Emporia’s Quik Trip location is still well over a year away from opening its doors to the public; however, physical work on the nationally known chain store could be getting underway before the end of 2025.
During the monthly Q&A segment on KVOE, Assistant City Manager Tayler Wash announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for Emporia’s QT is expected to take place in November; however, an exact date has not been set yet. Infrastructure work on the project came to an end in late August and included construction of a brand-new road and roundabout connecting Graphic Arts to previously constructed roundabouts connecting Interstate 35, the Kansas Turnpike and US Highway 50. Underground infrastructure to support the business has also been fully installed.
Wash says she is very excited to see the project reaching the point of above-ground construction and she knows she is not alone in that regard.
During our interview with Wash, KVOE News did ask if there was any concern that the presence of Quik Trip could negatively impact other long-established gas stations and convenience stores in the community. Wash says she is not concerned it will, noting that just like Quik Trip, other businesses, such as Casey’s, for example, already have an established name, brand and customer base.
That said, Deputy City Manager Mark Detter stated that if it does create some competition locally, that’s not entirely a bad thing, noting Emporia itself competes with larger metropolitan communities and the more nationally recognized names we have, the more traffic will likely stop in town rather than continuing down the road.
Wash adds that the continued addition of nationally known brands to the community, including Quik Trip and others such as Hobby Lobby, Marshalls, Ross and more in recent years, not only helps bring dollars to the community, but keeps them here as well.
Wash says there is no exact completion date for the Quik Trip Facility, which will be one of the largest in the state at roughly 7,300 square feet with a full-service QT kitchen as part of its features; however, she says they are providing developers with at least a year to ensure everything is up to standard.
