Nine years after the first Dairy Queen opened in Joliet, Illinois, Jesse and Milford Wray brought the first franchise to Mesa at 629 East Main Street in 1949. This iconic porcelain enamel neon sign, manufactured by Leroy Signs in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota was installed atop the building where it remained; operating in its full glory until the Dairy Queen closed in 2018. The building was demolished to make way for a redevelopment project. But the sign was rescued from loss by the Mesa Preservation Foundation and the City of Mesa.

Porcelain enamel, an ideal durable material for outdoor installations. It was made from a thin glass-like coating fused to a metal base, offering resistance to corrosion, scratches, and high temperatures.