Sheetz enters Michigan market to large crowd and fanfare

Sheetz has entered Michigan and plans a larger expansion in the Motor City.

Michigan’s first Sheetz store opened Tuesday in Romulus, which is near Detroit Metro Airport, attracting large crowds of excited customers, the Detroit Free Press reported.

President and CEO Travis Sheetz flew in for the grand opening and said Sheetz could ultimately open 50 to 60 locations in metro Detroit.

“We felt like there was a void in the market for our type of offer, because it is unique with gas and food and everything else,” he told the Freep. “And we like that it’s a community-based area, because that’s how we are. We’re very attached to our community — we’ve been since the beginning — and we want to go to an area that resonates in that way.”

The wait is finally over! Welcome to the fam, Michigan ????
???? Store 837: 33380 Wick Rd Romulus, MI 48174

— SHEETZ (@sheetz) August 27, 2024

The Altoona-based company has more than 740 locations.

In Michigan, the first he first customer in line arrived at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Why?

“I was unsure what it was going to look like crowd-wise,” said Robert Pawlowski, 19, of Southgate, “and as you can see, it is a madhouse in here. I’ve been a Sheetz fan for as long as I can remember. Going down with my family to South Carolina each year in the summer, we would always stop at Sheetz.”

The Michigan store expects to employ 40 people.

“I’m so glad that Michiganders can now enjoy Sheetz and hopefully love it as much as I do,” said Mickayla Selembo, 27, of Holt, Mich., “because it’s not overhyped and it’s more than a gas station.”