For more than three decades, Campbell’s Dairyland has been a gathering place for Brandon families looking for a good meal, a milkshake, an ice cream cone and a little taste of nostalgia.
Now, the restaurant at 200 S. Parsons Ave., has a new owner, but customers can expect much of what they love to remain exactly the same.
Dairy Joy, a family-owned Florida ice cream business with roots dating back to 1958, has acquired Campbell’s Dairyland and is bringing the Brandon restaurant into its family of businesses. The new owners, Chris and Karrie Mueller, are not changing the Campbell’s Dairyland name or the restaurant’s identity.
Instead, the Muellers, who also own South Tampa’s Xtreme Juice and Dairy Joy locations, plan to build on the legacy that has made Campbell’s Dairyland a longtime community favorite.
“We’re excited to bring Campbell’s into the Dairy Joy family,” the Muellers said. “We want to preserve what people love about Campbell’s Dairyland and continue its tradition in the community.”
Campbell’s Dairyland has a history nearly as rich as its menu. Founder Boyd Campbell began by selling chili dogs at local events, using a five-generation-old family chili recipe. In 1985, Boyd and his wife, Pam Campbell, purchased an ice cream business formerly known as Dairy Isle and began serving chili dogs alongside ice cream.
The business became Campbell’s Dairyland in 1993. In 1998, the Campbells sold the restaurant to their daughters, Jill Paules and Leesa Lee, who continued the family business with their husbands, Jay Paules and James Lee. James died in 2025.
The restaurant faced one of its biggest challenges in November 2002, when a fire caused approximately $250,000 in damage. The Osprey Observer covered the fire and the restaurant’s eventual return to the community.
After eight months and eight days, Campbell’s Dairyland reopened. Jay recalled one young customer whose words brought him to tears.
“I remember the very first customers that I got to take their order was a mother and two young children, a boy and a girl, … and the little boy was the younger of the two, and after I took their order, he looks at me very sincerely and says, ‘Thank you for opening back up!’ I ain’t going to lie, I shed a tear,” Jay said.
That connection with generations of customers remains one of Campbell’s Dairyland’s greatest strengths.
“What’s really neat is, I’ve been here for 30 years,” Jay said. “I’ve seen people that I took their order from when they were little kids coming in with their parents, and now they’re coming in here with their own kids — they’re parents themselves, so I’m seeing these second generations with my own eyes, and it’s really gratifying and humbling to see.”
Campbell’s Dairyland is known for sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, seafood, battered vegetables and more than 30 milkshake flavors, along with its extensive ice cream menu. The restaurant also features indoor and outdoor seating, a drive-thru and a small outdoor play area.
Dairy Joy has been serving generations of Florida families since 1958 and currently operates locations in South Tampa, Seminole and Jacksonville. The Muellers have three children and have made preserving the nostalgic character of Dairy Joy a priority.
The acquisition gives the Muellers an opportunity to add another beloved local tradition to their growing family of businesses while keeping Campbell’s Dairyland firmly rooted in Brandon.
For longtime customers, the message is simple: Campbell’s Dairyland is still Campbell’s Dairyland — just with Dairy Joy helping carry its story into the future.
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