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Inspired by @LansingMIFacts, I've decided to share my first-hand experience as a lifelong Michigander who spent 5 years as an Ohioan. Here are some important differences between two important institutions: @QualityDairy and @UnitedDairyFar1. /1
Both QD and UDF are privately-held family businesses; they were both founded in the late 1930s (QD in 1936; UDF in 1938). When I first encountered UDF in the Columbus area, it made me happy and homesick for Lansing. /2
For both chains, the core business is convience store (aka "party store" here in MI); both have "dairy" in their name because they sell awesome ice cream and diary products; many locations have gas stations. /3
Both chains are clustered around the state capital (though UDF has its HQ in Cinci). The similarities start to fall off right there. QD has 29 locations, and UDF is much larger with 210 locations in three states (OH, KY and IN). /4
Many QD stores sell beer, wine and liquor; not so with UDF, which is an Ohio thing. A few QD locations have a laundromat, and in all my Ohio travels I never saw a UDF where you could do your laundry. /5
QD has a bakery (I know this well) and an injection modling container business (I had to Google that). UDF does not, but they will make you a hand-dipped milkshake. This is something I miss, as a UDF chocolate malt was my treat for drive from Columbus to Toledo. /6
Both QD and UDF are the kind of regional/local chains that just make me smile inside. I'll end this thread with links to their company web sites. Very cool that QD has its HQ in @REOTown. Here's their site: http://www.qualitydairy.com/
And here's the site for UDF. I miss you guys--especially those chocolate malts. http://www.udfinc.com/
