COUNTDOWN: THE YEAR’S MAJOR WINONA NEWS
No. 13: Ill-fated land swap
The Kwik Trip convenience store chain and Winona State University thought they had a win-win going. But they forgot the power of the people. The idea was this: The university would give up its Huff and Sarnia parking lot for Kwik Trip to build a giant store with a 20-pump fueling station. In exchange the university would acquiree the existing Kwik Trip store across the street and tear it down as an incremental step to clearing the area for a new fieldhouse. Neighbors weren’t keen on a 24-hour 20-pump gas station smack dab in the middle to where they lived – or close. A petition generated 160 signatures. In a “just kidding” moment, Kwik Trip and Winona State backed off.
Kwik Trip. Hemmed-in Huff-Sarnia store into future.