What Is Sheetz?

Is a convenience store still technically “convenient” if its many locations are entirely centralized within only six states? Well, if Sheetz is any indication, the answer is yes. These helpful little fill-up stations around Pennsylvania and its surrounding states have been fueling folks (and their cars) for more than 70 years. Today, we’ll tell you all about Sheetz and its history…and it’s a good thing we are, as we assume a lot of you have never even heard of the place. Let’s begin! 

What is Sheetz?

Sheetz, Inc. is an American chain of convenience stores and coffee shops owned by the Sheetz family. The stores sell custom food, beverages, Sheetz-branded items, and standard convenience store items, not to mention gasoline. All locations have offered 24/7 service since the 1980s, which is good, because you never know when you’re going to need a plate of Boom Boom Sauce-smothered fries on Christmas morning! 

Who owns Sheetz?

Robert “Bob” Sheetz opened the first Sheetz convenience store in 1952. Today, Travis Sheetz (Bob’s nephew) is the CEO. It has been a family business the entire time it has been up and running. Sounds like the behind-the-scenes inner workings would make a pretty compelling prestige television show once the strike is over. I call dibs on the idea. 

Where did Sheetz originate?

Sheetz opened up its first location in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1952. It didn’t expand past Altoona until 1963 when a second location was finally opened (it was called Sheetz Kwik Shopper). From there, the Sheetz family tried to open at a rate of one new Pennsylvania location per year. Sheetz finally made it outside state lines when the company unveiled a location in Maryland in 1976. Since then, they’ve been popping up all over and we’ve got a feeling they’ll hit that seventh state really soon! We believe in you, Sheetz! 

How many Sheetz locations are there? What states have Sheetz?

Unless one has opened up as I’m typing this (which is unlikely, since I type QUICK!), there are currently 676 Sheetz locations in the United States, which is an awful lot considering that they’ve only made their way into six states. Sheetz stores can be found in the following states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

What is Sheetz Boom Boom Sauce?

Sheetz’s patented “Boom Boom Sauce” is a staple of the chain. It is a type of fry sauce that Sheetz serves with some of their menu items. It is a mix of mayonnaise and garlic chili sauce—a lot like yum yum sauce. The sauce has proven to be an absolute smash for Sheetz customers, and it has been described as having “a touch of heat, a little bit of sweetness, and a great garlic taste.” Dang, we need to get our hands on some of this stuff!

Even though those of us in Sheetz-less states will have to wait patiently as the chain makes its measured ascent to convenience store domination, we can all agree that it sounds like a pretty darn cool place to get your coffee every morning. Hopefully, one day, regardless of what state we live in, we’ll all be able to burst through the doors and yell “Boom Boom Sauce me, baby!” without getting a bunch of strange looks. That’s the world we’d like to live in.