Loudoun County consumers will soon face a monumental decision between two choices that divide families, neighbors and friends.
Wawa or Sheetz? Sheetz or Wawa?
The popular convenience store/gas station chains — one headquartered in western Pennsylvania, the other in eastern Pennsylvania — tend to own their respective territories. You are a Wawa fan, or you are a Sheetz fan. You eat hoagies, or you eat subs.
But coming soon to Sterling, the two will be a stone’s throw away. A decision must be made.
Sheetz has submitted plans with Loudoun County to build a store on a vacant, 6.5-acre lot at Old Ox and Shaw roads, a block east of Route 28. It will sell cheap gas, of course, and ready-to-order subs, and it will have indoor and outdoor seating.
Nothing unusual for a Sheetz.
Except, the location happens to be 0.7 miles away from Old Ox and Oak Grove roads, where Wawa recently won county approval to build its first Loudoun store after a painfully long 2.5-year review.
A couple members of the Board of Supervisors, as they debated the Wawa application, mentioned that a Sheetz may locate nearby. They said it is not their place to decide where a business, or two businesses, should locate, so long as they meet the zoning requirements.
“Competition is healthy, and if you can’t compete you need to redefine your business,” Supervisor Ralph Buona, R-Ashburn, said during that early December meeting.
In Northern Virginia, the closest one finds a Wawa and Sheetz is in Prince William County. Wawa has a store in Gainesville, and Sheetz in Haymarket — 2.7 miles away (a nine-minute drive) via Route 55.
The Sterling Wawa and Sheetz will be less than a minute apart.
So, Washington Business Journal readers, when given the choice between Wawa and Sheetz, which will you choose?
