Dive Brief:
- Rutter’s has begun working on its first convenience store in Virginia, a company spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. The store is expected to be open by next summer.
- The site, at the intersection of Route 50 and Coverstone Drive in Winchester, Virginia, is currently the only site Rutter’s has under contract in the state.
- Rutter’s is also working on its first site in the Baltimore area, as well as a new prototype in Milton, Pennsylvania.
Dive Insight:
Rutter’s is in the midst of an expansion plan that would see it grow from 87 stores in three states to 130 stores in five states by the end of 2028. In addition to Virginia, it also plans to open stores in Delaware as part of this growth plan, which it revealed in January 2023.
“We’re excited to open our first store in Virginia, and continue to expand from there,” the spokesperson said.
The Virginia store’s exterior design seems to be the same as the new prototype the company is debuting in Milton, Pennsylvania, later this year. It uses wood, metal and glass in place of the more traditional brick facade found at most current Rutter’s stores.
The store will include Rutter’s foodservice program as well as a beer cave and an extensive wine collection. For vehicles, it will include an array of gasoline and premium auto diesel, as well as premium high-speed diesel and in-lane diesel exhaust fluid for commercial vehicles.
The company has no other sites under contract in Virginia so far, though it is evaluating more locations, the spokesperson said.
York, Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s operates 87 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. The privately held company also operates a dairy and beverage company and a real estate company.
