A line of seven Yelloh delivery trucks passed down Main Street in Marshall on Thursday afternoon. Employees at the company’s Marshall depot said they decided to hold a delivery truck parade as a way to say goodbye to the community. Yelloh, formerly Schwan’s Home Delivery, is shutting down this month.

MARSHALL — There were honking horns, waving – and a lot of emotions, Yelloh employees said. On Thursday afternoon, a line of seven iconic yellow delivery trucks drove down Marshall’s Main Street, on part of a loop around town.

Yelloh driver John Swanson said they saw “nothing but smiles” from people along the way. “We saw one person with a big ‘Thank you’ sign.”

Yelloh drivers said the procession of trucks was a way to say goodbye to the community, as the company neared the end of its operations.

“It was just a spur of the moment kind of thing,” said Yelloh driver Butch Johnson. “(Thursday) morning we talked about it, and some of the office people thought that would be great.”

Swanson said saying goodbye was especially important, because of the connection between Yelloh – formerly Schwan’s Home Delivery – and the Marshall community.

The company, which got its start when Marvin Schwan began delivering ice cream, helped shape Marshall over the course of more than 70 years. In September, Yelloh announced that it would be shutting down this month. However, the parent Schwan’s Company is continuing operations in Marshall.

The home delivery business split off from Schwan’s Company after Schwan’s was purchased by Korean firm CJ CheilJedang in 2018. In 2022, Schwan’s Home Delivery rebranded as Yelloh. However, Yelloh faced challenges caused by food supply chain disruption, shifts toward digital shopping, and other factors, company spokespeople said in September.

Yelloh drivers and employees at the Marshall depot said they decided to have a delivery truck parade through the city. Word about the parade spread over social media Thursday morning, with the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce encouraging people to show their support for the drivers and the company.

Groups of people around Marshall came outside to watch the trucks pass. Some waved to the drivers, and others took pictures or recorded video of the procession.

There were “a fair amount” of people gathered to watch the trucks, Johnson said. “A lot of people from the old corporate office came out and were on the corner at Main, and that was kind of nice,” he said.

Yelloh employees said it was an emotional experience taking the delivery trucks around Marshall one last time. Local residents were also feeling the emotion. Marshall resident Jim Tate was one of the people who watched the parade from along Main Street.

“It’s sad to see … For this community, it’s sad and hard to see,” Tate said. “People in Marshall take a lot of pride in the Schwan’s name.”

Tate also said his wife used to work for the company.

Over its 72-year history, Schwan’s went from delivering ice cream, to a nationwide delivery business for various foods.

“They (Schwan’s) were ahead of the game,” Tate said. “Things have changed now, buying habits have changed, but it’s still difficult for long-time Marshall residents to see.”