After over 18 months of onsite work and years of planning, QuikTrip has opened in Emporia.
The facility at 3535 Crossing Boulevard, just southwest of the Flint Hills Technical College main campus, opened to the public early Thursday morning after a brief employee gathering and a photo opportunity. Division Operations Manager Steven Sparacia was glad to see the store open after a roughly 6-year public process involving design, plan approvals and construction.
QuikTrip started in Oklahoma in 1958, opening its first store in Kansas in 1971.
At around 7,300 square feet, the Emporia location is among the bigger ones in QT’s inventory. Sparacia tells KVOE News it features some new items for the company.
The coffee bar including a “latte-on-demand” system.
Sparacia says QuikTrip is looking forward to community involvement and engagement.
With Emporia’s current list of convenience stores, the new 5R travel plaza and restaurant development in late stages of construction nearby and major renovations underway at the Kansas Turnpike’s Emporia service exit, Sparacia says QuikTrip is relying on customer satisfaction to build its local customer base.
Final plans for QuikTrip were approved in September 2024. Construction began in early 2025, including the construction of a new street surrounding the property to the north and a new connecting roundabout to the southwest as part of what the city has called the Flint Hills Crossing development. Planning, at least with public conversations and meetings, actually dates back to 2020.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including scenes from QuikTrip’s first morning of operation.
3:10 am Thursday: QuikTrip opens early Thursday
QuikTrip is officially opening Thursday morning.
The grand opening at 3535 Crossing Boulevard, just southwest of the Flint Hills Technical College main campus, is set for 6 am as confirmed by Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson.
The new facility will be substantially larger than many other QTs built before, with around 7,300 square feet. Fuel pumps are in two bays, one immediately east of the convenience store and another to the west. Regular and diesel fuel will be available.
The convenience store will be open on a 24-7 basis, while the open kitchen hours will be from 6 am to 10 pm.
Click here for more information on the Emporia location through QuikTrip.
Photos by Chuck Samples/KVOE News
