NASHUA – The Dairy Queen on Broad Street is being sold to make way for a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts by the entrance of the Broad Street Parkway.

David Dion, who has owned the Dairy Queen for more than 40 years, has entered into an agreement with Constantine G. Scivanos, who, according to city documents, recently applied for a zoning variance to allow for a drive-thru lane for a fast food restaurant on two lots near the parkway.

Dion, who owns and operates three other Dairy Queen and Dairy Queen Grill and Chill locations in the state, said he feels like he owes an explanation to his loyal customers.

Dion said there were comments from disappointed customers on social media sites expressing their concern that the ice cream restaurant would be closed and demolished for a Dunkin’ Donuts. Dion said he wants to address those concerns.

"I’ve owned and operated that Dairy Queen since March of 1973, when I was 21 years old," Dion said. "But if the deal goes through, it still won’t close the Dairy Queen until October of next year."

Dion also said he wanted people to know he won’t be firing his employees, and will offer relocation options at his other restaurants.

After addressing demolition concerns, Dion also said he’s not losing the franchise or the equipment from the store. Only the land is being purchased for the new Dunkin’ Donuts, and it’s not being taken from him by force.

"I had a representative contact me with an offer. I gave him a figure, and he came back with a higher figure than that," Dion said. "You know what they say: ‘I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse,’ and I got a great one."

The city of Nashua purchased 36 Broad St. from Dion under the right of eminent domain for the Broad Street Parkway project. When it turned out the city didn’t need the land for the project, Dion bought it back and said he had hoped to add a drive-thru to the Dairy Queen.

"Without 36, it was too small, and I couldn’t even add a drive-thru," Dion said. "So I bought the land back and went through the zoning and planning, but it was still too tight. It would have been feasible but cost-prohibitive. It wasn’t worth the risk."

On the application signed by Scivanos, is it written that fast food restaurants require drive-thrus in order to serve customers, and this is especially true of coffee and donut shops. Also written on the application is that it would be difficult to operate a restaurant without a drive-thru and that no great harm would be done to the public.

According to Roger Houston, city planning director, although the zoning variance was approved by the zoning board there have not been any definite site plans submitted to the department that he has seen.

Dion said he has plans to open another Dairy Queen in Nashua if he can find the right spot.

"I’ll look for a new place that would be a better location to expand to a Dairy Queen Grill and Chill, one with better lunchtime traffic, better parking, that sort of thing," Dion said.

Sara Webb can be reached at 594- 6531, swebb@nashuatelegraph. com or @Telegraph_Sara.