HAMPSHIRE, Ill. -- On a recent run from Chicago to visit a Wisconsin retailer, the feel of the open road gave way to open spaces, not only along the interstate, but also inside the convenience stores and travel centers along the way.
In fact, the stores along I-90 north into Wisconsin, for the most part, offer 5,000-plus square feet of sales floor, with additional space for trucker facilities and sitdown restaurants.
Click here to view photos of the locations mentioned in this story.
Road Ranger-Pilot Travel Center, Hampshire, Ill.
Driving from one of the country's highest-priced metro areas for gasoline--with Chicago over $4.25 a gallon at the time--brings welcomed relief coming upon the first stop, a Road Ranger-Pilot Travel Center co-branded location off I-90 in the village of Hampshire, Ill., posting gasoline at $3.99 a gallon.
Like many of the locations along the way, the site offered a range of c-store goods and also trucker-related items such as consumer electronics. A Subway franchise added a quick-service restaurant (QSR) to the mix, but the chain also offered "Jack's" pizza.
Restrooms were large and clean … for the most part, considering the high traffic counts.
Outside, stacks of mulch spoke to the season, with the weather floating between the high-60s and low-70s.
Unbranded site, New Lisbon, Wis.
Heading further into Wisconsin, a stop in New Lisbon brought a surprisingly large store housing a combination Subway and A&W. Much of the second half of the probably-7,000-square-foot location was set up for seating and had the feel of a sit-down restaurant, even though the furniture seemed more industrial vs. the homier feel of contemporary sitdown places.
Beyond the branded foodservice, nothing in this location really spoke to the location's personality. The store itself had no name and signage was done in basic font, hung unceremoniously on white placards.
Tall shelving--some half-stocked with travel-related knick-knacks--gave the place a congested feel, with the dim, haphazard lighting offering little relief. The randomness of these areas contrasted with the coolers, which were well-stocked and professionally executed.
At least gasoline was getting cheaper at $3.79. And the restrooms were large and somewhat clean. Paper towels stacking up in the trash bins are typically the culprit, and here was no different.
Kwik Trip, Mauston, Wis.
Circling back to Chicago, a Kwik Trip c-store and travel center in Mauston, Wis., provided a more sharply focused approach to convenience retail. An eye-catcher from the interstate, with a perpendicular Kwik Trip semi-tractor trailer acting as a unique sign post, the high-traffic store had a large sales space, public restrooms and a sit-down "Hearty Platter" restaurant.
The store featured the chain's "red zone" of hot food and beverages, as well as its open display unit of fresh foods and sandwiches. The chain's baked goods section was also prominent.
Restrooms suffered a bit from the traffic, again with paper towels being somewhat of a problem.
In this neck of the woods, prices hovered at $3.79 a gallon.
7-Eleven travel plaza, Belvidere, Ill.
The closer I got to Chicago, the more gasoline prices inched up, with a travel oasis in Belvidere, Ill., posting $3.83 a gallon. The 7-Eleven store on the site was well stocked with the chain's proprietary "Select" foodservice line of sandwiches and meal options, while its fountain, coffee and cooler areas appeared well-managed and clean.
Upon leaving Belvidere, traffic began to build in a very typical Chicago fashion as rush hour began--the allure of rural USA gone, giving way to the tighter, grittier city.
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