WINONA, Minn. – Does Winona need yet another Mexican restaurant? Yes, says a Colorado development firm. Documents filed with the city signage-control agency list a Chipolte build-your-own burrito shop at 1545 Gilmore and also an automotive quick-lube station next door. The site is on Gilmore Avenue just west of the Hy-Vee grocery. Separate entry and exit lanes off Gilmore would flank the shop. Two houses at the address would be razed, as allowed under a zoning change already approved by the city. The nearest Chipoltes are in LaCrosse and Rochester. Winona’s existing Mexican restaurants:
> El Patron, 1415 West Service Drive.
> Mango’s, 408 U.S. Highway 14.
> Qdoba, 950 Frontenac Drive.
> Rubio’s, 652 Washington Street.
> Taco Bell, 1455 Gilmore Avenue.
> Taco John’s, 12113 Gilmore Avenue.
Chipolte. The chain opened its 3,000th location in Phoenix in 2022. The corporate goal is 7,000 with new locations mostly in towns of 40,000 or less.
The plan. As laid out by Halifax Development of Denver, which has a Chipolte corporate contract that includes the Winona site.
1545 Gilmore. One of two houses to be demolished in the rezoning for commercial purposes. Image: Steve Lunde