Family affair at Viewmont Mall Dairy Queen

SCRANTON — A father and son duo from Lake Ariel make the Dairy Queen/Orange Julius store at the Viewmont Mall a widely popular destination for shoppers looking for a tasty treat.

Brian Mattern, 54, took over operations of the business in 2001 and his son, Adam, 26, began working at the shop in 2012 while attending Western Wayne High School.

"Being able to work with my son every day is hugely rewarding," Brian Mattern said. "I can tell him what to do and he does it," he added with a laugh.

Both enjoy the daily interactions and longstanding bonds formed with patrons.

"We've had customers coming here when they were children and now, they bring their children, and they still recognize us," Brian Mattern said. "It's been so rewarding to see the generations keep coming back year after year."

Brian Mattern noted revenue has been consistently strong during two-plus decades running the store.

"Our sales have been steady or gone up each and every year," he said. "I think the biggest thing is that it's full. They do such a great job of making sure we don't have empty storefronts and if something comes up, they quickly fill it."

Rosemary Bohenek, marketing and administrative coordinator for the Viewmont Mall, praised the Matterns for their commitment to the business.

"Having a household name like Dairy Queen/Orange Julius as part of the mall's tenant mix definitely solidifies our presence as a family and social gathering place in NEPA and with a family as dedicated as the Matterns behind the operation, this ties the community together even more," she said.

Adam Mattern handles day-to-day operations in the Scranton store and also assists at another location at the Crossgates Mall in Albany, New York.

From ordering inventory to scheduling workers and handling emergencies, he learned the tools of the trade from his dad.

"This is one of those businesses where you might get a call and have to be here in 20 minutes, if there is a problem with a machine," Adam Mattern said. "You can't complain about it because it's just the way the business runs."

The business means so much to Adam Mattern that he visited the mall for an impromptu photo on his wedding day in 2021.

"We took a picture in front of the store with Blizzards in our wedding attire," he said. "I think we mentioned it as a joke, at first, and then said why don't we? ... We're here all the time anyway."

Coincidentally, Adam Mattern met his wife, Michelle, when she became employed at Dairy Queen in 2018.

"She started working part-time while on college break and we continued talking throughout her going back to school," he said. "It just kind of moved forward from there."

Mattern continued working at the store while attending Penn State Scranton for a year as well as on school breaks while going to Norwich University in Vermont for a year.

When his dad needed more help around the store, he moved back home and started working there full-time in 2018.

Brian's wife and Adam's mom, Michelle, also plays a role behind the scenes taking care of payroll and accounts payable.

"Family is everything," Adam Mattern said. "We couldn't do it without each other."

Adam and Michelle Mattern welcomed a son, Raymond, two months ago as the family continues to grow.

"Maybe we'll see a third generation here in the future," Brian Mattern said. "We would love to see the continued success of the mall as well as our business. We hope to be here for many years to come."