by Kate Shunney
Rumors of a Rutter’s gas station and convenience store coming to Berkeley Springs were confirmed last month as the Pennsylvania-based company submitted preliminary plans for a location along U.S. 522 to the Morgan County Planning office.
County Planner Alex Moore said the preliminary sketch plan will be followed by more detailed submissions, plus engineering documents. The county’s consulting engineer will review the plans before they come before the Morgan County Planning Commission, said Moore.
According to preliminary plans, Rutter’s wants to build a 160’ by 94’ convenience store building with seven double-sided gas pumps just off U.S. 522 near the new West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) location being built.
The Rutter’s store would stand to the north of the DMV, with customer access off Cavendish Drive – the new road leading to the DMV complex. Rutter’s could be seeking a second entrance road off U.S. 522 for deliveries and tractor-trailers.
A turn lane to the DMV will be added to U.S. 522.
The York, Pa. company plans to complete the Berkeley Springs location in 2024, and expects to employ 40-50 people there.
According to the plans, the store will have 49 parking spaces for passenger vehicles and 30 tractor-trailer spaces in the rear of the store. The store is expected to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The developer of record is CHR Corporation of York, Pa. – the company doing business as Rutter’s Farm Stores.
Rutter’s says their company history reaches back to 1742, when the family farm was established in York. The family started selling dairy products around the local area, and then expanded their operations to include convenience stores in later generations.
The nearest Rutter’s is in Martinsburg. That location opened last year.
