Another blow to nostalgia as iconic drink purveyor shutters Tacoma Mall location
Orange Julius, a mall staple and a nostalgic treat, has closed at the Tacoma Mall.
The drink bar was part of a Dairy Queen, which also closed. Nearby store associates in the mall told The News Tribune that it had been closed since early this month.
It was boarded up soon after, according to Tacoma Mall maintenance. As of Thursday, casual mall-goers can’t even tell what once occupied the space between Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Pop Mart.
Orange Julius has been around since the 1920s, known for its frothy, smoothie-like orange beverage, which includes orange juice, sweetened syrup, milk and egg white solids, according to the Orange Julius website.
The chain merged with Dairy Queen in 1987 and became exclusively available at select “treat only” Dairy Queen locations from then on.
Along with the classic orange drink, Orange Julius had other flavors like strawberry banana, berry pomegranate and mango pineapple, along with a selection of fruit smoothies.
You can still find Orange Julius at two Dairy Queen locations in Auburn and Puyallup.
This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 5:15 AM.
