Since 1992, Alice's Place has been a staple at the southern end of Elburn's main street. Operated by Audrey Alice Hanson, the seasonal restaurant is a quintessential roadside attraction serving frozen treats and summertime favorites. The building first opened in 1958 as a Dairy Joy Drive-In. Dairy Joy was a soft-serve ice cream franchise founded in Maine in 1950. They served "Ice Milk" soft serve, a type of frozen milk dessert made with egg custard powder and fresh, reduced-fat milk. Unlike ice cream, the product did not utilize the butterfat found in dairy, making "Ice Milk" low in calories. The production of low-calorie products was on the rise in the 1950s, as many Americans sought options for low-fat foods. The Dairy Joy franchise was so popular that, after just one year of operation, it had 15 franchisees in Maine, and later expanded nationwide. Dairy Joy was not alone in the "Ice Milk" trend; other companies known for the product were Dairy Queen, Dairy King, Tastee Freeze, and Frozen Delite.