When I heard that urban convenience-store Go Grocer was opening its second store in Milwaukee, I mapped out my road trip. The drive from Chicago to Milwaukee is a daily commute for many, but for me it consisted of single day of travel met with sunshine, dry roads in March and plenty of interesting stops.
Chasing Noah
If you have never listened to singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, try to find a playlist with his songs. Trust me, there is a convenience-store connection, especially in the Badger State. The indie music star’s Twitter account includes a ranking of top c-store chains. We all have a top-10 list of movies or songs, but have you ever known someone to have a top-whatever list for convenience stores? I haven’t either. But now we do. Thanks Noah!
Glazers Galore
My first pit stop was none other than the massive Kwik Trip in Racine, Wisconsin, in Kenosha County. La Crosse, Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip, has more than 500 stores in the Badger State with plans to grow its manufacturing and supply chain base further in Wisconsin. I was told the building is 15,000 square feet, and when I entered there were people everywhere—this place is busy! Truckers, travelers and folks like me coming in-store for the foodservice items filled the store. And yes, there were glazers galore.
Go Grocer
Milwaukee is growing. And so are its retailers. Go Grocer, an urban-convenience store opened its second location in the city. Located in the Pabst Brewery District, the store is a most welcome addition to the area. When I was feeding the meter outside the store, a woman stopped me and asked, “is this place open?” I told her “yes” and she said, “Great! I am so excited.”
With no other place for grocery essentials, Go Grocer will likely fill this area’s needs for grocery and other convenience-store items. Edgar Rivera told me Go Grocer is like a mini Trader Joe’s. And he is right. There are some super cool local products in the store. When you head to the register, do not forget to grab a BB Cake cookie. They are to die for and are even based in Milwaukee. So, satisfying a sweet tooth to support local is never a bad thing, right?
Full of wonder
Heading home I knew I was not going to hit traffic, which is always a good thing when driving to Chicago. My final pit stop before hitting the Illinois border was Willkomm’s Racine Petro, in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.
I wandered around this place longer than I should have, but I couldn’t resist. This place is a destination. There is cool artwork hung on the walls to admire, gadgets galore and a vibe that is very welcoming. The exit is a busy location. Across the street I even noticed some renovations taking place at the CITGO at 611 S. Sylvania Ave.
Next month I’m headed up to Milwaukee for a family wedding. And perhaps like Noah, I’ll have my own clipboard with me as I compile an even bigger list of convenience stores in Wisconsin.
Until next time…
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