Dive Brief:
- Rutter’s has broken ground on its first convenience store in Virginia, the retailer announced on Monday.
- The 13,500-square-foot c-store will be located at the intersection of Route 50 and Coverstone Drive in Winchester, about 75 miles west of Washington, D.C. Rutter’s expects to open the store in mid-2025.
- This comes about five months after York, Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s revealed that the Winchester site would be its first location in Virginia, which is set to become the popular c-store retailer’s fourth state of operation.
Dive Insight:
It’s unclear when Rutter’s plans to develop and open more locations in Virginia, but the Winchester site is one of many c-stores being built amid the company’s broader East Coast expansion.
Those plans include growing Rutter’s network of 87 stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia to about 130 locations — and adding its first stores in Virginia and Delaware — by 2028. Rutter’s also intends to grow into new areas of its home region in central Pennsylvania, stretching further east toward Philadelphia, west toward Pittsburgh and north through Altoona.
The Winchester store will offer gasoline and premium auto diesel, as well as premium high-speed diesel and in-lane diesel exhaust fluid for commercial vehicles, out on the forecourt. Inside the store, Rutter’s will offer its popular foodservice program, which features items across all dayparts and includes a rotating menu of new additions. The store will also include a variety of snacks and beverages and a beer cave.
Notable c-store competitors with locations in Winchester include 7-Eleven, Sheetz, Royal Farms, and Virginia chain Handy Mart. 7-Eleven is by far the most ubiquitous c-store chain across the entire state, followed by Richmond-based GPM Investments, Circle K and Royal Farms.
