Dec. 22, 2018 – West Bend, WI – There’s a lot of talk going around West Bend this past month about another Kwik Trip… or maybe two coming to West Bend.
Customers leaving the Citgo Station, also known as Egbert & Guido’s Express,, 1300 E. Paradise Drive, say the clerks behind the counter are saying the store is being sold to Kwik Trip.
“The employee also said they’ll have to reapply for their jobs,” said customer Greg Lofy. “Sounds like this is going to happen Jan. 3, 2019.”
Management at the store, so far, has refused comment.
Kwik Trip officials in La Crosse have not returned calls, although officials in the City of West Bend say they have been in conversations with Kwik Trip. No further details were released.
If the sale of the family-owned Citgo on Paradise Drive is true, this will be the third Kwik Trip in West Bend.
The first opened Oct. 27, 2016 on Silverbrook Drive, just north of Paradise Drive.
The second Kwik Trip opened Aug. 2, 2018 at 806 S. Main Street in the former Walgreens location.
According to records at City Hall the parcel on Silverbrook Drive is 3.025 acres, the lot on Main Street and Decorah Road is 1.401 acres and the potential lot on Paradise Drive and River Road is 2.23 acres.
Egbert & Guido’s Express is owned by Muth Bros. LLC.
That land was originally owned by Marie Muth and sold in March 19, 1997 as vacant land. It was turned over in a trust for $75,000.
The current assessed value of the Citgo property is $1,022,200.
Designs for a new store would have to go before the West Bend Plan Commission. If the sale comes to fruition the next available meeting would be February 2019 as the current Jan. 2, 2019 agenda has already been released.
Below is an original photo from when the Citgo store was first built in 1997.
Earlier in the week there were rumors about a Kwik Trip possibly opening in the Skate Country location, 1950 N. Main Street.
Skate Country owner John Mangold said on record, “I have one word for you, NO!”
A 2017 article in Convenience Store News said Kwik Trip is definitely adding stores and “the family-owned company plans to open 40 to 50 new stores annually, including a significant number in Wisconsin.”
With the development of a new Fleet Farm in West Bend there is a lot of conversation about who will take over the property on the southeast corner of Highway 33 and 18th Avenue.
Kwik Trip is a hot topic for that location however no official buyer has been confirmed.
This is a story in progress and updates will be posted as more information becomes available.
A Kwik Trip in the current fleet farm location would be ideal. We have a Starbucks McDonald’s and a bunch of other places on this side of town.
Maybe with another Kwik Trip, the gas prices in West Bend will finally be more in line with the surrounding area. West Bend gas is always significantly higher in price than Fond du Lac or even Cedarburg.
I agree David. The best way to combat this would be to avoid buying gas in West Bend. This may not have a big enough of an effect on the whole city so maybe we should put the word out to avoid just the Kwik Trips until they bring prices down to the surrounding areas, ie Jackson, Grafton, etc. and the other owners will follow suit. I noticed yesterday a 0.37 cent difference between West Bend (2.35) and Five Corners (1.98).
Surprised at this location, I would think it would be a better business decision to wait till Fleet Farm moves and take over the old location. So much more traffic in that location.