Western Kansas Wildlife Center offers a unique draw to truck stop

The Western Kansas Wildlife Center helps the Mitten Inc., truck stop in Oakley, Kan., retain its identity and independence as a TA franchise.

The Oakley TA is at the junction of I-70 and old U.S. 40. Oakley is in northwest Kansas.

Of course, this is a truck stop with a long history before becoming at TA franchise or adding the Western Kansas Wildlife Center. The Mitten Inc. truck stop was founded by Jim Mitten and his wife, Estelene. They had bought a trucking operation in 1966, and a year later bought a Skelly Oil service station, becoming a truck stop operated by a trucker.

The truck stop remains a family-run operation. Matt Mildenberger, president and CEO of the business, is a grandson of the founders. Next year is the 55th anniversary for the third-generation family business.

There is parking for 150 tractor-trailers there and six truck service bays. The parking area is concrete paved and well-lit.

“We know truckers appreciate nice, even parking areas. We have spent a lot of money and are very proud of our parking lot,” says Darren Goetz, executive vice president at Mitten Inc.

In addition to the 150 marked parking spots for tractor-trailers, there is free parking on an adjacent property where Mitten Inc. bought and demolished a building.

“We are a very big fan of independent operators,” Goetz said.

In fact, the Mitten TA has some former owner-operators on staff.

The business has grown to include a Blue Beacon truck wash and a roadside service squad. An urgent care medical facility is a fairly new addition. It is a partnership with an area hospital with three rooms to dispense medical services and conduct U.S. DOT physicals.

There also is an IHOP restaurant, a full-service deli, Hunt Bros. Pizza, a Sonic, a hotel across from the travel center, and an office building. Mitten Inc. also has a bulk fuel department that serves a three-state region. It has been a TA franchise for 18 years or so.

In addition, there’s the Western Kansas Wildlife Center. The sign went up about the time the truck stop became a TA franchise.

Large wildlife display

“It’s something a little different from your traditional truck stop,” Goetz admitted.

The center features about 50 or so taxidermy hunting trophies. The animals were bagged by staff members and some customers. The operation’s president himself contributed several.

The exhibits include dozens of animals, including Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, bear, geese and pheasants.

Here are some photos that Marty Ellis, who drives the OOIDA tour trailer, snapped at a stop there in September.

With many truck drivers being sportsmen, the Western Kansas Wildlife Center interests them.

“There is no lack of hunting and fishing stories here, I can tell you that,” he said.

But the truck drivers weren’t the primary reason to create the Western Kansas Wildlife Center. The primary reason was to attract tourists in the area to pull off at this exit.

Oakley is in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and it is a prime hunting area that draws tourists. The town also is home to the Buffalo Bill Cultural and Visitor Center, which commemorates Buffalo Bill earning his nickname in a shooting contest with another meat supplier for crews laying track in the 1860s for the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Another Oakley tourist draw is the Fick Fossil and History Museum.

Creating the Western Kansas Wildlife Center built on that business potential.

“One of our goals has always been to keep it a family business and to draw more traffic to this exit and to Oakley,” Goetz said.

The wildlife exhibit has helped achieve those goals, he said.

“Truckers know what TA is, but most four-wheel traffic does not, so branding Shell and marketing the Western Kansas Wildlife Travel Center has helped draw more four-wheel traffic in,” Goetz said.

Retaining its identity

The tourist business helps Mitten Inc. retain its local independence and maintain its own identity, Goetz said.

Mittens Inc. benefits from being a TA franchise in many ways, including better prices, better buying power and merchandising opportunities, he said

“We appreciate what they (TravelCenters of America) do for us. … Our main goal is to accommodate both sides,” Goetz said.

He said TravelCenters of America’s CEO, Jon Pertchik, has been franchise-oriented and willing to listen to franchisees.

“They know some of their best stores are franchise stores,” he said.

The wildlife exhibit allows the Mitten TA “play in both fields,” drawing tourism revenue and also serving the professional commercial driver.

“The Western Kansas Wildlife Center signage was a way for us to differentiate ourselves from TA and maintain our independence,” Goetz said. LL