A fast-food restaurant in Jefferson has permanently closed its doors.

Dairy Queen, located at 507 North Elm Street, officially closed this past Sunday. Fourteen Foods Director of Community Marketing Jeff Wright told Raccoon Valley Radio in a statement that closing the store in Jefferson was “due to business performance reasons.” The statement continues: “We don’t like closing stores as much as the community doesn’t like to see them go. We would like to thank the Jefferson community and our employees for all of the hard work and support they have provided throughout the years.”

Fourteen Foods is an investment group and franchisee owner of several Dairy Queen locations in Iowa, along with several other states including Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin. 

Greene County Development Corporation Executive Director Ken Paxton tells Raccoon Valley Radio he is working on new ownership of the former Dairy Queen location, and that negotiations are in process. The building is still owned by Fourteen Foods.