Homewood Dairy Queen To Reopen This Week

HOMEWOOD, IL — Owners of the Homewood Dairy Queen plan to reopen the longtime neighborhood staple on Friday after what's being described as a "rapid rebuild." Last month, a tragic car crash that claimed the life of one of the occupants involved caused significant damage to the front of the restaurant.

The number "4" was spotted on the building on Monday, signifying four days until it opens for the second time this year. The countdown will continue until a "1" is posted on Thursday, according to a news release.

“Friday is a half day of school for many of the students in the community so we thought it would add to the fun,” General Manager Kelly Welsh said. “In our 51 years, this is the first time we’ve had two countdowns to the opening day.”

When the DQ reopens Friday, customers will recognize the original building facade and design, which was maintained in the post-crash construction. RELATED: Drone Photos Show Damage At Dairy Queen After SUV Crash

The Welsh family continued to pay their college workers' salaries throughout the summer.

“Our workers come back year after year, but this fall will be different,” Welsh said. “We paid each college student the remainder of their salary, so no one would run the risk of missing the fall college semester."

Photo by Bill Figel