Published in the Jan. 12, 2012 Times-Sentinel

By Scott Elpers

Just a few feet away from the existing Kwik Shop, workers were busy in the unseasonably warm January weather constructing the final wall of what will be the convenience store’s replacement.

Kwik Shop’s new grocery store has begun to take shape on the north side of U.S. Highway 54 in Goddard.

Although an exact date has not been set for the completion of the new store, Tim Roark, vice president of petroleum and construction at Kwik Shop, said the company is shooting for early spring to have the store complete.

“The weather has helped keep us on an aggressive schedule,” he said.

Kwik Shop began construction on the store in early December, but Roark said the idea to put a bigger store in Goddard has been in the works for some time.

“We felt there was a need in Goddard for this type of store,” Roark said. “Our Kwik Shop there has been a popular store in this part of the state.”

The new store will be an upgrade from the current Kwik Shop. Called a “Kwik Shop Market,” the store will be first and largest of its kind. There are several similar stores in other Kansas locations like Greensburg, but the one in Goddard will be the largest, Roark said.

The 12,800 square-foot store will be hybrid of a convenience store and a grocery store. It will have all of the amenities of the current Kwik Shop with the addition of grocery store items, like produce, frozen food and prepared food like fried chicken and pizza. There will also be a drive-thru for prepared food items as well.

Another addition to the Kwik Shop Market will be a Dillons Pharmacy, which will have its own separate drive thru.

Once the new Kwik Shop Market is complete, Roark said they plan on demolishing the current Kwik shop, which is just a few feet away and shares a parking lot.

“We want to keep (the current Kwik Shop) open as long as possible before we close it down,” Roark said. “We want to have the overlap of the two stores be as little as possible.”