Sheetz

Sheetz, Inc. is an American chain of convenience stores and coffee shops owned by the Sheetz family. The stores sell a mix of custom food, beverages and convenience store items. Nearly all of them sell gasoline. Its headquarters are in Altoona, Pennsylvania.[2] Stores are located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Sheetz, Inc.
Private
IndustryConvenience stores
Fast food restaurant
Gas stations
Founded1952
FounderBob Sheetz
Headquarters
Altoona, Pennsylvania
,
United States
Number of locations
600 (2019)
Areas served
Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, Upper South, Ohio
Key people
Joseph S. Sheetz, President & CEO
Stanton R. Sheetz, Chairman
Steve Sheetz, Family Council Chairman
ProductsMade-to-order foods, prepared foods, coffee, motor vehicle fuel
Revenue US$7.5 billion (FY 2019)[1]
Number of employees
21,000 (FY 2019)[1]
WebsiteSheetz.com
Interior of a Super Sheetz in Altoona.
Sheetz fuel canopy in Breezewood, Pennsylvania
A Sheetz location in Kent, Ohio.
Map of Sheetz locations as of July 2020
(non-fuel locations in red)

A few locations are full-scale truck stops, including showers and a laundromat.

History

1950s–1980s

Sheetz, Inc was founded by G. Robert "Bob" Sheetz in 1952 when he purchased one of his father's five dairy stores located in Altoona. In 1961, Bob hired his brother Steve to work part-time.

In 1963 the second store was opened under the name "Sheetz Kwik Shopper." A third store followed in 1968. In 1969, Steve became general manager. The brothers planned to expand at the rate of one store per year with a target of seven stores by 1972. In 1972, the company expanded from seven to fourteen stores. One year later, Sheetz began selling gasoline, and opened the first self-serve gas pumps in central Pennsylvania.

By 1983, Bob and Steve had opened 100 stores. In 1981 Bob retired and Steve became president.

1990s

In 1995, Stanton R. "Stan" Sheetz, Bob's son, became president and Steve assumed the position of Chairman of the Board.[3] To this day, Sheetz maintains a family business with four family members serving on the Executive Committee.

During the mid-1990s, Sheetz sold It! Cola, the chain's private-label brand of soft drinks available in cans, bottles, and as fountain drinks. The drink was discontinued and the fountains were replaced with Pepsi products. The chain now has both Pepsi and Coca-Cola products in the fountains.

2000s

In September 2001, Sheetz opened a distribution center in Claysburg, Pennsylvania.[4]

In December 2004 they began offering the new Sheetz MasterCard PayPass with RFID technology, and was one of the first retailers to accept such technology, ahead of McDonald's, Arby's, CVS, and rival 7-Eleven, all of which introduced it nationally in 2006.

On July 10, 2006 Sheetz became Pennsylvania's second retail chain to offer E85 ethanol-based fuel alternative at select stations.[5][6]

In 2008, Sheetz opened its first commissary, Sheetz Bros. Kitchen, to produce fresh sandwiches and bakery products that are sold at Sheetz locations.

2010s

Sheetz now has more than 500 locations across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina, and more than 17,000 employees. All Sheetz stores are company-owned-and-operated. The company has no plans to sell franchises.[7] Sheetz is the dominant convenience store chain in much of Pennsylvania, holding a virtual monopoly in Altoona and a commanding share in Pittsburgh (where it competes with 7-Eleven, Speedway, GetGo, and to a much lesser extent Circle K) and Harrisburg (where it primarily competes with Rutter's, as well as 7-Eleven and Speedway), but is noticeably absent from the Delaware Valley (including Philadelphia) due to the presence of Wawa, leading to a fierce "rivalry" between the two chains among Pennsylvanians, though the two companies themselves have a friendly relationship.[8][9]

In October 2013, Stan Sheetz became Chairman of the Board of Sheetz, with his cousin Joseph S. "Joe" Sheetz becoming president and CEO.[10]

Published in November 2013, Kenneth Womack's Made to Order: The Sheetz Story traces the company's history from its dairy-store origins through the present day.

In 2014, Sheetz opened its second distribution center and kitchen facility in Burlington, North Carolina.[11]

Sales for fiscal year 2018-2019 totaled $7.5 billion. [12]

On November 29, 2019, Sheetz announced an expansion into Columbus, Ohio starting in 2021.[13][14] Currently, the major competitors in that area include Speedway, Circle K, GetGo, United Dairy Farmers, and the locally based Duchess Shoppe.

On December 20, 2019, Sheetz celebrated the opening of its 600th store, in Shaler Township, PA.[15]

Food service

In 1986, to boost lagging sales, Earl Springer, the manager of a Sheetz in Williamsport, MD, pursued a food concept that would become Sheetz's signature Made To Order (MTO) line.[16] Beginning with only submarine sandwiches, customers would fill out a small slip of paper, designating the ingredients they wanted on their sandwich, and in what quantity.[17][18] The order slip would be placed in a basket, and the kitchen staff would prepare the sub to the customer's order. Since that time, the menu expanded, and by the 1990's MTO was a sales leader for Sheetz.[19] Beginning in 1996, the paper ordering system was phased out in favor of a picture-based computer touch-screen ordering system[16], although this, now, limited a customer's ability to customize the quantity of their chosen sandwich toppings.

By 1999, Sheetz was selling 10,000 MTO units a day. Sheetz now trains employees to function as baristas for their newest brand of "Sheetz Bros. Coffeez", which are designed to be higher-grade coffee than typically found in convenience stores. With the introduction of the "Convenience Restaurant" concept, they have expanded their menu. Customers can purchase an extremely wide variety of food items. The Espresso Bar, offering specialty coffees, is found at all locations. During 2008–2009, Sheetz rolled out "MTGo!", a grab and go assortment of sandwiches, wraps and other small items for the hurried customer. Along with "MTGo!", Sheetz unveiled "Shweetz Bakery" items including donuts, fritters and muffins made and delivered daily from the "Sheetz Bros. Kitchen" in Claysburg, Pennsylvania.

Sheetz regularly offers customers free coffee on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.[20]

Food-only stores

In 2003, Sheetz opened a concept store in the food court of Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This location offered Sheetz' made-to-order foods and fountain beverages in a more traditional fast food layout. It did not function as a convenience store.[21] The store has since closed.

In 2012, Sheetz, again, began contemplating "new concept", "fuel-free" locations.[22] In 2014, a plan was announced to open such a location on the campus of West Virginia University, in Morgantown, WV.[23] The intent was to call it "Sheetz MTO Market", however, when opened, in February 2015[24], the store was named "Sheetz Café" (although outdoor signage is the same as all other stores).

In September 2015, another no-fuel café opened in State College, PA, near the campus of Penn State University.[25][26] In Indiana, PA, on the border of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus, a Sheetz that previously carried gasoline was torn down, and replaced with a no-fuel café that opened in August 2016.[27][28][29][30] A fourth such location opened in September 2017, in Charlottesville, VA, directly across the street from the campus of the University of Virginia.[31][32][33]

In September 2019, Sheetz announced they would not renew their lease with WVU for that Morgantown location.[34][35][36] The company offered no explanation for the closure.

Alcohol sales in Pennsylvania

Until June 8, 2016 Pennsylvania state law proscribed alcohol sales in convenience stores. Beer had to be sold at a beer distributor while liquor had to be sold at state-operated stores titled "Wines & Spirits". In 2007, Sheetz tried to find a loophole around this by classifying part of one of their prototype stores in Altoona as a restaurant, which would permit alcohol sales.[37] The Malt Beverage Distributors Association of Pennsylvania protested and Sheetz was temporarily barred from selling beer.[38] On appeal, Sheetz was awarded the license to sell beer and continues to do so today. On June 15, 2009, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court gave Sheetz permission to sell beer for takeout under the condition that it is also available to drink on site.[39] Sheetz successfully led the effort to change alcohol sales laws in Pennsylvania to allow sales in convenience and grocery stores, which became law when Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 39 into law on June 8, 2016.[40]

Fuel
A Sheetz tanker truck ready to refill the fuel tanks

Most Sheetz stores sell gasoline, featuring three grades of gasoline (octanes 87, 89, and 92/93). Most offer kerosene, and many offer diesel. Many Sheetz locations have begun to offer E85. Some stores have also started to offer E15.

Awards
  • Silver Plate Award from the International Food Manufacturers Association(2001).[41]
  • America's Largest Private Companies from Forbes (multiple years).[42]
  • Best Places to Work from Best Companies Group® for Virginia and Pennsylvania (2012 - 2015)
  • Best Employers from Best Companies Group® for North Carolina and Ohio (2013 - 2015)
  • 100 Best Companies to Work For® from Fortune® (2014, 2016, 2017)[43]
  • Alternative Fuels leader of the Year Award from Convenience Store news, for installing flex fuels in North Carolina stores (2015)
  • Fan-Based Growth Award for adding 102,000 Sheetz Freakz on Facebook and Twitter; Twitter Tweeter Award for most tweets of any convenience store; Award for Encouraging Fan Engagement Creatively and Consistently; all from Convenience Store Decisions (2016)
  • President's Trophy Award from the American Trucking Association, for our vehicle safety program, small carrier category (2013)
  • 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials from Fortune® (2016)
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References
  1. "100 Best Companies to Work For (#80 Sheetz)". Fortune (magazine). 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. "Contact Us." Sheetz. Retrieved on October 26, 2012. "5700 Sixth Avenue Altoona, PA 16602"
  3. "For The Record: People on the Move". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 25 October 1995. ProQuest 391750681.
  4. Nephin, Dan (17 February 2004). "Surging Sheetz Uses Food Service, Technology to Climb Billion-Seller Ranks". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ProQuest 390973548.
  5. "GM, Sheetz team up on ethanol - Pittsburgh Business Times". Pittsburgh.bizjournals.com. 2006-07-10. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  6. Archived September 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Sheetz® Frequently Asked Questions". Sheetz.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  8. O'Connell, Jon (17 August 2019). "There's a heated Sheetz/Wawa rivalry everywhere but here". The Citizens' Voice. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  9. Salamone, Anthony (1 August 2019). "A Wawa or Sheetz on every corner? Here's what's driving the Lehigh Valley's convenience store boom". The Morning Call. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  10. Longo, Dan (2 October 2013). "Stan Sheetz Shares Thoughts on Passing the Torch". Convenience Store News. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  11. "Sheetz unveils Triad distribution center". Triad Business Journal. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  12. "Sheetz provides state of stores". Altoona Mirror. 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  13. Eaton, Dan (28 May 2020). "Sheetz pursuing northwest Columbus location". Columbus Business First. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  14. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162515251000501&id=21120170500
  15. "Sheetz Celebrates 600th Store Opening". Convenience Store News. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  16. Phelps, Stan (19 August 2016). "Sheetz Redefined The Convenience Store Customer Experience With MTO". Forbes. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  17. "Sheetz's Facebook timeline". Facebook. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  18. "Sheetz Inc. Owes Success to Enterprising Teen". Snacking News. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  19. Beaumont, Shea (14 August 2016). "30 years ago, Sheetz M-T-O sandwich creator predicted its success". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  20. "Pennsylvania-based C-stores Make News". Convenience Store News. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  21. "Sheetz eyes new concept store in Hanes Mall". The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area. October 7, 2003. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  22. "Sheetz Contemplates Opening First Fuel-Free Location". Convenience Store News. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  23. Smith, Jennifer (6 March 2014). "Sheetz to open unique fuel-free market at WVU". WV Metro News. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  24. Sheetz Press Release (25 February 2015). "Sheetz celebrates new store in Morgantown". PR Newswire. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  25. Fowler, Matthew (29 September 2015). "Sheetz holds grand opening Monday". Daily Collegian. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  26. "Sheetz Closure to Make Way for New Concept". CSP Daily News. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  27. Beaumont, Shea (14 August 2016). "Sheetz focuses on colleges with its cafes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  28. "Sheetz Café at IUP". Leonard S. Fiore, General Contractor.
  29. Cloud, Kristen (30 August 2016). "Sheetz Debuting Four New Stores This Week". The Shelby Report. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  30. "Sheetz Opens 6 New Stores in 4 States". CSP Daily News. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  31. "Sheetz Expands Café Concept to University of Virginia". Convenience Store News. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  32. Lindenberg, Greg (28 September 2017). "Inside the New Charlottesville Sheetz Cafe". CSP Daily News. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  33. Jones, Evan (27 September 2017). "A Sheetz without gas pumps? They test attracting millennials with college-area cafes". WLNI. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  34. "Sheetz to leave University Place". The Daily Athenaeum. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  35. De La Cruz, Penny (29 September 2019). "Sheetz's closure causes concern among students". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  36. McClanahan, Cole (19 November 2019). "WVU students hold memorial service for Sheetz". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  37. "Sheetz, Inc. Announces Alcohol Sales in Pennsylvania". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  38. "Court Rules Against Beer In Convenience Store". kdka.com. 2007-02-23. Archived from the original on March 18, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  39. "Court OKs beer to-go but Sheetz must also sell on-site - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. 2009-06-16. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  40. "Act 39 of 2016". www.lcb.pa.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-15.
  41. Spector, Amy (2001). "IFMA awards Gold & Silver Plate winners, honors operator Hurst | Nation's Restaurant News | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  42. "#52 Sheetz - Forbes.com". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  43. "Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For 2017". Fortune. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
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