From its fresh bread and baked desserts to its wide variety of grab-and-go prepared foods produced daily in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Kwik Trip will offer all that and more in Bloomington next year, as the company has closed on the purchase of two parcels.
Kwik Trip is omnipresent across Wisconsin, and operates more than 900 stores in the Midwest, with stores in some Midwestern states known as Kwik Star. The family-owned convenience store juggernaut of more than 60 years is expanding around Minnesota and eyeing several suburban locations as part of its growth in the state.
The plans for Bloomington’s first location were approved by the Bloomington Planning Commission earlier this year. The Bloomington location will occupy two parcels on 94th Street, east of its Interstate 35W exits and entrance ramps. Those parcels have existing buildings that will be demolished prior to construction of a convenience store and gas station. Construction will begin in the spring of 2027 and is typically completed within five months, according to Lisa Wadsen, a senior real estate manager for Kwik Trip.
The company is building a one-story convenience store with eight gas dispensers, which would accommodate up to 16 vehicles, with a canopy over the fueling area. The site would also have underground fuel storage tanks, underground stormwater storage and 31 parking stalls on the south and east of the building, and along the east property line, according to the company's proposal.
The site is in a general industrial zone, and a convenience store with fuel sales is a permitted, conditional use within the zoning district, according to the city’s summary of the proposal.
Two commercial buildings that are more than 40 years old will be demolished to make way for Kwik Trip’s convenience store, which will feature green metal roofing, almond-colored fascia and soffits and a brick exterior facade with LED signage. The store’s proposed parking met the parking standards for a convenience store with fuel sales, with one exception. An additional parking island is needed, as islands are required at the end of each parking row, the city’s summary noted.
Replacing existing businesses with a Kwik Trip is expected to increase the number of trips to and from the site, but the city’s traffic study for the site determined that there is adequate capacity along 94th Street to accommodate the increased trips and potential eastbound vehicle queuing to access the property on the north side of 94th Street without spilling into the signalized intersection of the entrance and exit ramps for northbound I-35W. The sidewalk along the project site would be widened to eight feet to meet city requirements, according to the summary.
There will be two accesses to the property, one at the approximate center of the combined parcels and one on the east edge of the parcel, a shared access with the parcel to the east of the development, similar to the access points that exist now, accordion to Nick Johnson, a planning manager with Bloomington’s Planning Division.
Kwik Trip garners praise for its stores, as it was voted No. 1 for best gas station brand and best gas station food in a 2026 USA Today survey. It was the second year the company finished on top of both categories, and the seventh year of the company earning first place for best gas station brand, according to Wadsen.
“We bring a brand that is focused on the customer experience,” she said. The company produces a wide array of branded products for its stores, including many of the grab-and-go foods available throughout the day. Kwik Trip’s vertical integration provides the sandwiches, soups, salads, doughnuts and fruit cups sold in its stores, originating from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and shipped to its stores daily, Wadsen explained.
As an employer, the company pays liveable wages to its employees, with profit sharing, health insurance and other benefits, such as gifts recognizing employees on their birthdays and for weddings and anniversaries. The company has an internal program for employees in need and a program that provides job opportunities for people with disabilities. The company also emphasizes giving back to the communities where it does business, including supporting local food shelves, according to Wadsen.
The Bloomington store is scheduled to operate 24 hours a day, and is projected to employ 25-35 people, with an annual payroll of approximately $600,000, according to the proposal.
Bloomington’s 2027 opening will continue the company’s expansion. Locations opening yet this year include stores in Eagan, Cottage Grove and Ham Lake, and construction of a store in Victoria is beginning this week, Wadsen said.
One city not in line for a Kwik Trip is Edina. The company looked at developing a store at 5780 Lincoln Drive, along the east side of Highway 169, where it would have replaced an office building. The proposal received some pushback from the city, including the city’s Planning Commission, and the company is no longer actively working to build a store in Edina, Wadsen noted.