Construction of a Kum & Go convenience store at 16th Avenue and Williams Boulevard SW in Cedar Rapids is progressing at a fairly rapid pace.

The store, which will be similar in appearance and size as three Kum & Go locations in Cedar Rapids, will offer food and beverages as well as gasoline, diesel and E-85 fuel. The fuel islands and canopy were erected within the last two weeks and the store began to take shape early this week.

Kum & Go of West Des Moines, a privately owned chain of convenience stores, is building as many as 11 new stores in the Cedar Rapids area.

Construction is progressing at a rapid pace on the new Kum & Go convenience store at 16th Avenue and Williams Boulevard SW in Cedar Rapids. (George C. Ford/The Gazette)

The new Kum & Go stores are designed to emphasize fresh food prepared on site. The chain, with more than 400 stores in 11 states, views food service as a major component in its quest for increasing sales and market share.

Kum & Go is awaiting a Cedar Rapids City Council decision on rezoning at the former Crescent Electric location at 15th Street and  Mount Vernon Road SE, near McKinley Middle School and Mercy Hospital. The company previously sought to build a store at Memorial Drive and Mount Vernon Road SE, but the city council declined to vote on Kum & Go’s rezoning request.

Kum & Go is challenging the market dominance of Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores, which dramatically expanded its Corridor presence in October 2006 when it acquired 33 HandiMart stores from Nordstrom Oil for $63 million.