Longtime Audubon-area farmer Lawrence “Waspy” Handlos recognized an opportunity to serve the nearly 5,000 vehicles traveling daily along Highway 141. With a vision for growth and a deep commitment to the community, he and his wife, Doris, opened Waspy’s Truck Stop in Templeton, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. The project was developed by the Handlos family, making Waspy’s a true family endeavor from the very beginning.
While the Templeton location was the first to open, the Audubon location was originally first on the family’s to-do list. Development of the Audubon site was briefly delayed due to FAA review, as the property is located across the highway from the Audubon airport. Despite the delay, the family quickly caught up, and both locations were completed within two years of one another followed by the development of Waspy’s Tire Center, Waspy’s Truck Wash, and Two Palms Grilling & Catering.
The Templeton truck stop sits on just over six acres at the corner of County Road N-18 and 305th Street, about half a mile north of Highway 141. Though smaller than the Audubon location, it marked the beginning of the Waspy’s brand and quickly became a trusted stop for travelers and locals in Templeton and Carroll County.
The Audubon complex, located just south of town on Highway 71 between I-80 and Highway 30, spans more than 16 acres. Today, it is home to The Feed Mill Restaurant and Blue Grass Inn & Suites, continuing the Handlos family’s commitment to hospitality and service.
You may wonder how Lawrence earned the nickname “Waspy.” The name was given to him as a child by his father, John, a German immigrant who settled in the Carroll, Iowa area. Inspired by the German name Sebastian, the nickname “Waspy” stuck—and years later, it became the distinctive and memorable name behind a well-known truck stop brand.
While ownership of the truck stop has since transitioned, the story of Waspy’s remains rooted in the vision, hard work, and family values of Lawrence “Waspy” Handlos and the Handlos family.
