The Origins Of Sheetz Have Way More To Do With Milk Than You'd Think

If you have ever lived in the Mid-Atlantic or Southeastern United States, you know you can't go far without running into a Sheetz. If you don't know what a Sheetz is, you're missing out! This popular family-owned convenience store chain was founded in 1952 by Bob Sheetz in Altoona, Pennsylvania and it has become one of the most popular gas stations in the region.

Sheetz offers a wide variety of products, including a full-service kitchen that serves Made-To-Order breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, such as sandwiches, wraps, burgers, hot dogs, salads, pizza, and much more. Of course, it also includes the regular items you'd find at a convenience store, like snacks, drinks, and fuel. Recently, Sheetz has invested heavily in technology to enhance the customer experience. For example, many locations have touch screen ordering kiosks, mobile ordering through the Sheetz app, and contactless payment options. Plus, Sheetz stores have an energetic atmosphere, with bright colors, upbeat music, and friendly staff. You may think Sheetz started out like every other convenience store, but the chain has more to do with milk than with fuel.

Sheetz's corporate headquarters is still in Altoona, which boasted several railways in the 19th century. In 1907, a farmer in a nearby city noticed that local dairy farmers were throwing out excess milk that they couldn't sell, which created a lot of waste. The farmer decided to do something about that, and he created a network that delivered milk to Altoona, which had population of 55,000 residents at that time. In 1941, that farmer's business successor was Jerry Sheetz, who opened five Sheetz Dairy Stores in Altoona. 

This is how Sheetz began – as a small dairy store that sold milk, eggs, and other products, but it didn't take long for that to change. In the 1960s, Sheetz started selling gasoline and began to expand its store locations throughout Pennsylvania. By the 1970s, the company had over 100 stores and was starting to develop its food offerings and began building bigger stores.  

In the early 1980s, Sheetz had some financial struggles because it simply could not compete with the discounts that supermarket chains offered on food products. Fast food was growing in popularity, though. One Sheetz manager, Earl Springer, began experimenting with different sandwiches before he landed on the made-to-order (MTO) sandwich. The idea took off, and soon the sandwiches surpassed hot dog sales. Sheetz expanded the concept to offer more foods, which increased sales and essentially brought Sheetz back from the brink of ruin. Yes, the company that started out selling milk was saved by a sandwich.

After it regained its footing, Sheetz continued to grow, and today the company boasts over 600 stores in six states. Sheetz grew from a dairy store to become a billion-dollar company that has been ranked by Forbes as one of "America's Largest Private Companies." Despite its growth, though, Sheetz. Inc. is still a family-owned company, with the Sheetz family involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. And yes, it still sells milk.