New documents submitted to the City of Maricopa show an intent to add a QuikTrip, a top convenience store brand, near the Maricopa Grand Professional Village.

The application submitted by Texas-based Kirkman Engineering calls for the construction of a 5,300-square-foot building on an undeveloped lot on the northwest corner of Smith-Enke and Porter Roads.

The area is a T intersection near the infamously crash-prone intersection of Desert Greens Drive and Smith-Enke Road.

InMaricopa previously reported a developer’s intent to build a Circle K on the lot, but those plans have not progressed since 2023.

The proposed development will consist of the building, a gas canopy with ten fuel dispensers and a car wash. The proposed landscape will be in accordance with Maricopa’s conservation guidelines, according to the documents.

Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip ranked second in a new study that found the best convenience stores in the nation, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

The brand beat out mega convenience store brand Buc-ee’s in the rankings. Circle K ranked 11th in the survey.

Tripping

Circle K’s convenience stores recently lost an Arizona Supreme Court decision after the high court ruled to overturn an appeals court ruling that sided with Circle K.

The case stems from a patron, Roxanne Perez, tripping over an allegedly unseen case of water at the end of an aisle. Circle K argued it was not its duty to safeguard patrons from open and obvious risks.

The high court disagreed, earmarking the case for a trial in lower courts.

Arizona State University published research in 2011 that illustrated Circle K had issues with heightened crime and safety, primarily due to its layout, low staffing, and inadequate security control measures.

ASU’s study notably references one Circle K that displayed beer on the floor by the door, constructed poor lines of sight and only had one employee present.