Rutter's opens first store in Schuylkill County

Amy Marchiano, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 11—ORWIGSBURG — The wait for Rutter's to open in Schuylkill County is over.

The York County-based convenience store opened its 85th location along Route 61 in West Brunswick Twp. at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

At around 11 a.m., the parking lot was full, with vehicles lining up to get gas and people inside shopping.

Rutter's first expressed interest in building a store in the county in March 2017. The purchase of the site along Route 61 across from Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital was completed in 2018.

Construction of the store began in May 2022, starting with excavation, and wrapped up the week before its opening.

Customers expressed their appreciation Tuesday for the chain's newest Rutter's store.

"I was pretty excited when they decided they were going to open a Rutter's here," Martin Gall-Madara, 24, of Pottsville, said between bites of a hash brown wrap.

Gall-Madara said he often went to the Rutter's in Hamburg to get the snack. His fiancée, Kaitlin Brennan, 23, of Pottsville, purchased boneless wings and mozzarella sticks.

Before the opening of Rutter's, there were no other convenience stores or gas stations along Route 61 for the nearly 12-mile stretch between the Sheetz in North Manheim Twp. and the Wawa in Tilden Twp., Berks County.

John Bushar, 42, of Pottsville, said he was thankful for the ability to get gas at the store, as he was running on empty.

The new location has 14 fueling spaces along with diesel pumps at the back of the store.

Jill Saunders, 32, of Schuylkill Haven, said she was "super excited" about Rutter's opening because of the different types of fuel for vehicles.

In addition to the traditional 87, 90 and 93 octane gasoline, Rutter's offers Ethanol Free, Unleaded 15 and Flex Fuel.

Dennis Clay, 73, of Hamburg, stopped at Rutter's for gas after going to the PennDOT Driver's License Center in Schuylkill Haven.

"I was born in Schuylkill County. I come up this way a lot," he said.

On Tuesday, Clay bought $26 of 87 octane at $3.45 a gallon.

Stephanie Kaunas, 53, of Orwigsburg, said she appreciates that she can get gas at Rutter's now. She usually traveled to Sheetz or Wawa near Hamburg to fuel her vehicle.

Amenities

The store is more than 10,250 square feet, and it's open 24 hours. In addition to gas pumps, the West Bruswick Twp. Rutter's has the following amenities:

—Seating, available inside and outside.

—Two M&T Bank ATMs.

—A beer cave.

—Made-to-order food.

—A selection of merchandise, including candy, soda and chips.

—A skills gaming terminal available for anyone 21 and older.

For more information about Rutter's, visit www.rutters.com.

Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023