New convenience store will open in July

By John McLoone

PRESCOTT – Kwik Trip’s location in Prescott will receive a liquor license.

The store is buying the business of Churchill Market, located across the street from the under-construction convenience store. The Prescott City Council somewhat grudgingly granted the request from Churchill Market to surrender its license to Kwik Trip. The transfer takes effect July 1.

Kwik Trip is building at 1200 Henry St. and plans to open by late July.

Kwik Trip’s request for a license to sell beer, wine and liquor was denied previously by the city council, which has taken the position not to allow any new stores to allow sales of intoxicating beverages.

See KWIK TRIP , Page 9 Kwik Trip

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A public hearing was held before the council, and no one spoke in opposition to the license transfer. Tom Cogan, one of the owners of Churchill Market, told the council that the store will close prior to June 30 and a different venture is being eyed for the longtime store location at 1003 Campbell St.

“We as businesspeople realized that as a convenience store-gas station, you don’t compete against Kwik Trip,” said Cogan. “If you try to compete directly with them, it can be problematic as far as the bottom line is concerned. We plan to shut down the business as a convenience store and repurpose the store to something more synergetic to Kwik Trip and needed in Prescott.”

A letter to the city from Kwik Trip Chief Financial Offi cer Jeffrey Wrobel states that Kwik Trip is buying Churchill’s “book of business.”

“Upon approval of the Kwik Trip application, Churchill has agreed to surrender its liquor license. The understanding of everyone involved is that the surrender of the Churchill license will make available a new liquor license for the Kwik Trip Store,” Wrobel wrote. “In the event that a new liquor license is not approved for Kwik Trip, the agreement between Churchill and Kwik Trip becomes null and void.”

Kwik Trip's license still needs final approval before the

city council in June. This initial action was just to make sure the license could be transferred upon the Churchill surrender.

The city verified that the location of Kwik Trip is more than 300 feet from a school or church, as dictated by state law.

The new Prescott City Planner verified that the Kwik Trip location is 1,290 feet from the entrance to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and 3,106 feet from Malone Intermediate School.

At the start of the discussion, Alderperson Darlyn Hintz removed herself from the discussion.

“I have to recuse myself,” she said. “My husband is a parttime meat cutter at Churchill. I have some passionate views on it.”

There was discussion about the fact that other businesses – including Ptacek’s IGA – have inquired about getting a similar license but have been told there are none available. City Attorney Phil Helgesen said this license is only available because of the surrender. He was asked to provide an opinion on the matter.

“Kwik Trip can request a license if there are none currently available and even if Ptacek’s has already put in a request,” Helgesen’s opinion states. “It would be up to the city council on whether they want to approve either business for a request if a license becomes available. That being said, I don’t think Ptacek’s could be approved unless a non-conditional surrender of a license is done if the city is at quota for licenses, since Churchill only conditionally surrendered its license and would not have to surrender it if Kwik Trip is not approved.”

Ptacek’s had sought the license for a downtown Prescott building last year.

Alderperson Pat Knox questioned Kwik Trip averting the waiting list in this way.

“If someone had previously requested access to a license or if there was a waiting list, this would be kind of, in a way, going around that. They’re being skipped over,” he said of other businesses that may be seeking a license. “We said there are none available. This kind of goes around that.”

Alderperson Tom Oss said he spoke with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities on the matter.

“It is a unique situation,” he said. “I’m concerned about a precedent being established in this situation that could cross over to future license transactions.”

Alderperson Maureen Otwell concurred. “I feel like both you feel on this issue,” she said. “It concerns me that it’s a little under the table. Why wouldn’t it be out front so others could bid on it?”

Mayor David Hovel explained that similar transactions have been approved at bar and restaurant businesses in Prescott, and council members agreed.

“When some of the bars have sold, the same thing happened,” he said. “They really bought the business, not just the liquor license.”

The vote to transfer the license was unanimous, with the exception of Hintz remaining on the sideline.