Ice Burg
By Cheryl McCormack
Editor
"Jana, you are never going to be happy unless you are working for yourself."
The words of the late Mark Perry spoke to Jana Bellamy as she drove by the "For Sale" sign highly visible in the front window of Washburn’s "Big Dipper" one mid-February day, 2015. At the time, it had only been one month since her father Mark’s unexpected departure from this earth.
With his words of advice reiterating in her mind, Jana approached her mom, Ann Perry, and asked the million dollar question, "Mom, what would you think if I decided to buy the (Big) Dipper in Washburn?"
Let’s just say the rest is history; the sale went through on April 30. Jana even remembers the exact time – "1:30 in the afternoon," she said, with a smile. She stood outside of the ice cream shop/diner located at 220 9th St., keys in hand, as the realtor snapped her photo.
"One of my dad’s favorite things to do was take his grandchildren out for ice cream," Jana explains. "With his passing, that is not something the grandchildren will get to enjoy anymore, but they will always have the memories.
"My dream with this enterprise is to offer the citizens of Washburn and surrounding areas the opportunity to make those kinds of memories and enjoy the convenience of fast food and treats without having to travel."
