Know Your Neighbor: Michele Maue, owner of Dairy King in Breese, Trenton
If you grew up in the 70’s or before, you are probably familiar with the childhood chant, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.”
Ice cream and soda parlors became popular in America in the early 20th century and soft ice cream, which fills a cone or cup from a spigot, became a favorite when introduced by Dairy Queen, Carvel and Taste-Freez.
While there are more than 4,500 Dairy Queens in the United States alone, seeing a Dairy King is a comparatively unusual sight, unless you are near the Breese or Trenton area. Those who live in the nearby proximity are quick to extol their thankfulness to be able patronize these two local landmarks.
The first Dairy King was established in Breese in 1951 by the late Orville and Frieda Von Aist, later owned by two generations of the Grawe family and then purchased 24 years ago by Brad and Michele Maue. Although initially the couple had other jobs and future plans.
Michele was the eldest of four siblings born to Maurice and Kit Timmermann. Her birthday is Sept. 28, 1964. She remembers visiting her grandparents at one of the small, white frame houses directly across the street from the Trenton DK location.
She and two brothers and one sister grew up on a farm in St. Rose and Michele later graduated from Mater Dei Catholic High School in 1982 after having excelled in running, business and home economics courses and she played the drums in the band.
She landed a federal civil service temporary job right away but government funding was removed and Michele then began attending Kaskaskia College at night, while working days for Missouri Machinery and Engineering Co. She also attended Sanford Brown Business College. She later earned an associate’s degree from Kaskaskia.
Still employed by MMEC, Michele said she frequently met with friends from home in group situations in a St. Louis pub. Acknowledging she was “kinda shy,” she said she “couldn’t help but notice Brad Maue, but I thought I didn’t stand a chance with him due to his popularity and having escorted the Homecoming Queen to prom.”
They interacted often in the same group, but just happened to bump into each other at the bowling alley one evening. The two then began a courtship that lasted four years until their marriage Oct. 20, 1989.
Brad worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections, but was contemplating opening his own business. Michele also noted Brad had grown up with four sisters resulting in learning the ins and outs of cooking. Meanwhile, Michele took a position at a bank.
Wide range of menu items
In 1995, Jim and Julie Schlueter, then owners of the Breese DK, knowing the Maues were interested in the impending sale of DK, “gave us a chance,” said Michele, “so we jumped in and purchased it after having looked at other franchises.”
And it is obvious they never looked back or regretted their decisions. They have perpetuated the policy of all burgers being made from fresh ground beef daily and initially included the usual soda shop fare of hamburgers, fries and ice cream.
But during the past 24 years, they have added a plethora of taste-tempting menu offerings that feature specialty burgers, sandwiches, wraps, soups, appetizers, salads, nachos, sides, wings, shrimp, chicken and fish. Every condiment imaginable is available, including chipotle.
If you have a sweet tooth, the most difficult decision you will have to make is, with which one are you going to treat yourself, because the selections are seemingly endless. Their answer to DQ’s Blizzard is a Concrete. Aside from the common, ordinary everyday flavors, DK features fruit-filled, peanut lovers, cake batters, assorted chocolates, mint, nutty mixtures and seasonal Concretes. Or, you can conjure up your own combination.
Beverages, sodas, floats, smoothies, slushes and frozen libations abound as well. Michele said “right now, our most popular and frequently requested soda is Ski, which also comes in a variety of flavors and colors.”
Maues purchase corner in Trenton
In 2010, the Maues took another leap of faith and purchased the corner in Trenton, the home of their second DK, which incidentally, is located directly across the street from her grandparents home where she spent so much time as a child.
The lot had contained a modular and an old house. They gave the modular to a man in need. They now have customers coming from near and far to sample their offerings. Additionally, it appears to be a gathering place for locals, which is one of the reasons DK’s logo is “Where Friends Meet Friends.”
Possibly one of the most noticeable aspects of DK is the exceptional friendliness of their staff. No one enters without a hearty welcome and a smile. The most unusual request Michele, affectionately called Maue by her employees, has ever had was a soda with jalapeños.
“Well, we’ve come full circle,” said Michele in reference to the Trenton DK being across the street from a family residence. “And we’ve been very blessed by surrounding ourselves with good people. We’ve developed amazing friendships with our customers and employees.”
Brad and Michele, who live in Breese, have two adult children, Paige and Blake. The Trenton DK location is at 320 W. Broadway, and the Breese establishment is at 691 N. Fourth St.