While construction and expansion at many businesses are at a halt because of the lagging economy, additions to both of Albert Lea’s Kwik Trip stores are moving along quickly as part of a companywide initiative to boost offerings.

Hans Zietlow, director of real estate for the Kwik Trip company, said additions are being made at many of the company’s stores — not just the two in Albert Lea — to make them larger and incorporate more of a kitchen area to the buildings.

“We have a greater and greater food offering in our stores now,” Zietlow said. “We want to expand that out to be able to offer more products and create a little better customer service.”

In Albert Lea, the store at the southeast corner of East Main Street and South Garfield Avenue will have a 645-square-foot kitchen addition valued at $190,000, according to the Albert Lea Inspection Department. The building permit for the project was issued Jan. 2.

The kitchen will be 45 by 15 feet on the north side of the store.

Kwik Trip has been at this location since 2002, after swapping locations with what was formerly Bunnell’s Donut Hut & Bakery.

The store on the corner of Front Street and First Avenue will see a 734-square-foot addition valued at $160,000, according to the Inspection Department.

The building permit for this project was issued Feb. 12.

This kitchen addition will be 68 feet by 10 feet on the west side of the building.

According to its Web site, Kwik Trip Inc. maintains “total quality control over a wide variety of products by producing and packaging these items in our own state-of-the-art facilities.”

It has a corporate support center, along with its own bakery, commissary, dairy, distribution warehouse and vehicle maintenance division.

Kwik Trip stores can be found across Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.