Sheetz CEO Gets Rock Star Treatment at New Chambersburg area store

Stan Sheetz laughs at the notion of being called a celebrity. For someone who doesn't claim to be a celebrity, the president and CEO of the Sheetz convenience store chain sure has a lot of fans.

Customers eagerly waited to get T-shirts signed or have their picture taken with him during the grand opening of the chain's 400th store Thursday in Chambersburg.
"I'm not a celebrity," Sheetz said. "(But) it seems that way. I'm flattered by it."
About 200 to 250 people were on hand for the opening of the new Sheetz at Wayne and Kriner roads in Guilford Township.
Shortly after the store opened, there was a line of people waiting to talk to Stan Sheetz or get a shirt signed.
Brenda Nenninger, Waynesboro, stood outside in the steady rain for a chance to tell him about an idea for a new location.
"He's a very pleasant person," Nenninger said. "I asked about putting another location down in Blue Ridge Summit. I think it's a good location. I think it would make that place hop."
A request for a new location is one of the things Stan Sheetz hears the most when talking with customers.
"Some tell me where to build. Some tell me stories about their experiences. Some tell me about great ideas for new food items," he said. "Some just say 'Thank you.'"
Nancy Cline got a T-shirt signed for her grandson. She was off work Thursday and waited outside the store for the 11 a.m. opening.
"I've been here since 6 o'clock this morning," she said. "To meet him, that's something else."
Penny Williams brought her two sons, Dakota and Andrew, to the opening. The two boys had their shirts signed while their mother snapped pictures with her cell phone.
"Since we're from Texas, Sheetz is a new thing for us," she said.
The Sheetz name is well-known in the mid-Atlantic region, especially in central Pennsylvania, where the privately owned family company is headquartered.
It took 31 years after its founding in 1952 by Bob Sheetz to reach 100 locations. Within another 28 years, the Altoona-based company grew to 400 stores.
"It's just one of those milestones. It's more a result of our people continuing to make the organization better," Stan Sheetz said. "We plan to open 35 to 40 new stores a year. Obviously, we'll hit 500 in a couple more years, but our goal is to take care of our customers."
He said the secret to the company's success over time is its employees.
"I have to think it's our people. We spend a lot of time trying to find the right people to work in our stores. Once we find them, they stay with us."
After employees cut the ribbon to the store and Stan Sheetz presented a check to the Special Olympics organization, customers began pouring in. Food orders quickly began buzzing over the store speakers.
Customers began lining up as early as 6 p.m. Wednesday for the 11 a.m. opening on Thursday, sleeping on the concrete or in lawn chairs. The first 50 people in line received a free Sheetz gift card.
David Wynkoop, Waynesboro, was the first person in line when the store opened. He waited about 17 hours for the store to open, getting only 20 minutes of sleep.
"I like Sheetz, but for me this was an experience of a lifetime and I wanted to see if I could do it," he said.
He immediately went inside and bought two hot dogs.
"There ain't nothing like a Sheetz hot dog," Wynkoop said.
Charles Bonner, second in line, also waited since around 6 p.m. Wednesday. He did not get any sleep.
"The first few hours were kind of rough, but once they got the coffee going, it perked up a bit," Bonner said.
http://goo.gl/M06Rt

Discussion