Rutter's to Open First Stores Outside Pennsylvania

YORK, Pa. — This past weekend, Rutter's Farm Stores cut the ribbon on its 67th convenience store, all within its home state of Pennsylvania. However, that may not be the case for much longer.

During a visit with Gov. Tom Wolf on May 10, Rutter's President and CEO Scott Hartman said the convenience store operator has plans to open locations in Maryland and West Virginia sometime in 2017, according to the Central Penn Business Journal.

His comments came as Wolf met with York-based Rutter's at the retailer's headquarters as part of his "Jobs That Pay" tour. 

"Rutter's is an industry leader, and a great local success story for Pennsylvania business," Wolf said. "The company's ability to adapt to ever-changing consumer preferences — like the convenience of having beer and wine for sale at the same place you purchase food and gas — will allow them to continue growing their business, and in turn, create jobs that pay."

During his visit the governor participated in a roundtable discussion with employees focused on how consumer-based initiatives like wine and beer modernization have helped the company grow and create jobs, according to Wolf's office. 

Since Wolf signed Act 39 of 2016, the c-store operator has expanded to beer sales in eight stores, and wine sales in at least three stores, including the York location.

"We are proud to host Gov. Wolf in our offices. With roots in Pennsylvania that date back to 1747, we have a rich history of evolving our business and meeting our customers' needs to remain relevant," Hartman said. 

"It is wonderful to see the governor connect with us on that vision and share those similar values. His work on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania has been meaningful to our growth efforts, and we are grateful he was willing to come meet with our team members and engage in a productive dialogue," he added.