Dive Brief:
- QuikTrip is looking to expand into Michigan, according to planning documents filed across multiple jurisdictions in the state.
- QuikTrip has plans in the works for c-stores in Kalamazoo, Dexter and Howell. The Kalamazoo site was approved for a special use permit by the city’s planning commission on April 8, while decision makers in Dexter are set to meet later this month regarding next steps on site approvals.
- Michigan would mark QuikTrip’s 23rd state of operation as the Oklahoma-based retailer continues to expand across several regions of the U.S.
Dive Insight:
QuikTrip first revealed its expansion into Michigan in May 2024 when it proposed a location in Howell, a community about 55 miles northwest of Detroit. The last update regarding this location came last August when QuikTrip sought a rezoning and unit development approval with the city.
That location, according to planning documents from last summer, is expected to feature a 8,300-square-foot c-store with a full-service made-to-order kitchen, 16 fueling positions and 37 parking spaces. A spokesperson from the city of Howell did not respond by press time when asked to share a progress update for this location.
QuikTrip is proposing its first c-store in the state be located on the east side of Kalamazoo, about 50 miles south of Grand Rapids. The site is set to include 16 fueling positions in the forecourt and a full-service kitchen inside the 5,300-square-foot c-store, according to the documents. Like the proposed site in Howell, the Dexter store would include an 8,300-square-foot c-store with a full kitchen and 16 fueling positions in the forecourt, according to planning documents.
QuikTrip would immediately face steep competition in Michigan, which already has a sizable presence from the country’s top players. 7-Eleven has about 500 stores across the state, according to data mapping tool Scrapehero, including over a dozen in Kalamazoo and a few in Howell, according to its website. Meanwhile, Circle K has 48 stores in the state, including two in Kalamazoo, according to its website.
Michigan has also quietly become a hotspot for regional expansion. Pennsylvania-based Sheetz is in the midst of a major growth spurt in the state, where it intends to quadruple its footprint this year as part of a $500 million investment. Additionally, Casey’s General Stores acquired a handful of c-stores in Michigan in 2025 as the retailer has slowly grown its footprint in the state.
A spokesperson from QuikTrip did not respond by press time when asked to comment on the company's potential expansion into Michigan.
QuikTrip’s nationwide expansion in recent years has included opening its first convenience stores in Ohio, Nevada, Kentucky and Florida. The retailer is also set to open its first location in Utah later this year.
