The Tempe Circle K in 'Bill & Ted' is closing. Co-star Alex Winter's response was perfect

The Circle K that plays an important part in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” is closing.

Whoa.

The store is where Keanu Reeves, who plays Ted in the 1989 film, utters the great line, “Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.” (Imagine this spoken in the most Keanu Reeves manner possible.)

Told on Twitter by The Arizona Republic that the store was closing, Alex Winter, who plays Bill, tweeted the perfect response:

“All we are...”

Exceptionally well played.

That’s another great quote from the movie, when Bill and Ted meet Socrates. (Long story; watch the movie.) Bill tells Ted to philosophize.

“All we are is dust in the wind, dude,” Ted says, quoting the truly awful song by the band Kansas.

'Be excellent to each other': When Bill and Ted were the heroes of the moment

What Circle K said about closing the Bill & Ted store

Employees at the Circle K, at 1010 W. Southern Ave. in Tempe, said they had been notified that the store was closing on May 19. Circle K’s ownership did not respond to requests for comment. (The closure was first reported by Phoenix New Times.)

Circle K confirmed the closing in a statement that begins, "The rumors aren’t bogus. We are planning to close our store at 1010 W. Southern Avenue in Tempe. It’s a location that has enjoyed some most triumphant times in its more than 30 years of serving the Tempe community."

Employees there will be relocated to other stores.

The statement doubles down on the Bill & Ted-speak:

"We know that the news will come across as non-non-heinous to many," it says. "But brace yourself, amigos. We have some bodacious plans for Circle K as we continue growing in Arizona and around the world, opening state-of-the-art new stores and launching exciting new programs, offers and experiences to help make our customers’ lives a little more excellent every day."

The film relies on absurdity — and an innate sweetness on the part of Reeves and Winter — for its success. Somehow Circle K is the perfect fit.

Other Valley locations where the film was shot include Metrocenter Mall — it’s also gone — and Golfland Sunsplash water park.

In the film and its sequels, Bill and Ted are high school friends with a band, Wyld Stallyns. They’re also miserable students, and if they don’t pass an upcoming history exam, Ted’s father will send him to military school, breaking up the band.

That can’t happen, though, because Wyld Stallyns will eventually unite the world in a utopian society. So George Carlin visits by way of a phone booth time machine to take them back to meet historical figures to help them pass.

The Circle K is where he first meets Bill and Ted. And now it’s going away.

Sounds bogus, indeed.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Circle K seen in 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' is closing