More Pa. C-stores Add Beer to Beverage Mix
ALTOONA, LANCASTER and YORK, Pa. — More Pennsylvania convenience stores are taking advantage of the change in state law that allows them to sell alcohol by adding beer sales and beer caves. Sheetz, Rutter's and Turkey Hill are among the latest c-store chains to announce such additions.
Sheetz recently opened fully-stocked beer caves in stores located at 160 Leader Heights Road in York and 1100 Blair St. in Hollidaysburg. The c-store chain now has 11 stores in Pennsylvania that offer beer sales. Additionally, the Hollidaysburg store also offers wine sales, for a total of eight Pennsylvania Sheetz stores where wine is available.
Employees will enforce a 100-percent proof-of-age policy at each location that offers alcoholic beverages, the company said.
Sheetz sells beer in the five other states located in the company's footprint. The Altoona-based chain operates 546 c-stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina.
Rutter's Farm Stores also added a beer cave to its Richland Ave. c-store in York following a remodel that incorporated the cave and seating for 30 customers. It is the second Rutter's location and the second c-store in York County to sell beer, and the seventh Rutter's store to sell beer overall. The chain has five more licensed stores under development.
The beer caves stock a broad selection of domestic, imported and craft beers and ciders. Singles and six-packs are available along the front cooler doors. Temperature inside Rutter's beer caves are set at 29 degrees, the "optimal beer temperature," according to the company. Customers can purchase items from the beer cave Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., in compliance with Pennsylvania law.
"Our customers' needs continue to be our top priority at Rutter's. Our customers have requested an expansion of the store for years, and we are excited to serve them with our newly remodeled location," said Derek Daskins, chief customer officer for Rutter's. "We are aiming to deliver the utmost convenience they deserve in a responsible way."
York-based Rutter's is a family-owned convenience store chain operating more than 60 locations throughout central Pennsylvania.
Turkey Hill also plans to begin selling beer at a Manheim Township c-store by late summer, following the township commissioners' unanimous approval of its request to transfer a liquor license to a c-store there, reported Lancaster Online. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) must also approve the request.
The store is located at 1501 Manheim Pike and would undergo a $350,000 remodel to add seating for 30 people, a walk-in cooler and a separate area for beer sales.
Turkey Hill plans to make a "variety of domestic and craft beer" available at the store. The company does not currently sell beer at any of its c-stores, but it has five liquor license requests pending before the PLCB.
Based in Lancaster, Turkey Hill has more than 200 stores in Pennsylvania, Indiana and the Columbus, Ohio, area.