Yup’s Dairyland

Yup’s Dairyland Making Ice Cream While the Sun Shines

Written by Chris Wheeler Photos by Linnea Wheeler

As a kid, John Yoder recalls stopping at Yup’s Dairyland with his mom after a long day of blueberry picking in Michigan. His favorite flavor? Vanilla. “We didn’t go out to eat at all, we were penny-pinching. So as a kid, that was a treat!” Little did he know that years later, he would buy the very same business. Yup’s Dairyland has a long history in the Middlebury community, dating back to 1959 when Jonas and Marie Beachy set up shop and started slinging cones. Back then, the term “yuppies” was given to unsavory types who smoked and drank. The one time Jonas was caught being unsavory, his dad bestowed the nickname “Yup” as a punishment - and to Jonas’s chagrin, it stuck. When they started the business, it seemed as good a time as any to turn the nickname to good use. The name has stuck around for over 60 years.

The small-town tradition of Yup’s Dairyland continued into the 1980s. After Jonas died in a tragic accident, Marie sold the business to Charlie and Nancy Kline in 1986. In 1994, John Yoder happened to be driving by and saw the sign. “One day it was out on the sign: business for sale!” He and his brother pooled their resources and bought the business. Almost 30 years later John is still running the business. In that time, his brother passed away, he married his wife Angie (who now provides clerical and managerial support), and they had three children - all of whom have worked or are working at Yup’s.

Yup’s operates on a longer seasonal basis than most ice cream shops, opening mid-March and not closing until late October. During the Shipshewana flea market season, people from all over the USA stop by - from as close as Michigan and Chicago to as far away as Texas and Arizona. On average, Yup’s will go through close to a ton and a half of ice cream every week in the summer. During 2020, when many of the restaurants had to close down, Yup’s walk-up location proved to be an asset (with appropriate permissions and protocols). “When it’s raining and cold out, we’re dead. But we make it up on a sunny day.”

For their soft-serve custard, John makes sure they use a higher-than-normal milkfat content mix, without tipping over into hard ice cream territory (which they also sell). This custardy “sweet spot” makes for enhanced flavor and texture. John laughs, “Anybody who thinks they can come here and stay skinny, they’re coming to the wrong place. It’s a place to treat yourself!”

Yup’s also serve various unique ice cream treats, including their signature Topsy Turvy, the most popular menu item by far. According to legend, Marie Beachy had a friend who always biked to Yup’s once a week and

ordered a banana split. She had difficulty carrying it back with her, so she finally asked Marie to put it in a cup. Marie said, “Well, that sounds kind of topsy-turvy to me!” Ever since, this deconstructed banana split has been winning over customers layer by layer.

The number two seller is the turtle sundae, followed closely by the peanut butter cup flurry. However, according to John, the best sellers change with the weather. “Some days you get people who don’t even know each other at all, they come up here and they order the exact same things. Mint chocolate chip isn’t that popular, but one day we sold nothing but!” Another big seller is Yup’s bacon cheeseburger, a lower-fat burger that is still bursting with flavor. John guards his burger secret well, but that doesn’t stop customers from coming back for more. When it tastes this good, who cares how it’s made?

John currently works full-time at Keystone, managing Yup’s 20 employees (most of whom are high-schoolers) with Angie’s help and joining them on weekends. John can’t say enough good about how excellent his employees are. For many, Yup’s is a first-time job, providing a solid stepping stone for future employment. “It’s awesome to give so many their first job experience, and I love to work with them. They’re so full of energy. It makes me feel young to be around them!” In addition to the high-school kids, he has four or five employees who come in every year as regulars; one of whom has been at Yup’s for close to 12 years. His father-in-law also helps out, closing down the place every night.

For a business that’s been running for over 60 years, Yup’s has only ever had three owners. It owes its longevity to both the never-ending allure of ice cream and the hard work of those making it. John says, “We do the best job that we can here, and that’s rewarding.”

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This Summer at the Library

Summer Reading Club

June 1- July 17

Lots of fun programs for Kids, Teens and Adults. Register at the library to pick up your reading logs. See homepage Event Calendar for programs and locations.

Community Shred Day

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June 2 - 11

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