CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This isn't your typical neighborhood convenience store.

There's a full-service espresso and smoothie bar staffed by a "barista." You can order food -- wraps, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas -- from touch-screen kiosks.

And there's something funky going on with the letter "Z." Gift cards are called "Z cards." Nachos are "Nachoz." And how about "Schmagelz" (bagels) for breakfast?

"We have a modern definition of convenience retailing," said Lou Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing for Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz stores. "That means a modern facility. Five thousand square feet. Bright, colorful, high energy."

This week, Sheetz officially opened its first gas station and convenience store in south-central West Virginia -- in Barboursville near the Huntington Mall. Stan Sheetz, Lou's cousin and the company's chief executive officer, attended a ribbon cutting at the new store Thursday afternoon.

Sheetz plans to open stores in Milton next month, and in Hurricane, near the new Wal-Mart, on Oct. 1. A West Huntington store also is under construction and expected to open in August.  

Sheetz also confirmed that the chain is searching for store sites in Charleston, Beckley and Parkersburg.

"I can promise, we are very interested in the Charleston area," said Sheetz, adding that the company targets sites from 1.5 to 2 acres. "Hopefully, somebody will read this and say, 'We have a site.'"

The family-run company has hired a district manager to supervise stores in the south-central West Virginia region. Sheetz also has opened an employee recruiting office at the Huntington Mall. 

"We look for great, high-energy people to work in our stores, and we train them to be respectful of the needs of our customers," said Stan Sheetz.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This isn't your typical neighborhood convenience store.

There's a full-service espresso and smoothie bar staffed by a "barista." You can order food -- wraps, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas -- from touch-screen kiosks.

And there's something funky going on with the letter "Z." Gift cards are called "Z cards." Nachos are "Nachoz." And how about "Schmagelz" (bagels) for breakfast?

"We have a modern definition of convenience retailing," said Lou Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing for Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz stores. "That means a modern facility. Five thousand square feet. Bright, colorful, high energy."

This week, Sheetz officially opened its first gas station and convenience store in south-central West Virginia -- in Barboursville near the Huntington Mall. Stan Sheetz, Lou's cousin and the company's chief executive officer, attended a ribbon cutting at the new store Thursday afternoon.

Sheetz plans to open stores in Milton next month, and in Hurricane, near the new Wal-Mart, on Oct. 1. A West Huntington store also is under construction and expected to open in August.  

Sheetz also confirmed that the chain is searching for store sites in Charleston, Beckley and Parkersburg.

"I can promise, we are very interested in the Charleston area," said Sheetz, adding that the company targets sites from 1.5 to 2 acres. "Hopefully, somebody will read this and say, 'We have a site.'"

The family-run company has hired a district manager to supervise stores in the south-central West Virginia region. Sheetz also has opened an employee recruiting office at the Huntington Mall. 

"We look for great, high-energy people to work in our stores, and we train them to be respectful of the needs of our customers," said Stan Sheetz.

In the past, you'd have to drive to Weston to find the closest Sheetz to Charleston and Huntington. The chain has two dozen stores in West Virginia.

"We have a history of growing organically," Sheetz said. "We like to fill in an area."

Sheetz said the Huntington-Charleston market resembles the Altoona-Johnston, Pa., area of central Pennsylvania, where the company started.

"Southern West Virginia is a good fit for us," Sheetz said. "The size of the community, the makeup of the workforce. We thought there would be some good synergies developed."

Sheetz, which opened its first store in Altoona, Pa., in 1952, has more than 350 locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. The company has more than 12,000 workers and ranks 82nd on Forbes magazine's list of the nation's largest private companies.

Sheetz, which stays open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, was one of the first gas station/convenience store chains to offer made-to-order food.

While other convenience stores teamed up with fast-food chains, such as Taco Bell and Subway, Sheetz developed its own menu.

"It's restaurant-quality food," Sheetz said, "healthy, fresh tasting, reasonable prices and quick in and out."

In south-central West Virginia, Sheetz will compete against convenience store chains such as One-Stop, Go-Mart, 7-11, Little General and Speedway.

"We are very optimistic about coming to the Huntington-Charleston area," Sheetz said. "A lot of what you do, you get a gut feel. We're hopeful it works down there."

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4869.