The City of Winchester will soon have a new convenience store and gas station.
The Scott County Times reports that owners of the former IGA property at the corner of Cherry & Main in Winchester have started construction on the new gas station. Everest Thapa and Gopal Basnet purchased the property more than a decade ago after the IGA went out of business.
According to the Times, Thapa and Basnet began discussions with Winchester Mayor Rex McIntire to open a convenience store on the property that would include a beer cave, video gambling, and possibly a Chester’s Chicken. The location will be an AM/PM Phillips 66 affiliate with Thapa and Basnet owning locations in Meredosia, Franklin, Astoria, Petersburg, and Riverton. The new store is estimated be at 2,900 square feet and will house both regular and diesel fuel pumps.
A new fuel tank was set on the location last Friday, with major construction on the site expected to begin in the Spring of the coming year if the project’s building is approved by the Winchester City Council.
Mayor Rex McIntire told the Times he’s yet to see blueprints for the building. Cost of the project, which has been delayed for a number of reasons, is expected to come in around $2 million.