Baxter's First Kwik Trip: A New 24-Hour Anchor on Novotny Road

Baxter's first Kwik Trip opened its doors on October 30, 2025, at 7181 Novotny Road North, and for locals it was a small milestone: the first Kwik Trip in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The 24-hour store with a car wash sits on the city's growing north side, and it is part of a wider wave of services landing on Novotny Road. For buyers comparing communities, that kind of daily convenience is part of the Baxter story.

Where is the new Kwik Trip?

The store is at 7181 Novotny Road North, on the north side of the city near the Highway 371 corridor. It opened October 30, 2025, with a grand opening celebration on November 11, and it runs 24 hours with a car wash. For anyone who has driven through the Lakes Area late at night or early on a fishing morning, a round-the-clock stop is the kind of thing you notice immediately.

Why does a 24-hour store matter to the area?

**It fills a real gap.** Before this store, the Lakes Area did not have a Kwik Trip at all, and 24-hour options were limited.

**It serves the commute.** Early departures for the lakes, late returns from the Cities, and overnight drives all get easier.

**It is a sign of growth.** A chain like Kwik Trip does not open its first store in a market it expects to shrink.

What else is coming to Novotny Road?

Novotny Road is becoming a small service corridor. A Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic is planned west of the Kwik Trip and was moving toward building permits in spring 2026. Healthcare minutes from home matters for retirees, veterans, and families, and it is another reason the north side of Baxter keeps drawing new residents. See how the Highway 371 corridor is reshaping Baxter for the wider picture.

What it means for buyers

Baxter's appeal has always been convenience: everything minutes away, with modern housing and easy highway access. The Kwik Trip and the planned clinic are more of the same, and they make daily life easier for the empty nesters, families, and lake buyers who choose the city. Start with the Baxter community guide or the buying guide, and schedule a conversation when you want to compare communities. Cheers!