General Merchandise/HBC

Kwik Trip selling branded merchandise on racks in 33 locations

Convenience-store chain hopes to expand pilot program
More than 30 Kwik Trip locations are selling branded merchandise on racks.
More than 30 Kwik Trip locations are selling branded merchandise on racks. | Kwik Trip

Merchandise at some Kwik Trip locations is sitting pretty on its own racks at more than 30 locations.

“With the continued success of our online Kwik Trip merch store, we’re excited to announce that as of June 20, guests can now find official Kwik Trip merch in 33 retail locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin,” Hayden Knoll, Kwik Trip influencer and merch specialist, told CSP.

To start, the locations carrying La Crosse, Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip branded apparel and accessories primarily are travel centers and a few college campus stores, Knoll said.

“Our merch has become a meaningful way to share the Kwik Trip brand with our guests,” she said. “Whether it’s a hat, a lanyard or one of the beloved Kwik Trip stuffed cows, these items serve as both souvenirs and a great way to connect with the communities we serve.”

There are 25 locations in Wisconsin and eight locations in Minnesota with the sales racks. According to the chain’s website, apparel includes T-shirts, hoodies and hats. Accessories include fishing lures, lanyards and “on-the-go essentials that pair perfectly with your morning coffee.”

Kroll said Kwik Trip values customer feedback on its merchandise rack items. “Hearing stories and seeing photos is one of our favorite ways to see how our merchandise lives beyond a purchase,” she said. “We look forward to growing our offerings with designs that continue to reflect the fun and community spirit that makes Kwik Trip a Midwest favorite.”

Kwik Trip is in the testing phase of this program, so whether it becomes permanent depends on sales performance on a store-by-store basis, Paige Geary, digital marketing manager, told CSP.

“The hope is that we can continue to expand this program, but this will depend on how the testing phase goes with our current stores,” she said.

The seasonal selection on Kwik Trip’s website is where the company will prioritize new and limited-edition items, she said. “However, we are in the works of getting a fun item out to the store racks this winter,” Geary said. “More to come on this.”

Kwik Trip, which is planning its first North Dakota locations in late 2025, has nearly 900 locations and is one of the biggest independently held c-store chains in the country. It has locations in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin under the Kwik Trip banner and stores in Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota under the Kwik Star name. Kwik Trip produces more than 80% of the products sold in its stores, supplied by its own bakery, commissary, dairy and distribution center.

Kwik Trip locations selling branded merchandise.

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