More than 600 people attended a grand opening ceremony in Templeton on Wednesday to celebrate the official start of business for the first operational Waspy’s Truck Stop with food, drinks and special guest speakers. The truck stop owners, the Handlos family from Audubon, welcomed everyone to celebrate the occasion. Originally thought to create around 30 new jobs, the Templeton location now employs 53 individuals. Lawrence Handlos says their staff is adjusting to their new roles quickly.
The new location offers customers overnight parking for semi-trucks and RVs, fueling locations, a convenience store, a sitting area and even a humidor. Residents would have to travel for at least 10 miles to purchase items like these before the location opened. Longtime Templeton resident and Templeton Savings Bank President, Tom Horbach, says the town is excited to have Waspy’s.
The interior of the truck stop has field-stone pillars and wooden flooring to create a dazzling interior. Brian Handlos says leaving a lasting impression on their customers led to these design choices.
Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller; Templeton Mayor, Ken Behrens; and members of the Templeton Area Development Corporation all made appearances at the event. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Rep. Steve King were invited to the event but scheduling conflicts prevented their attendance. Photos from the grand opening can be found included below this story. The Templeton Waspy’s is now open 24/7 and is located at 703 Rye Avenue.
