The convenience store wars are heating up in the Philadelphia suburbs as Sheetz debuts its first store in the region.
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The central and western Pennsylvania staple opened a new location Thursday at 454 W. Ridge Pike in Limerick Township — directly across the street from a Wawa.
Sheetz’s plans for a Montgomery County location first surfaced last February when the company sought approvals from the Limerick Township Board of Supervisors for a convenience store-gas station combo.
At the time, its closest store to Philly was at 3830 Main St. in Morgantown, about 15 miles south of Reading.
The property in Limerick Township is owned by Ridge Swamp Associates LP I, which acquired it in 2019, according to Montgomery County property records.
Sheetz’s foray into southeastern Pennsylvania represents new competition for Wawa. While the chain has shrunk its Philadelphia footprint in recent years, it is an inescapable presence in the suburbs.
The real estate Wawa occupies in the region is valuable and trades hands often.
A four-location Wawa portfolio spanning Bucks and Montgomery counties traded for $27.1M via a 1031 exchange in August. MLG Realty then purchased a Wawa-anchored shopping center in Burlington County from Woodlane Associates for $4.3M in November.
Wawa has been rapidly expanding its footprint beyond the region. That includes a new presence in central and north New Jersey and expansions into North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana and the D.C. area.
Sheetz also has a presence in those regions, particularly in states like West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio.
The chain hasn't entered Delaware, where Wawa competes with a similar company called Royal Farms, but it does have a location five minutes across the border in Elkton, Maryland.
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