Pennsylvanians have been fixated on the expansion of Wawa and Sheetz, still arguing over which is better.

Meanwhile, Rutter’s, which has mostly been ignored, is also rapidly expanding in central Pennsylvania and elsewhere, writes Carol Hardbarger in a column for Lancaster Farming.

The Rutter’s expansion goes from 84 stores in three states to over 130 stores in five states within five years.

That includes movement east toward Philadelphia and west toward Pittsburgh.

Rutter’s long-term plans include an East Coast expansion.

The company is headquartered in Pennsylvania and also has fiercely loyal customers. 

Hardbarger noted that there’s already a Sheetz in her neighborhood and a Rutter’s less a half-mile away. Now Wawa is planning a store directly across from the Sheetz.

“This is most probably the only place in the commonwealth where our three native convenience store chains are located together in such close proximity,” Hardbarger wrote.

The convenience store trifecta close to the geographic center of the state can’t be a coincidence, she suggests.

“I propose that there is some form of cosmic aura or other force emanating from that place that has drawn them here.”

Or it might just be the nearby I-99 exit.

Read more about Rutter’s expansion and the histories of these three family-owned companies in Lancaster Farming.

Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in August 2024.