mighty Sheetz

Every time we visit Altoony I come away reflecting on how mighty Sheetz is so much like mighty Weggers.
Weggers (Wegmans) is the wildly successful supermarket-chain based here in Rochester. It now has stores clear down to Washington, D.C.
Sheetz is not a supermarket-chain. What it is is a chain of combination gas-stations/convenience stores based in Altoony. It now has outlets all over Pennsylvania.
Both seem motivated by the same investment-policy: “just spend the money.”

Faced with the need to replace its aging Mack delivery-tractors (and they weren’t that old), mighty Weggers sprang for new PeterBilts, a step up in price.

Faced with the option of putting huge shrink-wrap murals on the side of its 52-foot delivery-trailers — murals of smiling chefs bearing vast plates of succulent, dewy fruit — Weggers did it.

Faced with the option of putting in a huge automated warehouse, Wegmans built it.

Faced with expanding its hugely successful Pittsford-Plaza store, Weggers just tore down the old store and erected a new superstore; so big you need a powered cart, and the parking-lot has limo service.
Needless to say, this was the right decision. The new store is making money hand-over-fist — the so-called “jewel-in-the-crown.”
Weggers still has a few small stores — leftovers of days long ago before superstores. Weggers is dickering to replace its funky Henrietta store, and its ancient Mt. Hope store was closed.
I think the tiny Dewey Ave. and Bay-Culver stores in the inner-city are still open, and then there is Park Ave., expanded to the hilt, but limited by a tiny parking-lot.
All are vestiges of Bob Wegman, founder of the chain in 1956, who died not long ago.
His son Danny is purveyor of the new philosophy.
Competitor Tops built a giant supermarket at Winton and Blossom, near where we lived in Rochester. But I hated going to it. It was a large store, but only one checkout might be open.
40 deep and a half-hour in the checkout-line.
That would never happen at Wegmans. The same groceries might cost $5 more, but which would you rather do? Fork over the five extra smackaroos, or stand in line a half-hour ogling Jennifer and Britney in the tabloids?
The answer is obvious — your time (my time) is worth the five extra bucks.
I think the proprietor of Sheetz (a Sheetz) is the same age as Danny.

Presented with the option of new computer terminals for his gas-pumps, he sprang (“just spend the money”).

Presented with the option of huge red plastic canopies that identify his stores, he sprang (“just spend the money”).

Presented with the option of installing glitzy shrink-wrap murals promoting his take-out on the sides of his fire-engine red delivery-tankers, they sprang (“just spend the money”).
I think Sheetz is even more flamboyant than Weggers.
And guys like me patronize — both Sheetz and Weggers. Thousands do.