New Petersburg Dairy Queen owners Rachel and Steven Schetrom with former owners Ray and Edna Dixon-Blum.

After more than 20 years, the Dairy Queen in Petersburg is now under new ownership.

Built over 70 years ago by the Sites family, the Dairy Queen has been a steadfast place for not only a quick bite to eat, but also family celebrations for decades.

“In the beginning, it was just a little walk-up Dairy Queen,” explained Ray Blum, who has owned the restaurant for 21 years. “Then, over time, they added more pieces, like the dining room and kitchen. Then when we bought it, we added a drive-thru.” Despite his career starting with the United States Forest Service, Blum has run multiple restaurants, including managing Pizza Hut and later opening Ponderosa Steakhouse before fi nally purchasing Dairy Queen.