Nov. 30—WORTHINGTON — KwikTrip has purchased the old ShopKo property, and plans to demolish the former retail building in order to build there.

"We bought the building, we're tearing it down, we're putting a store up," said Dean George, real estate development manager with KwikTrip. "Our plan is to put a facility there, so we're kinda working through design right now."

George cautioned that because the planning process is still ongoing, there are not yet any definite timelines for the company's plans. Building the new KwikTrip could be on the company's calendar for 2023, he said.

Demolition of the old ShopKo building would likely occur "soon," George added.

The city of Worthington has been working with KwikTrip on the permitting process, and while no permits have been issued as yet, Matt Selof, city planner, said he expected them soon.

Worthington's ShopKo location closed in 2019 as part of a wave of 174 store closings, and since then, the property has been considered for multiple other projects. For example, District 518 once considered purchasing the property for its community education building, currently under construction next to its Learning Center along Crailsheim Road on the west end of Worthington.

Worthington's other KwikTrip location at 1601 Oxford St. will remain as it is, George said, as the city has two different traffic patterns.

"There's plenty of opportunity here," he added.

Most likely, staffing levels at the new facility will be similar to those at the existing KwikTrip, with about 25 to 35 employees split between full-time and part-time positions, George said.

KwikTrip is a family-owned company with more than 700 stores, mainly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. It is based in La Crosse, Wisconsin.