Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams After nearly three years, Peddlers Post announced just before Thanksgiving that the antique and gift store in downtown Bonduel was closing its doors.
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Peddlers Post, an antique and gift shop, has vacated the property at 103 S. Cecil St., a former Kwik Trip location over which the convenience store chain still exerts some control.
A prime piece of real estate in downtown Bonduel is on the market, after the Peddlers Post antique and gift store closed its doors.
The store went out of business just before Thanksgiving after nearly three years at 103 S. Cecil St. on the highly visible corner of Cecil Street and Green Bay Street in the middle of downtown.
The vacant storefront already is drawing interest from potential new tenants considering opening an ice cream shop or other type of business there, according to Jim Zierden, the property owner.
But the location’s future possibilities could be limited by an agreement struck long ago with a familiar name — Kwik Trip.
Kwik Trip once operated a convenience store at 103 S. Cecil St. When the company gave up the site, it insisted on a deed restriction prohibiting future uses that would compete with other Kwik Trips in the area.
The well-known retailer operates a large convenience store about a mile away at 102 Express Way, directly alongside state Highway 29.
Zierden said the deed restriction means that any ice cream shop, restaurant or other food-serving tenant could be prohibited from doing business there. Zierden said he intends to approach Kwik Trip about a compromise on the restriction.
“We’re hoping that they might soften that,” he said.
Officials at the La Crosse headquarters of Kwik Trip could not be reached for comment.
Bill Kolaske, president of the Bonduel Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Peddlers Post location is a prime spot, and he hopes another tenant settles there soon.
“We’re optimistically looking for a new business to come in and join us in Bonduel,” Kolaske said.
Since the Kwik Trip closed several years ago, the 2,500-square-foot building has operated as a furniture store and a couple of different antique stores.
Peddlers Post, which opened in March 2013 with a variety of antiques and gifts, held down the location for nearly three years before announcing on its Facebook page that it was closing effective Nov. 23. The former store owner, Becky Dodge, has declined to talk about the closure.
Sarah Hoeft, manager of the nearby Hungry Bear Cafe, 120 E. Green Bay St., said she hopes to see renewed activity on the vital downtown corner after the upcoming holiday season and new year.
“You hate to see a business go out,” Hoeft said. “But hopefully something else comes in.”
Zierden, a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker, has owned the property since 2009 in a partnership called WE Inc.
Although he is unsure whether Kwik Trip will cooperate, Zierden expressed optimism that the corner storefront will not remain empty for very long.
“We’ll be OK,” he said. “It’ll be just a matter of getting things up and going again.”