Sheetz is looking to build a store on Wawa’s turf in Chesco
Sheetz wants to build a new convenience store in Thorndale on the site of a former Rite Aid that closed after the pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Sheetz is encroaching on Wawa’s turf. Again.
Altoona-based Sheetz wants to build a new convenience store in Thorndale on the site of a former Rite Aid that closed after the Philadelphia-based pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy in 2023, according to documents filed with Caln Township.
Sheetz is proposing to raze the former pharmacy at 3807 Lincoln Highway near the intersection with Bondsville Road and build a 6,139-square-foot store with a drive-through and gas station — across the highway from a Wawa. Sheetz anticipates opening the store in September 2026, according to the documents, which The Inquirer obtained through a Right to Know request.
The proposal was first reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal. At this point Sheetz has expressed “preliminary interest” in the project but has yet to submit a formal application, said Township Manager Don Vymazal.
Like any project, he said, this one would have to go through the Planning Commission, show that it meets zoning requirements, and ultimately receive approval from the elected Board of Commissioners.
“We’re looking forward to public feedback on this and any project,” Vymazal said.
Sheetz didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The property is owned by NNN REIT Inc., a publicly traded real estate investment trust based in Orlando, according to Chester County property records. NNN owns thousands of stores across the country.
Sheetz’s proposal comes as the company has also expressed interest in building a store in Limerick Township at an intersection already served by Wawa. Sheetz presented plans to local officials in the Montgomery County township in February.
Sheetz operates 740 stores in six states. In Pennsylvania, it has a stronger presence in the western part of the state, while Delaware County-based Wawa is the bigger player in the Philadelphia region. Sheetz’s closest stores to Philadelphia are near Reading.
For its part, Wawa opened its first central Pennsylvania convenience store in September near Harrisburg International Airport. The privately held company has said it plans to open up to 40 stores in that region in the next several years. Wawa operates about 1,100 locations in 10 states and Washington. The chain didn’t respond to a request for comment.