According to Casey’s attorney Doug Beech, the company is in the preliminary stages of trying to determine whether the former Bitler restaurant site is suitable for the convenience store. The Bitler site is at the northwest corner of Third Street and U.S. Highway 24-40.

“We’re just getting started,” Beech said on Monday.

He said if Casey’s were to move from the intersection of U.S. Highway 24-40 and Kansas Highway 16 to the former restaurant site, the company likely would construct a new building on the land.

Casey’s General Stores is based in Iowa and owns convenience stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Indiana.

Recently, the former Bitler property was purchased by Tonganoxie developer Mark Himpel. Attempts to reach Himpel were unsuccessful.

Dan Lynch, a real estate agent who has the property among his listings, said the prospects look good.

“I think it’s pretty much a done deal,” he said.