CANFIELD Local officials and franchise operators broke ground Monday morning on a new Dairy Queen restaurant in Canfield, marking the end of a long period of vacancy at the site.

The groundbreaking ceremony tok place at the restaurant's future location at 587 East Main Street.

The site previously housed a Perkins restaurant that closed in 2019. The demolition of the former building was completed recently to clear the way for the new construction.

The Smith family, which operates several local Dairy Queen locations across the Mahoning Valley, including in Austintown, Boardman, and Columbiana, purchased the property for $600,000 in 2021.

Franchise operator Chrissy Smith tells 21 News the new location will be a "Grill & Chill" location featuring a full menu of hot foods, breakfast items and of course, ice cream treats.

"We will have a double-lane drive-thru ... so people don't have to get out of their cars like they do at our little tiny current Dairy Queen that we have, and also an expanded parking lot as well," Smith said.

The Smiths currently operate six Dairy Queen locations in the Valley, including the Cornersburgh, Austintown, Boardman, Canfield, Columbiana and Hubbard locations. 

The newest location will replace the original Canfield store, keeping their total at six stores.

No official opening date has been set yet, but Smith says she hopes to have the new store open by the summer of 2026.