Walt's: 4 New Ice Cream Flavors Added, Joliet's Tradition Since 1926

JOLIET — One of the longest continuing ice cream shops in the entire Midwest, The Original Walt's Ice Cream, is back open in Joliet at 1314 W. Jefferson St. now that March has arrived, and there are four new flavors of ice cream available this year.

Saturday, March 1, marked opening day for Walt's, and according to the co-owners Mike and Bill Dillon, business was excellent throughout opening weekend. "It was great," Mike Dillon remarked during Monday's interview with Joliet Patch.

Turtle sundaes were definitely a top seller on opening weekend. "The turtle is a staple on the menu," he pointed out.

For 2025, the Dillon brothers have introduced four new ice cream flavors that are now part of the 2025 ice cream lineup:

• Banana ice cream
• Blue moon ice cream
• Coconut ice cream
• Salty caramel chocolate pretzel ice cream

Walt's Reveals How Many Flavors It Has For 2025

With the four new flavors, you're probably wondering how many flavors are available at Walt's, when you visit.

"It's about 35 or 36," Mike Dillon remarked. "We also got a bigger freezer" for 2025. "We tested the new flavors last year for about a week or so. The coconut and blue moon were very much favorites so we put them on the menu for this year, and we finally found a dairy where we can get good banana from, and they are literally a dairy on a cow farm."

The dairy producing the new banana-flavored ice cream for Walt's is in far northern Wisconsin near Canada. The blue moon ice cream also comes from Wisconsin.

As for the coconut ice cream and salty caramel chocolate pretzel, those are both coming from upstate New York.

Last year, Joliet Patch reported that Walt's bought its ice cream from seven different dairies located in four different states: Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

"We have found that certain regions make really good ice cream," Mike Dillon explained. "Upper New York, rural, and obviously Wisconsin."

What Are Walt's Hours?

From now through Memorial Day, Walt's is open seven days a week, from noon to 10 p.m. Starting on Memorial Day, with the arrival summer, Walt's stays open from noon to 11 p.m.

When does Walt's close? That depends on the weather. In 2024, Walt's remained open through Oct. 30.

How was business for Walt's in 2024?

"It was our best year ever," Mike Dillon exclaimed.

While Walt's has been a landmark in Joliet since 1926, "we're not the oldest, but one of the oldest," he said, pointing out that a number of East Coast ice cream shops opened during the late 1700s and early 1800s when America was led by presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

For the 2025 business campaign, Walt's has hired and trained more than 20 teenagers as part-time help.

"They're great," Mike Dillon remarked. "We're very excited about the crew we have this year, and a number of kids are back from last year."

Walt's Reveals Its Most Popular Ice Cream Flavors

Although the layout of their commercial property at 1314 West Jefferson Street is not conducive to adding a drive-thru lane, the Dillons point out that when they do have long lines of customers, the lines move quickly.

"We have a system down after 100 years," Mike Dillon noted. "But it's really the kids, they work hard and are very diligent."

Walt's has been in Joliet at 1314 West Jefferson St. since 1989. The original location for Walt's, which no longer stands, was near Joliet's Six Corners intersection at Raynor Avenue and Ruby Street.

And unlike many ice cream stands, Walt's features five sugar free ice cream flavors that are popular with customers who are either diabetic or health conscious.

As far as the rationale for introducing four brand new flavors of coconut, banana, blue moon and salty caramel chocolate pretzel for 2025, Mike Dillon had this to say: "People like to try new things. We've already monitored how much of it we've sold; they're already very popular."

Traditionally, the following ice cream flavors are always among the most popular choices at Walt's, year after year, the owners explained:

• Mackinaw Island Fudge
• Superman
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• Yellow Cake Batter
• Butter Pecan
• Cookies N Cream

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Walt's Ice Cream: Rainbow Cones, Superman, Turtle Sundaes And More