Kwik Trip prepares to make their first claim in Duluth

(Potential Kwik Trip locations planned for Twin Ports area)

News broke this past year that Kwik Trip was planning on making a rather extensive leap into the area. The La Crosse, Wisconsin based company has aggressive plans for the Northland... where it says it could add 12 stores alone in the Twin Ports. Kwik Trip announced last year that it had plans for two stores in Superior; one on Tower Avenue and North 28th Street and another on the corner of Banks Avenue and Belknap Street. Another location was added to their development plans this past year at the site of Nemadji Travel Plaza, which will be completely razed to allow for construction of the new store. Demolition has already begun at some of these sites, but no official construction on physical store structures will begin until the spring of 2014.

But how does this relate to Duluth? Well, there's been quite a few rumors swirling around about where the first Kwik Trip might open. Duluth itself actually has three locations that are almost set in stone that will be developed for new Kwik Trip locations. We reported that the Burger King on London Road in East Duluth is slated to be razed in order to make way for a new Kwik Trip. Although official plans have yet to be presented, we have sources that confirm that this is still the goal for the site. As with many companies expansion plans for Duluth, Kwik Trip is hoping to establish a location in each of the three major areas of Duluth (West, East, and the Miller Hill area) all by the end of 2014. The other location that has been added to the rumor mill recently is that Kwik Trip will be constructing a location up the Miller Trunk Highway (actually in Hermantown) in front of the new Sugar Maple Crossings retail center that was recently completed. That's the center that will be housing the first Dickey's BBQ restaurant in the area and already houses Crossfit Duluth and Fastel. We're looking into this rumor more and will hopefully have news on it soon.

What we really are here to report today is the specific location that Kwik Trip will present to the Duluth Planning Commission this next week for their first official Duluth location. As the trend continues with retailers entering the Duluth market, Kwik Trip is planning on setting up shop in West Duluth on Grand Avenue. The site (outlined above) is situated between 43rd Avenue W and 42nd Avenue W and currently is home to Christ Lutheran Church and a vacant gas station. The church is looking to sell due to a smaller congregation and no longer having the need for such a large space. Kwik Trip plans to raze everything on the entire block up to the alleyway and construct their first Duluth location if rezoning and the plans are approved by the city of Duluth. If you still can't pin point where this site is, it's right across Essentia Health's West Duluth campus.

We'll look into finding the specific details about the development of Kwik Trip's first Duluth location and will be sure to bring them right here to cdinduluth as soon as we find out. Until then, the Twin Ports can begin preparations to welcome potentially SIX Kwik Trip locations to the area.