CANTON -- The newly rebuilt Canton Dairy Queen will host a grand opening ceremony with a ribbon cutting on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9 a.m.

The new building was built at the location of the former Dairy Queen at 51 Gouverneur Street (U.S. Route 11) which was destroyed by arson in 2018. The Canton landmark had operated at that location for 51 years. Owners John Putman and Gail Crabtree have worked on the rebuild of the DQ for the past two years with support from municipal and state officials.

The new DQ Grill & Chill bears little resemblance to the original walk-up Dairy Queen Brazier built in 1967 by Ms. Crabtree’s parents, Wallace and Audrey Guthrie. The modern stucco structure, is highlighted by bright tile accents and LED lighting. The interior makes further use of bright tile and slate walls. State-of-the-art electronics and equipment will help provide faster service, soft serve treats and freshly cooked hot food selections.

More than 30 jobs have been created in the local community with the restaurant rebuild.

Drive thru service along with order pic- up and curbside service will strictly adhere to Covid-19 required safeguards to make every fan experience a positive and safe one, said a press release from the owners.

The 47-seat capacity dining area will not be in use until after health and safety conditions return to normal levels. Online ordering will soon be available through the DQ app.

The ever popular DQ Cakes and Blizzard Cakes can currently be ordered online or by phone for pickup. A wide variety of DQ cakes will also be available for last minute needs.

The first 100 DQ Cake purchasers will receive Fan Promise cards redeemable for one free Original Burger a week for 52 weeks.