As someone who would love to see a Kwik Trip in West Bend, I found this story from Judy Steffes to be fascinating.

Small Biz Times story prompts follow up on statement about Kwik Trip coming to West Bend: A former co-worker Andrew Weiland posted a story May 4 in the Small Business Times where Hans Zietlow, director of real estate for Kwik Trip, was quoted saying, “Currently, Kwik Trip has 41 locations in the eight-county southeastern Wisconsin area. The company plans to add several additional locations in the region. Construction either has begun, or could break ground later this year or in 2016, on stores in Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha, Racine, Oak Creek, New Berlin, Sussex, Menomonee Falls, West Bend, Mukwonago, Saukville, Sheboygan and a “number of locations” in Waukesha, Zietlow said.

I got a hold of Zietlow and spoke one-on-one with him this morning. Here are highlights.

Go read the whole thing, but these quotes caught my eye:

-“The previous economic development director (John Cappelle) he just told me we’re not going to get in.”

-“We’ll try to eventually be there but we need to get a positive response from the Plan Commission and the city council.”

There is something odd about West Bend where gas is always about 10 cents more expensive than any of the neighboring areas. It’s the reason that I don’t buy gas in town unless I absolutely have to.