The Pennsylvania gas station wars are heating up.
Gas and convenience store chain Sheetz is planning a major expansion in Western Pennsylvania, with a goal of opening as many as 30 new locations in the region in the next three to five years, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE.
The move comes one month after Sheetz’s cross-state rival Wawa announced expansion plans of its own. The Delaware County-based convenience store chain is slated to open 40 stores in Central Pennsylvania, doubling its existing store count in the region — also in the next three to five years.
Western Pennsylvania is firmly Sheetz territory — the company was founded in Altoona in 1952. Sheetz territory and Wawa territory overlap in the middle of the state, but the rival gas station operator isn’t expected to open anywhere east of the Susquehanna River until 2024.
Meanwhile, the plans for new Sheetz stores will beef up the Altoona chain’s presence in its home turf.
“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 of the future locations have yet to be determined. The convenience store chain has tapped Dallas-based real estate broker CBRE to assist its developer, Pittsburgh’s RBG Development, with site selection.
There are currently 294 Sheetz locations in Pennsylvania and 650 nationwide, including sites in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. In April, the company announced plans to expand further into western Ohio, with 20 new stores.
Wawa has 950 stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
Sheetz did not respond to the Post-Gazette’s request for comment.
Noelle Mateer: nmateer@post-gazette.com
First Published: July 28, 2022, 10:50 p.m.
Updated: July 29, 2022, 9:54 a.m.
