Kwik Trip eyes new sites; Company looking at former Gymocha, HiMEC properties
Published 10:42 am Thursday, January 7, 2016
Gymocha is one of two sites in Austin being considered for another Kwik Trip in the city. — Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The rumors are true: Austin could get one — if not two — new Kwik Trips, but it won’t happen soon.
Hans Zietlow, the company’s director of real estate, confirmed the La Crosse, Wisconsin-based company is looking into gas stations at the former Gymocha coffee shop site, 1300 14th St. NW, and the former HiMEC Mechanical site, 1901 Fourth St. NW.
This chunk of land next to 18th Avenue NE is one piece of land being considered for another Kwik Trip store.
Though a truck has been seen clearing ground at the Fourth Street Northwest site in recent weeks, Zietlow said plans are about at least a year out and his office won’t work the projects for at least six months.
“It’s out there,” he said.
Kwik Trip already has gas stations at 1401 Fourth St. NW, 1201 W. Oakland Ave. and 1509 10th Place Northeast. Even if Kwik Trip opens two new stores, Zietlow expects all the stations would remain open.
Zietlow described the Fourth Street Northwest store as busy but small, adding a store at a 1901 Fourth St. NW would expand the company north of Interstate 90.
“It helps fill out the market,” Zietlow said.
The company has been aggressive, building 35 to 40 stores a year, according to Zietlow. Kwik Trip opened the 10th Place Northeast store in November 2014 at the old Watts Cookin’ site.
“That one’s been doing very well,” Zietlow said, adding it’s exceeding many of the company’s expectations and has been successful in drawing people off of I-90.
Kwik Trip affiliate Convenience Store Investments bought the Gymocha building in 2014 and the HiMEC site in 2012.
Kwik Trip has more than 14,000 workers at 475 stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.
