Scoops of Community: How Ashley Starr Keeps South Minneapolis Smiling

For Ashley Starr, owner of the 38th St. Dairy Queen, her locally owned ice cream joint is at the heart of the community. Located in the 38th & Chicago Corridor of South Minneapolis, families and community members flock to the local Dairy Queen to enjoy tasty treats like soft serve ice cream, hot dogs, and pretzel sticks on hot summer days. When Ashley isn’t dishing out ice cream and other treats, the business is focused on giving back to the community as much as possible. This includes financial and treat donations to local events including the Bancroft school, the Southside Back in the Day event, as well as church events and local benefits. Moreover, Ashley also gives back to the community in-house by providing employment opportunities at Dairy Queen to those in the local neighborhoods, often times as a first job for many young adults. 

One October day, a PROMISE Act team member stopped into Ashley’s Dairy Queen with a flyer. Ashley was able to ask a few questions about the grant program and eventually began the application shortly after. 

With the funds from the PROMISE Act, Ashley was able to relieve some stress from the large repairs and upgrades that unexpectedly hit this past summer. 

“The grant has already been a tremendous help! It has assisted with repair bills [...] We have a new ice cream machine, and we are currently waiting on a new cooler to be delivered. We have a few other updates to the store that we are hoping to get done as well.” 

In addition, the funds will benefit the community as Ashley has recently been approached by a new South Minneapolis sports organization that she plans to donate to. Round 2 of the PROMISE Act allowed Ashley to keep her impactful mission alive and keep smiles on the community member’s faces during the hot summer months.