Swampy’s #Florida Postcards: Dipper Dan, around Florida.
on August 22, 2022
at 6:00 am
This postcard from the 1970s is one of the few ice cream shop franchises that once existed in Florida. Dipper Dan had spots in Winter Park, Lakeland, Tampa, etc. I believe the one that lasted the longest was in Lakeland on Wabash Avenue. The location is now a Subway sub shop.
This postcard is part of the Swampy’s Florida collection.
I used to work at a Dipper Dan in Winter Park in 1965-66. It was on S Orlando Ave a bit south of Fairbanks Ave. It was MUCH larger than the store shown in the picture above… customer seating area was at least 5X as wide, maybe 6X as shown in the picture above. Counter held 70 flavors and then store was another 20 feet longer than that. It was in a strip mall and was laid out as above as viewed from the back of the store, but what looks like the back of the store in the picture was the front – all glass. Owners were named Ward. I want to say Herb and Joyce, but memory fades. Daughter Laurie for sure.
This is the Winter Haven store that was located off Cypress Gardens Blvd. in the Southeast Plaza shopping center.
I lived in Orlando, FL in the early to mid 60s and one treat for us was to go to Dipper Dan’s on Friday night. Back then my favorite flavor was “Batman” (black licorice) I love black licorice flavor. Can you tell TV show BATMAN was popular then? Web kids affectionately , called Dipper. Dans Diaper Dans. It was our favorite hang-out especially if there was a corner amusement “park” in the parking lot. Great childhood memories!
I remember going to parties at Dipper Dan’s as a kid in the 60s and then it became my first job in 1972. It was a cool place to work but the owners were way to old to run an operation targeting kids. The store in the picture looks exactly like the one I worked at in Key West, down to the white door that led to the “party room” in back and the adjacent water fountain, but then again they were probably alll cookie cutter interiors. Great memories.
I didn’t know about the Party Room! Three Dipper Dans I knew in Tampa, Lakeland and Winter Park all didn’t have a party room.
The one in Winter Park was set up in the opposite way shown.
Where was the Dipper Dan in Key West?
Had one in Pensacola
There was at least one Dipper Dan’s in Jacksonville, Florida, at the Lakewood shopping center, when I was growing up in the early Seventies–it seemed like it was there before 1972 (which was the founding date of the chain per something I just saw before coming here), but it could have been brand-spanking-new at the time we moved out of that part of town in 1973.
My mother took me to Dipper Dan in the early 70s for my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream cone. Beach St, Daytona Beach.
The Dipper Dan in Key West was located in the SearsTown Plaza on N. Roosevelt Blvd. were the Publix is now. My father Bill Keithley was the original owner of that franchise by Swift’s Premium. The party room was an addition added some time after opening and not a part of the franchise floorplan. My mother Anne Keithley decorated the ice cream cakes, that my parents added to the menu, and served at kid’s parties of all types in that party room. The party room seating was open to all when not occupied by a party booking. The juke box in the party room was always up to date with the latest music releases due to our friendship with the manager of the record store located in the same plaza. Incidentally that manager was a classmate of mine at Key West High and a fellow member of the multi award winning Key West High School marching band. My father also sought out a local supplier of cuban flavored ice cream, like guava, guanabana and sour sap to offer alongside the Swift’s branded ice cream flavors like bubble gum and the black licorice ice cream mentioned in a previous post, bringing our flavor offerings to 76 different flavors. I worked in the ice cream shop from ages 13- 16 (wearing my red and white stripped shirt and paper sailor type cap) so I’m pretty sure I was working there when Wayne was a customer. My father sold the shop when we moved away from Key West in 1969. So I’m sure Wayne was talking about the subsequent owners and not my parents when he says the owners were too old to run a kid focused ice cream shop. The line of customers was often out the door when I worked the counter and the parties in the back room were many and bookings were plentiful. That back room was semi secluded and having a well stocked jukebox and a modicum of privacy it was a very popular space with the teenagers at the time. The white door was on the same wall but behind the counter and there was a swinging half door to the party room where the white door is in the picture. Other than that I thought I was looking at my dad’s ice cream store. Right down to the tiles on the floor (that I mopped quite frequently.. maybe you remember the faint scent of Pine Sol in the air Wayne).
Wayne, I’m the youngest son of the Owner’s of the Dipper Dan Store in Key West and do you recall the my parents name.
my parents had the franchise to the key west dipper dan when it first opened in a new shopping mall on n. roosevelt blvd., and i worked there through high school. the ice cream was made by swift’s premium and was simply superb. at least for this shoppe, they introduced a new line of cuban fruit flavors which were more like a sherbert. my faves were mamey and soursop. my parents wanted to host kids’ birthday parties and swift allowed them to build a “party room” in the back space. my mother took a course in cake decorating and created some wonderful ice cream cakes. she once created a solid ice cream football, official size, as the high school “conchs” team was very popular. when along came a hurricane and blew the power poles down. we lost a lot of ice cream, but i couldn’t let our team down: i ate the whole football. my family left key west in ’69 when swift offered them the franchise of the new pompano beach shoppe. that outlet was not nearly as successful as the key west one, so my dad gave up the ice cream gig. even now, when offered a dish of ice cream, i cannot believe that that mere morsel is considered a full serving. why, that’s just a tease.
How many of the 70+ flavors can you name?
Start with the uncommon. Bubble Gum and Mint chocolate Chip were mentioned Licorice was too.
How about Rum Raisin, Black Cherry, Strawberry Cheesecake, Rocky Road, Peanut Butter and Jelly? (was that one or did I make that up)
I totally remember the Dipper Dan in Winter Park on Aloma. Right next to the Publix in the same strip mall. The strip mall also had a Holiday House. We went to Dipper Dan for special occasions. I remember the chairs. There was a Carvel Ice Cream in Fern Park on Semoran as well.
I’m glad you remember such a fun and happy place. Though, it was on Orlando Avenue or 17-92. It was in the plaza with the S&H Green Stamp store. Next door was the drive-in movie theater. Beside that is the Hollieanna Shopping Center with Publix and Eckerds.
My parents owned the Dipper Dan in Daytona Beach. I have the best memories there! It was next to publix and the movie theater. I loved the heart shaped red chairs and the swift ice cream was amazing! Also Charles chips delivered chips and cookies.
I worked for the Wards at the Dipper Dan in Winter Park in 1966. Mrs Ward was an awesome person who took time to teach, train and mentor both me and my brother who worked for her before me. Every time I arrange the bills by denomination in my wallet and ensure the President’s are facing forward and right side up I think of her and smile… What a great lady she was!
Any one remember the one in winter haven my dad owend it thinlong of open an icream shop
I remember going to a Dipper Dans for ice cream in Sarasota prior to 1967
I had a birthday party at the Dipper Dan in Brandon in 1973, and it was such fun! I felt very special to get a party there.