In Mourning (sort of)

We made a gruesome discovery while at the mall today. Our Dippin Dots mall kiosk has closed down! It’s empty! Deserted! Gone! Gone! Goooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnne!!!!

It’s a sad day for the sixteen-year-old. Dippin’ Dots and this teen go together like peanut butter and jelly. From the very first taste, he was hooked. Every time we go to the mall, he asks if we can buy them. Most of the time I tell him “no”, because they are pretty expensive compared to other mall treats (in my opinion). However, we go to the mall very, very rarely (maybe three or four times a year? no joke.) so I usually end up changing my mind and giving in if it’s in the budget.

Today was no different: he asked if, while shopping for school clothing, we could pick up some Dots. I said, “We’re going to the Kane County Cougars game tomorrow and we always get them there…why not wait?”

His “logical” answer?

“They’re expensive at the game.” (Sounds good so far, right? Just wait.)

I replied, “So we’ll get them today and not tomorrow?”

“Uhh…no. I still want them tomorrow at the game. Okay; never mind for today. Wait, no, I’LL pay for them today and you can pay for them tomorrow.”

“Deal.”

Then, as we walked out of JCPenney into the mall, we started to pick up speed on the way to Dippin’ Dots and then stopped short. We couldn’t believe our eyes. The kiosk, usually all welcoming and colorful, was just an empty, white shell of its former self. The sixteen-year-old yelled, “Noooooooo!” and headed over to get a closer look. I don’t know why…maybe he thought that everything was hiding behind the counter where we couldn’t see?

He was suddenly forlorn as he silently leaned on the counter:

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It all started to sink in…

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It’s not THAT bad, really. Dippin’ Dots is still in business and I have no doubt that we will enjoy them tomorrow at the baseball game. This mall tradition however, just like Orange Julius in every mall everywhere, seems to have gone by the wayside.

In happier times:

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Goodbye mall Dippin’ Dots! We’ll miss you!

15 Comments

  • Dea

    Awww! Poor guy. Get this – I hadn’t had them in all 31 years of my life – before we went to Wisconsin Dells. At the hotel, the kids convinced us to get them some – and I tried each. I was shocked, they tasted pretty good! I mean, not as good as Carvel soft serve – but hey! LOL!

    Sorry this location is gone, though!

  • Andie

    You know, the walmarts here sell dippin dots in the freezer section with all of the other ice cream!

    I never really cared for them. but I understand where the 16 year old is coming from- I wanted to cry when the frulatti cafe in our mall closed down!

    (then it reopened because so many people complained!)

  • Michelle

    Sadly, I’ve never had dipping dots, so I can’t speak to them, but you’ve got me worried here. Orange Julius is no more? I *love* Orange Julius. Of course we don’t really have a mall by us, just the outdoor stuff like Deer Park so I don’t go often but still…. What *is* this world coming to?

  • Anissa Mayhew

    OMG that’s the saddest face EVER! Over ice cream. Although if the Stone Cold Creamery near me ever closed down you can bet there would be some ash wearing and wailing going on in my end of town.

  • Melisa

    Melissa: It’ll be fine. Makes it more special when he IS able to buy them. 🙂

    Deanna: I tried them for the first time just a couple of years ago too! I like them alot; Jim hates the texture. Oh well, more for me and the boys!

    Andie: I think we have the generic version in our grocery stores, but we’ve tried them and they’re sort of yucky. I think the real Dippin’ Dots in the grocery store would probably taste fine to us, but there’s just something about buying that special treat when you’re out and around, you know?

    Michelle: No need to panic. OJ does indeed still exist, even in the Chicago area. I meant that there used to be an OJ in just about every mall (or so it seemed) and now they are practically extinct. I love OJ! I have a fabulous recipe for a home version too. Anyone want it?

    Anissa: Ash wearing and wailing? Wow, you’re hardcore. LOL

  • Kat

    Awww those two first photos are so sad. Don’t you just hate it when you have your mind set on something to eat and you can almost taste it already and then you can’t have it?

    Good bye mall Dippin’ Dots.

    P.S. What are Dippin Dots???? They must have been delicious.

  • Movie Maven

    Awww! I feel his pain! We are Dippin’ Dots lovers, too. The ones you can get at Jewel aren’t quite the same, but still pretty darn good. A box with four goes quick in this house!

  • Michelle

    ummm here! HERE! Home recipe for Orange Julius? Pass it on! YUM! (ok so today was Little Miss’s birthday party and I may have had just a little too much sugar)

  • Melisa

    Kat: Look at the link that Dea posted, but also you can click on the links in my blog to check them out!

    Melanie: We tried the ones at Jewel only a month or two ago; a fair substitute but there’s just something about the real ones…

    Michelle: Oky doky! I’ll post it in the next couple of days!

    Deanna: Thanks for that! 😉

  • Sarah Clapp

    I felt the same way/had the same face when they stopped selling “fried apple pies” at McDonalds. (Now they’re baked) They still make them over in Europe, but how often am I there?

    I’m still very upset about this.

  • Melisa

    Sarah: Amen! When I worked there in high school, one of my fave things to eat was a FRIED cherry pie, split open longways, with a big swirl of vanilla soft serve on top. YUMMY!

    (and I assume, to answer your question, that you are not often in Europe! LOL)

  • Kat

    Ahem yeah…those who can read clearly have an advantage. Me? Not so much! I didn’t even see the link when I first read your post.

    If I was a guy I would now be at the point where I’d start to worry if I was colorblind.

    Anyway now I checked out the link and OMG now I want a “dotwich”. It sounds soooo yummy.

  • Melisa

    Kat: I’m going to do a poll later this week about those very links that I put in my posts. Stay tuned! 🙂