Casey’s General Store to open another Crystal Lake location

Casey’s General Store is looking to add another Crystal Lake location on the northeast corner of Northwest Highway and Sands Road.

There’s already a Crystal Lake Casey’s at 639 E. Terra Cotta Ave., but a second store will help Casey’s serve more people, Community Development Director Michelle Rentzsch said, such as those who are coming or going to work at night on the far east end of the city along Route 14.

“There’s good traffic there,” Rentzsch said. “There are other gas stations that have multiple locations. They like to be placed strategically around where they can capture all of those various trips.”

Casey’s already is doing very well at its existing location, Rentzsch said.

“People really like the food that’s for sale in there,” she said.

Planned for the site is a 4,900-square-foot convenience store with 16 gas pumps, according to city documents attached to an agenda supplement for a July 20 City Council meeting. Crystal Lake City Council members unanimously approved the Casey’s at that meeting.

The company expects to break ground by the middle of next year and open in the fall of 2022, company spokesperson Katie Petru said.

The property at 4220 Northwest Highway has been vacant for quite a while, so Crystal Lake staff was excited to see interest in it, Rentzsch said.

In March 2003, the property was annexed and zoned planned unit development, which typically provides municipalities more flexibility in what kinds of structures and uses it will allow on a parcel.

“We think Casey’s is gonna do really well there, and it’s good to see this redeveloped,” Rentzsch said.

Formerly home of the Crystal Valley RV, the property is split into three lots. After Casey’s moves into the corner lot of 4220 Northwest Highway, two additional pads on the property will remain empty.

The city hopes two new users will be attracted by the Casey’s and go on to develop those sites as well, Rentzsch said.

Regarding traffic, access points were determined for all three lots, which includes a right-in/right-out from Route 14 to an internal access road and a full access point off Sands Road, according to city documents.

“This property has been in an underutilized state for many years, and the [Planning and Zoning Commission] was supportive of the property owner filling and improving the site for development,” city staff said in the agenda supplement. “They were also glad to see that Casey’s was interested in opening a second location in the city.”