Thursday, July 27, 2006

Last Chance for a Downtown DQ

If you want a DQ treat from this long standing downtown store, operated for more than 40 years on Washington, you had better hurry. July 30 will be their last open day.

A new high rise will be constructed and apparently only a smaller space than the current building is available to the long time business owner Linda Pawloski - too small to justify the location.

This is the second oldest DQ in Florida. It also may be unique in that it has a literary connection.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My name is Erica and I worked at this dairy queen roughly 13 years on and off. This is a second home for me. I can't believe after all the time that I spent here it's going to be gone. I find it hard to believe that the community and the developers can't come to an agreement and save this store, I personally tried to figure out ways into marking this site as a historic landmark but not having information on the long ago past has kept me from a favorable result. I know that this Dairy Queen looks rough at times but I can tell you that if we could have had some help fixing some of the major problems everyone would be proud of that building. Linda Pawloski has been my second mother for 15 years and I can't stand to see her in this position. Linda has always been here for all the employees that have gone through the back of this building, always helping as much as she could, personal or professional I have never met another woman like her. I can honestly say I have never been so proud to say that I worked at this Dairy Queen for 13 years!(and to be honest, I have had many issues over the years admiting that) Although I haven't worked at this Dairy Queen for the last 2 years I still came back the last day and worked for 6 hours to try to serve our community and I suppose to try to close a chapter of my life that I always thought would be there. I always thought that I would be able to bring my son here, and be able to tell him stories about how his mommy use to work at this store, just as I have heard many parents over the years tell thier children. If they weren't talking about themselves working there they would talk of how their parents had brought them there when they were children and even some were here at this Dairy Queen even longer then that. Even though I have been through 3 robberies at this store all the good erases all the bad that I endured here. I wish there was something I could do to keep this store, I know there isn't much that can be done now but I felt compelled to write. I thank anyone that took the time to read this, and if anyone is looking for a wonderful woman to work probably harder then anyone has ever worked for them they should consider employing Ms. Linda Pawloski, not only will she give whatever jobs she takes on her all, her shining personality and huge heart will definately be an asset.

If anyone has any comments your more then welcome to email me at aprilaries76@yahoo.com

Thank you Everyone for the Years that you did allow us to have at the Old downtown Dairy Queen.

Erica

Painterskip said...

I live and work less than two blocks form the old DQ and we had the good fortune to be able to treat ourselves to some icecream there on their last day. The lines were long but it was sad.

But not surprising. We have lived and worked in Towles Court for the nine plus years. We have owned here for about five. And even though we have an owner's association with bylaws that stipulate that the commercial space here should be 70% art related, many have moved in here and have ignored that, basically telling those that were here from the start that it's too bad if we didn't like it.....they'll do whatever they want to do....

So now we have more offices than studios and galleries I believe and it's only going to get worse.

I may be wrong but it seems to me that when all of this construction is over, Sarasota will look more like downtown Tampa.....totally deserted on weekends because it's full of office buildings and the resaurants that serve the workers that are there during the week.

Too bad....

Skip

David Eicher said...

To the far right in the photo was a chest freezer where you could help yourself to frozen mugs--the space for it was still there and the electric outlet