There are some places in Columbus that just feel like summer. For a lot of West Siders, Dairy Twist was one of them.
And now, it’s officially the end of an era.
The Hilltop ice cream stand shared on Facebook that it won’t be reopening, following the death of longtime owner Larry Cordial. After a few uncertain seasons and a brief return in 2024, the shop has officially served its last cone.
For decades, Dairy Twist was the kind of spot that didn’t need much explaining. You pulled up, you ordered at the window, and within minutes you were holding a swirl of soft serve or, if you knew what you were doing, a banana cup.
The stand itself dates back generations, and while ownership changed over the years, it always held onto that neighborhood feel.
Cordial, who purchased the business after retiring from the Norwich Township Fire Department, became a familiar face behind the counter and a steady presence in the community.
In recent years, things had gotten a little unpredictable. The shop didn’t open in 2022 or 2023, which left a lot of people wondering if it was gone for good. So when it came back in 2024, even briefly, it felt like a small win. A reminder of what summers used to look like on Sullivant Avenue.
Now, the future of the space is uncertain.
The small building at 2860 Sullivant Ave is currently listed for sale, marketed as a turnkey opportunity for someone looking to open a quick-service concept. It still has the bones of what made Dairy Twist work so well, including walk-up windows, a drive-up option, and a location right by a busy intersection and ball fields that brought in steady traffic.
The sale is pending, so there’s a chance a new business could move in before summer. But for the people who grew up stopping by after games or making a summer night ice cream run, Dairy Twist is going to be hard to top.
