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| Dave Hartley, Louie Sheetz and Chad Smith |
“Sheetz is a mecca for people on the go,” according to its website. Students of administrative science associate professor Dr. Chad Smith learned how the convenience store became that hub when Louie Sheetz, executive vice president for marketing, presented, “The History of Convenience: The Sheetz Brand Story” Nov. 8 in the auditorium of Still Hall.
Bob Sheetz, the eldest of five brothers, founded the first store in Altoona in 1952,
after purchasing one of his family’s five central Pennsylvania dairy stores from his
father and converting it to a deli. Dad’s advice? Don’t do it. The stores never made
any money. The Sheetz family had operated the Hershberger Dairy, and the function
of the dairy stores was to bring the product closer to the consumer.
Bob’s instinct told him, however, that the increasing mobility brought about by the
automobile created a different need for consumers. He was right.
As consumer needs have evolved, Sheetz has met them through what Louie called the
Sheetz DNA. At the center of the Sheetz DNA model is respect – for the customer, for
each other and for the community. Sheetz, Inc., also values being connected, real,
dependable and pioneering. The company strives to create a fun, high-energy atmosphere
for customers and employees alike.
Louie described Sheetz, Inc.’s, two-pronged marketing strategy:
Attract new customers by overcoming the gas station food quality perceptions.
Engage existing customers in ways that drive more purchase and increased frequency.
“People today have so many activities and places to be. Customers are extremely time
starved,” he said. “Because they want things faster doesn’t necessarily mean they
don’t want them better. They also want great value.”
Today Sheetz operates more than 430 stores with more than 15,000 employees and is
ranked 58th on Forbes Magazine’s list of the top privately owned companies.
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