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Sheetz eyeing five locations in Parkersburg

PARKERSBURG — Sheetz, the chain of convenience stores and gas stations known as much for their food as their fuel, is considering five locations in the city.

“We are right in the very beginning stages,” said Dave Hazelet, director of real estate for the Altoona, Pa.-based company. “There are five sites being looked at, and there are five that have been approved internally at Sheetz.”

There could be as many as five Sheetz locations opening in the city, but a lot has to happen before those locations can be finalized and announced, he said.

“It would be at least a year” before construction would begin, Hazelet said. “It typically takes a year or even longer to get all the engineering and approvals done.”

There are three agreements for Sheetz sites in place, but those are pending municipal approvals on certain matters, access approval from the West Virginia Department of Transportation and more, Hazelet said.

Hazelet said the company hopes to have all the sites up and running one after another.

“We would like to have those set up and open all five of those within the same year,” he said.

Sheetz has more than 50 locations in West Virginia, with the closest to Parkersburg on West Main Street in Ripley. When it was announced in 2013, Hazelet said the company wanted to one day expand into Parkersburg.

“We’ve been interested in Parkersburg for quite some time,” he said. “We’ve been looking since last summer.”

Hazelet said the company is attracted by the activity in Parkersburg, including recent hotel construction and busy retail corridors.

Parkersburg Mayor Jimmy Colombo said he’s glad to hear the company is moving forward with plans in the city.

“I think they’re committed to the area, which is a wonderful thing,” he said. “These Sheetz have been very successful (elsewhere).”

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