Dairy Korner

Where We Started

- 1956 -

The “Dairy Isle” opened on the corner of Lakeview and Winchester (St Joseph, MI) in April of 1956. Our hometown Dairy Isle would become one among over 160 that opened in the midwest in the 1950s, and to this day is one of fewer than 40 still standing and operating as an ice cream shop. The franchise was advertised in St. Joseph’s Herald-Press in 1952 as a no-experience-needed, startup business requiring a $9,000 investment, and promised up to $10,000-$12,000 in earnings per season (accounting for inflation, this would have been equivalent to a $94k investment, promising $104-$125k return in earnings per season today). 

Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Gersonde owned the piece of land where the current-day Dairy Korner now sits (on the corner of Winchester and Lakeview Avenue). In the early months of 1956, the Gersonde's made a deal to lease their property to a company based out of Wooster, Ohio called Commissary Corp. Then, not long after, a $7,000 permit was granted by the city of St Joseph in February of ‘56 to construct the ice cream shop. The prefabricated “Dairy Isle” kit was purchased from Commissary Corp by Mr. and Mrs, M.J. (Joe) Miller, who was originally from Detroit. The store officially opened its doors to the community on 1605 Lakeview Avenue for the very first time just two months later in April of ‘56 and began operations selling St. Joseph’s favorite soft serve treats.

Mr. Joe Miller stated in this news article from The Herald Palladium (pictured here) that he was going to open two more Dairy Isle within the next 30 days of the St Joseph location opening. One was built on M-139 near the House of David in Benton Harbor, and the other in New Buffalo.

In 2017 Dairy Korner was bought from Greg Rood by Tony and Denise Miceli of St Joseph. As of 2024, the store is now under the management of Miceli’s second-oldest son and his wife. 

“Our goal is to continue to make improvements when necessary to this timeless St Joseph gem while keeping to the same vintage and memorable charm everyone knows and loves. One of the best parts of operating Dairy Korner is meeting patrons who have witnessed the growth and changes from the past 65 years of business. The nostalgia of it all is what we’ve been told that locals love about the Korner!”