LA CROSSE, Wis. — Kwik Trip Inc., which earlier this month closed on the acquisition of 36 Stop-N-Go Convenience Centers in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, has converted the stores to either the Kwik Trip, Kwik Star or the new “StopNGo by Kwik Trip” brand.
The retailer started transitioning the stores on Dec. 7 and finished the process on Dec. 10, Kwik Trip spokesperson John McHugh told CSP Daily News. “The four-day transition has gone very well. We gained a lot of knowledge and experience with the PDQ acquisition a few years ago, which helped this time around.”
The company added new signage and equipment in the Stop-N-Go stores that are now Kwik Trips. “This winter, we will do a more extensive remodel of many of those Kwik Trip locations,” he said.
“Twenty-one of the stores will remain Stop-N-Go,” said McHugh. “They are smaller-footprint stores than a usual Kwik Trip, and we would not have been able to fit all of our product offerings in them. So as to not confuse our guests’ expectations, we thought it wise to keep the Stop-N-Go brand for those smaller stores. A guest will know not to expect the same offering as a Kwik Trip.”
Kwik Trip will still offer as many of its private-label products as possible in those locations, he said.
“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 of Madison Inc., Madison, Wis. “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.”
Meanwhile, as of Dec. 7, the locations will no longer accept Stop-N-Go Race to Savings rewards cards, gift cards or car wash codes, Kwik Trip said on the new StopNGo website.
- Kwik Trip is No. 13 on CSP’s 2020 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by number of retail outlets. Stop-N-Go is No. 177.
Founded in 1965, La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip owns and operates more than 700 c-stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa (as Kwik Star).
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