Food Technologist-Product Development

Virginia Beach Dairy Queen ends decades-long run as city converts site to police substation. October 19, 2026 A longtime Virginia Beach oceanfront Dairy Queen will close for good next October so the city can turn the property into a police substation aimed at boosting safety in a busy tourist zone. The popular soft-serve shop at 17th Street and Atlantic Avenue has drawn ice cream fans for more than 30 years. Owner Richard Maddox, a former city councilman, confirmed the permanent shutdown and the handoff of the building to police afterward. The Sun reported that the move is part of city plans to expand police presence along the resort strip, where officials say crime and disorder have been a recurring headache. Maddox sold the property to Virginia Beach in December 2022 as part of a $12.8 million deal. That package also covered a stage larger than 900 square feet and a lawn across from the city's 17th Street park. He kept running the restaurant under a rent deal that sends the city $100,000 a year until the lights go out. He put the end of the run in plain terms when he spoke with local outlet WAVY. "All good things must come to an end," Maddox said. Family roots stretch back to 1949. The Maddox name has been tied to Dairy Queen at the Virginia Beach oceanfront for generations. Richard's father, John Maddox, opened the resort's first Dairy Queen on 27th Street in 1949. The 17th Street location later earned recognition as one of the chain's highest-grossing shops in the United States, known for its Blizzards and steady tourist traffic. That long family run is now winding down. Once the restaurant closes next October, the building goes to the police department for use as a substation. City wants more police visibility on the boardwalk. Virginia Beach already runs an oceanfront substation on Atlantic Avenue. The city pays $60,000 a year to rent that space. Officials say the Dairy Queen site will give officers more room and a more visible footprint right in the heart of the resort area. Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson backed the shift and tied it directly to safety. "It'll be a nice presence for our police that keeps everyone nice and safe down at the oceanfront." Wilson also pointed to trouble at the park next door. "It'll also be good for the park next door. We've had some problems there," she said, adding, "I think it's going to help with that as well." No detailed crime numbers were released with the announcement. The stated goal is straightforward: put more officers where visitors and residents gather, and give police a permanent base instead of leased space. Safety trade-off at a busy tourist corner. Tourist strips live or die on whether families feel comfortable walking at night. Virginia Beach leaders are choosing a police footprint over another season of soft-serve at a high-traffic corner. Maddox kept the shop open for years after the sale, paying six figures in rent while the city locked in the long-term plan. The timeline is set. The restaurant operates until next October. Then the building changes hands, and the oceanfront gains a new substation instead of another ice cream counter. Locals who grew up on Blizzards at 17th and Atlantic will miss the place. A safer boardwalk is the trade the city is making, and that is the kind of priority that keeps a resort town workable for the people who live and work there year-round.

Customers voted for the Best ice cream of 2026 (& It's not Dairy Queen). I'm endlessly fascinated with the data available on consumer interest, especially when it comes to the food world. YouGov recently put out their Best Bites 2026 report which outlined the U.S. restaurant brand rankings in a number of factors. One category in particular caught my attention―America's top rated ice cream spots. The data doesn't lie. One clear winner stood out in the category. None other than Cold Stone Creamery. While Sporked is not particularly surprised at the news, it's nice to see them get recognition. You'd understand if you've ever walked into a Cold Stone Creamery and tasted their product. It's good. Damn good. I've been infatuated with their Milk & Oreo Cookies shake since I was in high school. It is, no joke, responsible for at least five pounds that I've gained over the years. A step above the competition. Cold Stone beat out the likes of Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, and Culvers to earn the crown in the ice cream category. Which is a little confusing considering two of those three spots don't serve up actual ice cream. Nonetheless, I'm sure they're savoring the title. The very next category on the restaurant brand rankings report was a ranking of specialty dining restaurants by quality and value. Krispy Kreme barely beat out Cold Stone in quality for the top spot (30.7 net score vs 29.7)―which is a little surprising. I mean, I like Krispy Kreme probably more than the average person but I certainly wouldn't equate it to a quality product. The only category that Cold Stone Creamery really lost was in value. Dunkin' earned the top spot with a net score of 24.2 and Cold Stone was all the way in 8th place with a score of 7.1. This is not shocking in the slightest. That beautiful ice cream isn't cheap! And don't get me started on their ice cream cakes. Just be ready to sell off a child if your kid asks for one for their birthday. A constant stream of collaborations. I think another healthy sign of Cold Stone's domination in the industry is their consistent collabs that they have with big named brands. This year they've teamed up with Cat in the Hat, Supergirl, and a metric ton food brand specific collabs. I think that last bit really shows it off. Names like Oreo and Reese's aren't afraid to attach themselves to the concoctions that Cold Stone Creamy whip up.