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Nashua’s Dairy Treat under new ownership

  • Kristen Nosbisch and her husband, Todd, recently purchased the Dairy Treat Diner in Nashua. (Press photo James Grob.)

  • The Dairy Treat Diner in Nashua, a landmark for nearly 50 years, is under new ownership. (Press photo James Grob.)

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

If you were in Nashua this past weekend, you might’ve noticed a different person making your Big Dam Fritter.

The Dairy Treat Diner, the spot where the locally famous culinary delight is created, is under new ownership.

Kristen Nosbisch and her husband, Todd, recently purchased the popular ice cream spot from longtime owners Kent and Tonia Olsen, who still own the car wash that shares the lot with the Dairy Treat.

The Olsens bought it from Louie Harrington. The Dairy Treat originally opened in 1969, and it’s been a Nashua landmark for nearly 50 years.

Nosbisch said that running this type of establishment has always “kind of been a pipe dream.”

“My dad and I came in here, probably about 12 years ago, and sat down right here,” she said Monday. “We always shared that love of small-town places like this, with that nostalgic feel. We both said, ‘gosh, wouldn’t it be cool to own a place like this?’”

Nosbisch’s parents are Mike and Rhonda Hoeft of Charles City. She moved to Charles City from Louisiana just before she went to high school, and graduated from CCHS. Her husband is also from Charles City, and currently works at Cambrex.

“It’s going to be a family affair,” she said of operating the restaurant and ice cream joint. “Myself and my husband, and my mom and dad are going to help out. We also have four kids, they are going to be part of it as well.”

Nosbisch’s children range in age from 15 down to 6.

“They are all learning the ropes,” she said.

In addition to family members, the Dairy Treat will have about four part-time employees.

“We really like the fact that it is a place where teenagers can have a job,” said Nosbisch.

The Nosbisch family returned to the area about 3½ years ago from Illinois. They live in Nashua, about three blocks from the Dairy Treat.

Nosbisch studied criminology at Northern Iowa after high school, and is giving up her job as a judicial specialist at the state of Iowa Judicial Branch to run the Dairy Treat full time. Her last official day working for the state is May 4.

“Then I’ll be here, flipping burgers,” she said.

Nosbisch said that at her job as a judicial specialist she “did everything from small-claims lawsuits all the way up to murder trials.”

“I love my job with the state, it’s interesting every day, but this is what I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “I’m fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live out that dream.”

Nosbisch did get some help with the purchase of the diner from the Charles City Area  Development Corp., which helps fund projects to keep jobs local.

“They were able to give us some money to start this thing up,” she said. “That was great.”

She said her first weekend as an owner went well — the diner went through its supply of ice cream and chicken, and had to send out for more.

“That’s a good problem to have,” Nosbisch said.

Nosbisch doesn’t intend to make any major changes to the Dairy Treat, except for some cosmetic ones, adding some checkered flooring and wood siding, and perhaps some vintage-color paint.

“We want people to just have a great time when they come in here, and get that nostalgic feel of a simpler time and place,” she said.

Nosbisch has reopened the walk-up window, and said she plans to utilize that a lot more. In the near future, she will make the outdoor seating area a top priority with the warmer weather.

“Down the road, if everything goes as planned, we would like to add a rail car, and have that type of dining and seating area,” she said.

Nosbisch said the menu will essentially remain the same, with ice cream treats of all flavors, sizes and colors; burgers, fritters, pizza burgers, fish sandwiches, chicken sandwiches and hot dogs; an assortment of fried sides and appetizers — and of course, the Big Dam Fritter.

“We plan to keep the core business like it is,” she said. “The Olsens and the Harringtons have always served quality food.”

The Dairy Treat is also known for its steak sandwiches on Fridays.

“Those are so good, I might start offering them a couple more days a week,” Nosbisch said.

Originally from Louisiana, Nosbisch wants to bring some of her roots to the menu, and so she will offer a spicy, cajun option to the chicken.

“The fried chicken here is very good chicken, the people absolutely love it,” she said. ‘We’ll keep serving it, but we’ll have a spicy option, too.”

Nosbisch also plans to add some more home-cooked type options to the menu, such as meatloaf and lasagna. She said the diner will open earlier in the day, and offer some coffee and breakfast items. The Dairy Treat will be open until 10 p.m. in the summer — 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. on Sundays.

Nosbisch said that the support from the Nashua community and people throughout the region has been heartening.

“It was a great crowd this weekend, and everyone was so supportive,” she said. “Everyone who came in had great things to say, and told us they were rooting for us. It was just wonderful.”

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