La Crosse, Wisc.-based Kwik Trip has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Madison, Wisc.-based Stop-N-Go Convenience Centers, a family-owned company that operates 36 convenience stores in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
This acquisition allows Kwik Trip to expand its presence with the respected Stop-N-Go chain of stores, in a growing market that is important to its overall retail growth strategy.
Founded in 1963 by Duane and Olympia Bowman, Stop-N-Go management and team members have built an excellent brand over 57 years in business and are known for excellent customer service and convenience. With their focus on building a strong team of coworkers, Stop-N-Go has grown to become one of the leading convenience store brands in the southern Wisconsin market.
Founded in 1965 in Eau Claire, Wisc., Kwik Trip, Inc. is one of the largest independently held convenience store chains in the U.S. Today, Kwik Trip owns and operates over 700 stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa and employs over 27,000 coworkers.
Kwik Trip has annually been named a “Top Workplace” in each of the three states in which it operates. One of the many employee benefits at Kwik Trip is the Zietlow family’s commitment to share 40% of the company’s pre-tax profits with their coworkers. Kwik Trip continues to grow through its strong focus on food, value-priced commodities, clean facilities and outstanding customer service.
The transaction is scheduled to be completed in early December. Kwik Trip plans to continue to operate many of the acquired stores under the existing Stop-N-Go banner. Some of the larger stores will be remodeled and rebranded as “Kwik Trip.”
“When selecting the right buyer, it was important for us that the Stop-N-Go brand be continued,” said Andrew Bowman, CEO and Owner of Stop-N-Go. “All of us at Stop-N-Go have a great deal of pride and sense of accomplishment because our efforts built a brand worthy of continuing under the new ownership of Kwik Trip.”