STATE COLLEGE — At 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, the doors were opened at Centre County’s first Rutter’s location along Benner Pike.
Plans for the 10,300-square-foot store, located at 731 Rishel Hill Road and across the street from the Centre County Correctional Center, were submitted in 2018 and construction began last summer.
Hartman said the location between Bellefonte and State College and right off of I-99 fit Rutter’s strategy for growth and expanding into new areas. The company is also looking forward to showing the Centre County community what it has to offer.
The new store has 14 gas and auto-diesel pumps and a large truck diesel fueling area with five pumps. Regular, plus and premium gasoline, E15, flex fuel, auto diesel, off-road diesel, in-lane DEF, high-speed truck diesel and kerosene is available.
Inside the store, Hartman said, customers can find award-winning food and customer service. Beer and “adult slushies” will be available from the opening and wine sales are expected in the near future, pending approval of a wine-expanded permit by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
The new store also will have video gaming terminals in the near future.
Hartman said the location will employ 40 to 50 people. Entrance to the property is via Rishel Hill Road and Venture Drive.
A grand opening celebration is being planned for mid-March, with a date still to be determined, Hartman said.
York-based Rutter’s began as a family dairy operation more than 270 years ago. It opened its first “farm stores” in 1968 and has grown to 72 convenience store and gas station locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.
The company has in recent years expanded into Central Pennsylvania with stores in Mifflintown, Milroy and the Altoona area.
“You guys don’t know us yet, but our slogan is ‘Why go anywhere else?’ and we try to live up to that in everything we do,” Hartman said.
