Mankato Travel Center gears up for opening
A new trucking center on Mankato’s east side is gearing up to open its doors.
Mankato Travel Center is a 15,000 square foot space that includes a convenience store, full-service bar and restaurant, a trucker’s lounge, and more.
A grand opening will be held when the weather is more agreeable.
The exterior of the property features 70 stalls for semi-trucks to park short-term or overnight, with future plans to expand, if business calls for it.
The project is the vision of Steve Freyberg and his sons Tyler and Corey. The Freyberg family is in its fourth generation in the fuel and oil industry.
The convenience store will offer the same products and fare that all Freyberg c-stores do, including quick-serve items such as fresh breakfast sandwiches, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and pizzas.
The adjacent full-service bar and restaurant- named the Ten20 Tavern (an ode to trucker radio lingo) -will feature a full menu created by an executive chef. Owner Tyler Freyberg says the restaurant will have flavorful, high-quality food that goes beyond bar fare. Freyberg says the restaurant will be a great option not only for truckers, but for families in Eagle Lake and Mankato. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The upstairs trucker’s lounge will have a television, desks where drivers can complete paperwork, laundry, and showers.
The other half of the upstairs will be a “players club.” A golf simulator, shuffleboard, dartboard, and pools tables for entertainment will be part of the completed project. A limited restaurant menu will be available in that area, so drivers can have food and beer as they play golf or watch sports. The upstairs area will go “full throttle,” in a couple of weeks, according to Tyler Freyberg.
The property also includes a car wash with its own pet wash area.
Customers can currently purchase gas at the pumps; the convenience store and restaurant are expected to be open by Friday.