The family-owned convenience store chain Sheetz could be moving into Wawa territory (Source: Sheetz via Facebook).
The longstanding friendly rivalry between Pennsylvania-based convenience stores Wawa and Sheetz is heating up as both family-owned businesses set sights on each other’s territory.
The Philadelphia area has always been considered Wawa territory, but Limerick Township in Montgomery County might soon also be home to a Sheetz convenience store.
Sheetz is proposing to build a new store and gas station right across the street from a Super Wawa on West Ridge Pike in Limerick. Right now, the closest Sheetz store is in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.
Nick Ruffner, Public Affairs Manager for Sheetz, has confirmed with several media outlets that Sheetz is interested in opening a location in Limerick, but that it is too soon in the process to give more details.
Wawa has also been making inroads in Central Pennsylvania, traditionally Sheetz territory. Back in September, Wawa opened a new store at 1601 West Harrisburg Pike in Middletown.
Philly Daily took an informal poll of Philly suburb residents on whether they were Team Wawa or Team Sheetz, and most respondents said the two chains are very similar, while others said they were open to having more variety of choices.
Both Wawa and Sheetz have a loyal following of customers so only time will tell how the two chains will fare if their stores are right across the street from each other.
In a recent convenience store study by the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, Wawa was ranked “Americans’ favorite spot to refill their gas tanks and their stomachs.”
Wawa took the No. 1 spot and Sheetz the No. 6 spot in a survey that ranked chains on convenience of store hours and locations, coffee freshness, food quality, wait times, and checkout speed.
Sheetz’s proposal is being discussed by the Limerick Township’s Board of Supervisors. As of publication time, Wawa had yet to respond to a request for comment.
