On April 13, 2006, a tornado decided this historic Dairy Queen should no longer exist. It was all but destroyed, the classic sign lost, swallowed by the Iowa River. But owners Tracy and Scott McWane persisted. Not only would they rebuild, the would create a replica of the beloved sign. They had little to go on but photos. Dairy Queen corporate has no schematics, no records. The unique sign had been in place on Riverside Drive since 1961, but dated to the early 1950s, having been moved from another location. They persisted despite the cost and the challenges the city put in their way that prohibited the return of the sign. The Gazette newspaper, and nostalgic customers, rallied by their side — and the sign got rebuilt. It’s beautiful, right? The site also features two neon ice cream cones that flank the entrance and miraculously survived the twister. In 2011, seemingly not done with the Dairy Queen, Mother Nature unleashed a flood that socked this and many other businesses in the area. But the Dairy Queen would shake it off, like it always has, and open again. We are lucky this wonderful store — a national roadside treasure — is in such good hands. #retrologist #iowacity #iowaphotographer (at Dairy Queen) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz1VinSF0dj/?igshid=1xkaj0won093w