Willmar Burger King now owned by man who grew up in community

Levi Jones, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Nov. 27—WILLMAR

— A man who grew up in Willmar has acquired three Burger King restaurants, including Willmar's Burger King on First Street South.

Mike Knoop, the owner and operator of Crown King Properties LLC, previously worked at a Willmar location in 1992 as an assistant manager, according to a news release announcing his acquisition of BK restaurants in Willmar and Hutchinson, as well as Hillsboro, North Dakota.

Knoop has operated five restaurants in his time as a franchise owner beginning in 2000. The newly acquired Burger Kings will be remodeled with upgrades to order kiosks and menu boards. Some of Knoop's locations will undergo larger renovations.

"As someone from the central Minnesota area, acquiring these three restaurants in close proximity to where I grew up is a coming home of sorts," Knoop said in the release. "My team and I are excited to take over these restaurants and make Burger King the beloved brand we know it can be in these local communities, serving guests our iconic menu items that they've come to know and love, and that I've loved since my childhood."

His father, David Knoop, was an original owner in Hutchinson.

According to the release, the newly purchased Burger Kings will keep existing staff while also hiring new people to add onto their teams.

Willmar's two BK restaurants were previously owned by Meridian Restaurants, founded in 2002 and based in South Ogden, Utah. Meridian declared bankruptcy in March.

In April, Meridian closed one BK restaurant at the east Willmar location. At the same time, the company closed other BK restaurants in Montevideo, Redwood Falls, north Moorhead, Alexandria, Long Prairie, East Grand Forks, all in Minnesota, and in Grand Forks, North Dakota, according to West Central Tribune archives. In recent months, Meridian also closed its remaining BK restaurants in Alexandria and Fergus Falls and three Burger Kings in Fargo, North Dakota.

This story includes content from the

Alexandria Echo Press

and the

Forum of Fargo/Moorhead

.