Drive down US Hwy 377 in Benbrook and you’ll spot it—a vacant building beside Panda Express that’s stirring up a steady stream of curiosity. Locals keep asking the same question: What used to be there?
Turns out, the now-empty space has quite the backstory.
Most recently, it was a Dairy Queen. And before that? Well, also a Dairy Queen. In fact, some longtime Benbrook folks recall it flipping back and forth a couple of times before briefly becoming a Taco Villa.
That’s not the only DQ mystery in town. Residents also point out that the current Popeyes location was once home to a Dairy Queen—and a Burger King, twice over.
One sharp-eyed Benbrook native even dug through old photos to find that before the Dairy Queen era, the building had been a chicken joint with a dentist’s office or emergency care tucked in the back. Now that’s a combo you don’t see every day.
As for why the Dairy Queen closed its doors so suddenly? Speculation swirls, with internet chatter claiming the owner simply walked away from the business during a personal life shift. Whether true or not, the signs came down, and the doors haven’t reopened since.
So, what’s next for this storied building? That remains to be seen. But if Benbrook’s past is any indication, the space may just surprise us again. Stay tuned.
