The Vision Behind Rutter’s Largest Store Ever

YORK SPRINGS, Pa. — At 9,100 square feet, with enhanced brand design elements and dedicated facilities for professional drivers, Rutter’s Farm Stores’ 61st location in York Springs truly lives up to its billing as “a monument to convenience.”

As a brand with a rich history, innovation has always been a part of Rutter’s DNA, Derek Gaskins, the York, Pa.-based convenience store chain’s chief customer officer, told Convenience Store News. Through the years, Rutter’s has adapted its retail model to better cater to the needs of its shoppers, and its new York Springs site is no exception.

The “monument to convenience” label plays off the store’s location just 10 miles north of famed historic site Gettysburg, Pa., as well as the store’s sheer size.

“By this, we acknowledge the history surrounding Gettysburg, but we truly mean that customers will be able to get what they need and continue on their way in a store built to high standards,” Gaskins explained. “Speed of service is key. However, we also understand that after a long day of traveling and sight-seeing, there is a need to rest, stretch, refuel and recharge.”

The 11.5-acre site is the first store within 5 miles of the region, bringing the Rutter’s value proposition to the surrounding communities that have longed for the brand’s products and services, according to the executive.

At this site, the retailer aims to fulfill the needs of not only the surrounding community and tourists, but also professional drivers traveling through the area.

Among the store’s amenities are:

• Touchscreen kiosks for food ordering and customization of Rutter’s award-winning menu;
• A 36-person seating area;
• Free Wi-Fi;
• Gourmet coffee bar;
• 14 fueling lanes for gas and auto diesel;
• 7 high-speed truck diesel fueling spaces;
• 23 truck parking spaces;
• Approximately 2,000 square feet dedicated to professional driving accessories;
• Rutter’s private-label dairy products for purchase; and
• Large, state-of-the-art restrooms.

“Whether it’s on-the-go consumers looking for high-quality restaurant alternative meals, tour buses looking for a rest stop on their way to regional destinations, or any commuter that desires clean restrooms, convenient products and services, we feel [our York Springs] site delivers against those objectives and answers the question [and the Rutter’s tagline]: ‘Why Go Anywhere Else?’” said Gaskins.

Drawing inspiration from Las Vegas where brands transform their look to appeal to diverse consumers and have a completely different feel by day vs. night, Rutter’s latest store boasts an exterior that’s been sharpened for a dynamic and vital look.

“The redesign of the fuel high-rise, monument sign and gas canopy will become signature elements of our exterior branding,” Gaskins reported. “We used LED lighting technology to give a differentiated experience by day and by night. The final result is a look that appeals to the different consumer segments that shop our stores at various times. … We feel our look is unique and will quickly become a signature component of our brand.”

Gaskins told CSNews the company doesn’t have another site of this magnitude planned. However, its next store is set to open in Leola, Pa., this month and will measure more than 7,000 square feet.

Many of the changes debuted at the York Springs store will manifest themselves into Rutter’s stores slated for development over the next few years. “We will also take elements of the store exterior décor and branding and add them to existing sites as we remodel them,” he said.  

Look in the January issue of Convenience Store News for more information and photos of Rutter’s newest and largest store. 

Click on galleries below to view the store.