The Altoona-based convenience store is considering expanding its territory into the Wawa-dominated Philadelphia region.
The Sheetz vs. Wawa debate across the Commonwealth is one that typically favors Wawa in the Philly region and the closest Sheetz location to the Philadelphia region is currently in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.
Sheetz is planning to encroach on Wawa territory by opening a store location in Limerick, Montgomery County.
What’s even more shocking about the latest play from Sheetz is its choice of storefront location. The Altoona-based convenience store is planning to build its newest location right across the street from a mega Wawa store.
Sheetz’s proposal was discussed during a Limerick Township town board of supervisors meeting and will be further considered at another meeting set for March 4th.
A public hearing on the plan focused on the changes that would need to be made to the site, including the additional traffic the new store location could bring to an already busy intersection.
Nick Ruffner, Public Affairs Manager for Sheetz, confirmed the chain’s plans in a recent interview. “Sheetz can confirm it is interested in building a store at the intersection of Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike, but it is too early in the process to provide further details,” Ruffner said.
Sheetz currently has store locations as far as Easton, Pennsylvania. It has expanded into Maryland with a location just a five-minute drive from the Delaware border.
Wawa has expanded as far as North Jersey in recent years and has locations in Delaware. It competes there with another chain, Royal Farms, while Sheetz has yet to enter Delaware territory.
The Philly suburbs have been dominated by Wawa since the inception of the Sheetz vs. Wawa debate in Pennsylvania. But all of that could change if Sheetz follows through with the move into Montgomery County.
