July 29, 2021
Courtesy/Sheetz
A sign advertising a Sheetz store 'coming soon' near the University of Pittsburgh was a rogue prank, a representatives for the Pennsylvania convenience store chain says. The disappointment may prove that Sheetz has just as intense of a fanbase as Wawa.
People in the Philadelphia area, and increasingly elsewhere in Wawa's territory, are known to be pretty fanatical about their love for the hallowed convenience store. The brand got a big boost recently out of Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown" and "Saturday Night Live," and Wawa's collaborations with 2SP Brewing Co. also go a long way toward keeping the convenience store on the minds of customers.
There's been a lot made in recent years about the rivalry between Wawa and Sheetz, whose biggest proponent may be Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. In some ways, it's a classic eastern versus central and western Pennsylvania competition. Football isn't enough. We need to squabble over who has the better convenience stores, too.
It's all in good fun, but if Wawa proponents believe they're the more diehard bunch, there's a story out of Pittsburgh that may put this in question.
The Pitt News, a daily, student-run newspaper at the University of Pittsburgh, reported Thursday that some dastardly prankster hung a fake "Coming Soon" sign for a Sheetz nearby campus in the Oakland section of the city.
If you go to Pitt, you know about the “Sheetz vs. Wawa'' debate. While everyone has their own view as to which one’s better, one thing’s certain — a Sheetz is not coming to Oakland.https://t.co/cFMSScqTjO
— The Pitt News (@ThePittNews) July 26, 2021
For several days, Pitt students and residents in Oakland legitimately believed there was a Sheetz coming to 3500 Forbes Ave., as evidenced by discussion on Twitter.
Alert: Sheetz coming to Oakland pic.twitter.com/oulHOEqoO9
— tentative pear (@412goose) July 25, 2021
I’ve been here for 4 years and have been BEGGING @sheetz to put a store on Pitt’s campus here in Oakland. I’ve been driving to the one 20 minutes away. I’m moving to a new place in 4 days, & Sheetz just announced they’re putting a store right across from my place in Oakland 🙃
— Matt Speck (@the_mattspeck24) July 25, 2021
holy shit pitt is getting a sheetz on campus? legendary
— Simon Clark (@SimonJClark_) July 25, 2021
Don't quote me on this but I heard that the Sheetz in Oakland will be in an apartment building as a restaurant only location like PSU has and not be an actual gas station.
— Jon (@PittLiberator) July 25, 2021
Hey @sheetz is this legit? This is on Pitts campus on Forbes Avenue. pic.twitter.com/qb5A3samhg
— Emily (@Thlegendofemily) July 26, 2021
Um. They’re opening a @sheetz on Pitt’s campus in Oakland? Can I just have HR put a portion of my check to the absurd amount of times I’m gonna be stopping there every week?
— 🤘🏼Steve🤘🏼 (@SteveInTheBurgh) July 25, 2021
Yeah, about that ...
Via The Pitt News:
Harry Hammel, public relations and social media supervisor for Planit, Sheetz's media relations agency of record, said Sheetz is not affiliated with the posted signs and has no plans to develop at the site.
"I can confirm that Sheetz is not planning to locate a store at this address," Hammel said. "The signs … are inaccurate."
The City Planning Commission in March approved a plan to build roughly 300 market-rate apartments on the former gas station site.
People excited about the new Sheetz didn't take this information well.
Whoever started the rumor that a sheetz was coming to pitt deserves to rot in hell for catfishing all of us like that
— anna (@carr0tgirl) July 26, 2021
Not to give any students any ideas, but this is an ACTUAL "@sheetz coming soon" banner at a future location in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
— Anakin Forrest (@AnakinForrest) July 27, 2021
That being said, Sheetz does need a location in Oakland (maybe former Original Hot Dog Shoppe location?) and one near OSU. @udf_official at Pitt. pic.twitter.com/HvuvyF8eOC
What if the bomb threat guy from a few years ago got out of jail and his new way of terrorizing Pitt’s campus is putting up Sheetz signs?
— Chris Peak (@PantherLair) July 26, 2021
Noooooo! @JohnFetterman can you help lobby @sheetz plz. We need a sheetz at Pitt https://t.co/FBj9YsXq8k
— Alex Guseman (@AlexGuseman) July 26, 2021
Going from thinking we would finally have a Sheetz in Oakland to not having one in a matter of a DAY is the emotional rollercoaster I was never prepared for
— Barstool Pitt (@StoolPitt) July 26, 2021
It even seems there's now a Fake Oakland Sheetz Twitter account to help people cope.
You and me both. https://t.co/71yahZhMui
— Fake Oakland Sheetz (@OaklandSheetz) July 27, 2021
The person or persons responsible for this prank have yet to reveal themselves, but surely they're basking in a well-executed plan.
Maybe this shows that Wawa fans take for granted that they're automatically the better supporters of their chosen convenience store. because here's some real heartbreak at the University of Pittsburgh this week.
The day someone pulls something like this in a Philly Wawa desert, like the Temple area, or in Fairmount or Northern Liberties, is going to be a dark one.
