By SAXON DAUGHERTY
Staff Writer
Efforts to make beer available throughout its chain of stores in Pennsylvania has prompted Altoona-based Sheetz Inc. to acquire liquor licenses in Venango and Clarion counties.
The first local license from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board was purchased for Madison Township in Clarion County for $70,000, and the second license for Oil City came in with a bid of $45,000.
“The goal of Sheetz is to sell beer in as many stores in Pennsylvania that we can,” public relations manager Nick Ruffner said. “The purchase of liquor licenses in Venango and Clarion counties marks the start of an evaluation process of which stores in those areas would be best for beer sales.”
Ruffner said because the license was purchased in a specific municipality does not mean a store would be put there. The license can be transferred to any Sheetz store in the county in which it was acquired.
Ruffner said there are no immediate plans to build additional Sheetz locations locally.
Oil City Manager Mark Schroyer also confirmed that he has not been made aware of any future plans involving Sheetz, which currently operates stores locally in Titusville, Cranberry, Franklin and Clarion.
A press release issued Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said it provided notices of selection to top bidders on 42 licenses earlier this week after validation of 90 bids for the second restaurant license auction authorized by Act 39 of 2016.
Sheetz, a family-owned chain, was awarded 15 on its own, with two having ties to the tri-county area.
Friday was the deadline for bids to be received. Top bidders have 14 days from the date of each notice of selection to remit full bid payment to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
Bids will be held in escrow, pending approval of the license application.
Revenues from the auction cannot be totaled until license approvals are granted and bids come out of escrow.
Statewide, about 1,200 licenses that have expired since 2000 will be made available through auctions in the coming months and years.
