with a drive-thru in the Solterra development across the street from Home Depot, near the corner of Queens Way and Commercial Way.
Squamish’s last Dairy Queen closed down years ago.
Falle said previously the store was making good money, but said its last owner did not meet store facility standards, forcing the company to shut it down. He couldn’t provide details on exactly what standards weren’t being met
