Salem Ice Cream Stand Dairy Witch Closes After 74 Years

A popular North Shore ice cream stand has closed its doors for the first time in 74 years.

Located at 117 Boston St. in Salem, the Dairy Witch has given residents a taste of summer's creaminess, but it will not be reopening. 

"There will not be another season," the owners posted on social media. "The open sign going up has always meant something around here. It meant summer was close. It meant the long lines on hot July nights were about to start.

"You stood in them on first dates and after Little League games, on visits home from school and after hard weeks at work. You brought your kids and eventually your grandkids.

"You are why this place lasted 74 years."

According to a Patch of Salem report, the owners said they will share more information about the closure soon. In the meantime, the owners said "a piece of Dairy Witch lives on" through the shop collection on its website.

The Patch noted that Dairy Witch first opened in 1952 when Bea and Pete Polemenko started serving locals. Their daughter, Marietta, has been closely associated with the business, but she will retire this year, the announcement noted.

In the meantime, the owners said they would be sharing "old photos, stories, and a few things we've been working on, so a piece of Dairy Witch can stick around even after the window stays closed."