Sheetz has shared plans for a major expansion across western Pennsylvania, with hopes to open as many as 30 new sites in the next three to five years, reported CBS News Pittsburgh.
This announcement comes just after Wawa — another competing chain in the Pennsylvania market — stated that it plans to double its existing store count by adding 40 stores in central Pennsylvania in that same time frame.
Sheetz, after being founded in Altoona, Pa., has cemented itself as the go-to c-store for many western Pennsylvanians, but in the middle of the state, Sheetz and Wawa territory overlap. However, Wawa is not expected to open any new locations anywhere east of the Susquehanna River until 2024, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Even though Sheetz has a long history in western Pennsylvania, there are many areas that could benefit from the 24/7 convenience that our company provides,” said Brian Dinges, director of real estate for Sheetz, in a statement.
The sites for the future Sheetz locations have not been determined yet, but the chain has hired Dallas-based real estate broker CBRE to assist its developer, Pittsburgh’s RBG Development, with site selection.
Currently, Sheetz has 294 locations in Pennsylvania and 650 nationwide, including stores in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. The company also has plans to expand further into western Ohio, with 20 new locations.
