July 25, 2023

Here’s a look at recent changes in the business landscape in the Sioux Falls area.

Kwik Trip has purchased land to build two more gas stations and C-stores in Sioux Falls. The new sites, which will be under the Kwik Star brand, are at 3310 N. Cliff Ave. and the southeast corner of 32nd and Ellis. The first site in South Dakota to open for the Wisconsin-based, family-owned chain will be in Brandon, likely in mid-September. That will be followed about a month later at 57th and Graystone, and a store in Harrisburg. It’s also building at 41st and Grand Slam.

The national Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurant KPOT is coming to Sioux Falls. It has leased space at 2814 S. Louise Ave., the former Dress Barn location. KPOT offers an all-you-can-eat experience, and dinners cook the food at their table. The restaurant has not announced a timeline for opening.

Melissa Dittberner and Jonathan Lewis have created Straight Up Care. It’s a virtual health platform to gather, train, connect and pay peer supporters to assist those in recovery from the impacts of addiction and mental health.

A Brandon-area couple has bought a business that started as a hot dog cart and grew into a full-fledged food truck. Fred’s Franks is now Let’s Go Frank. Barry and Gena Bakken haven’t changed the menu and plan to be out two or three days a week, focusing on selling lunch to workers at businesses in the Brandon area and doing events.

Knife River Corp., which has a significant construction materials and rail operation in Sioux Falls, is now an independently traded public company. Knife River, trading under the ticker symbol “KNF” on the New York Stock Exchange, recently spun off from MDU Resources Group Inc., which it had been part of since the 1940s.

The Cattitude Cafe has opened at 11th and Second. It features a room filled with cats that customers can interact with for a fee. There also are windows into the cat room from the outside of building and from the general dining room. The cafe offers coffee, lattes, beer, wine and a light food menu focused on breakfast and lunch. The cats come from the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and are available for adoption, except for Darla, the resident cat. It’s open daily.

A new studio specializing in handmade bows and other hair accessories has opened with a mission to employ adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mary Spargur founded The Effortless Bow, which is at 3500 S. Kiwanis Ave. For now, it is being used only as a production space, not a retail store. Products are available online and at local events.

Lucky’s has opened its south-side bar. The second location is in the former Cody’s Smokehouse BBQ building at 6401 S. Louise Ave. It has 46 TVs, pool tables, darts and other games, including video lottery in a separate casino. New garage doors open to the patio. Lucky’s has a full liquor license and a small menu of “upscale bar food.” It’s open daily, and all ages are welcome until 8 p.m.

Chase Bank has leased space in the first-floor marketplace of Shriver Square at 11th and Phillips to open its fourth branch in Sioux Falls. It will convert space used by Chef Dominique’s Catering and Banquet Facility, which will move into another space in the building, and The Cookie Jar Eatery. The restaurant and bakery is moving into the Lumber Exchange building at 101 S. Reid St. and plans to reopen Aug. 1.

Two sisters originally from Liberia have opened a restaurant featuring African cuisine on the east side of Sioux Falls. Lou’s Joy & Vick Kitchen is the creation of Lou Harmon and Victoria Pittman. It opened in March in the former Sahara Grill & Cuisine space in Neighborhood Market at 4301 E. 12th St. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

A women’s wellness and pregnancy studio is coming to Sioux Falls. The Sonography Studio is expanding from Sioux City to open a location in a retail center at Lake Lorraine. The studio will offer sonograms, IV hydration/therapy, hormonal and vitamin/mineral testing, “sneak peek” early gender-reveal DNA testing, Morpheus8 microneedling, lactation services and “flower-face lift,” which is a vaginal/pelvic floor treatment. The space also will include a maternity and baby boutique: Keith and Lux Maternity and Baby. It’s expected to open around Nov. 1.

A new locally owned restaurant coming to the east side of Sioux Falls will feature Japanese ramen and Korean fried chicken. IchiFuji is the latest restaurant from Leon Teng of Ramen Fuji and Oppa Chicken. It will be in the former Taco Johns building at 1609 E. 10th St., which most recently was the home of Kabab King. Teng doesn’t know when it will be ready to open but is hoping for late fall or winter.

Casey’s General Stores plans to open a new store on the east side of Sioux Falls. The Iowa-based gas station and convenience store bought land at 6510 E. Arrowhead Parkway, about halfway between Veterans Parkway and Six Mile Road. A timeline for construction hasn’t been announced.

Since moving to a new location, BritZa Performing Arts Studio has added programming to go with its expanded name. Formerly known as BritZa Studios, which was founded in 1985, the studio opened earlier this year at 1500 E. 77th St. In addition to dance classes for children, it now offers singing classes, showtime theater classes, puppetry making, summer musicals and choreography camps. BritZa also offers adult ballet classes.

Erin Tobin has started Rejuve Health Prof.,  a home health startup focused on infusion treatments and health improvement plans. Tobin is a licensed certified nurse practitioner and a registered nurse. A dozen treatment plans range from bioavailable vitamin infusions and allergy relievers to hangover cures. More information about services is available at rejuvehealthy.com.