1747 Bar and Lounge: Rutter’s blends history and innovation with new entertainment concept

Rutter’s, the Pennsylvania-based convenience chain, is launching a new bar and lounge concept, designed to give customers more reasons to visit its stores…and stay longer!

Branded as 1747 Bar and Lounge (after the year the Rutter family farm was founded in York, PA), the concept will initially sit within new-to-market Rutter’s stores currently in development in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia.

Aimed at customers aged 21 and over, it will offer alcohol, an extended foodservice menu, video gaming terminals and TVs.

The first location – an 11,000sq ft unit – opened in Johnstown, PA, last month (March 2024). Two more are planned for the State – a 14,000sq ft site in Milton and one in Ruffs Dale. A further two are under construction – one in West Virginia, where Rutter’s already operates two stores; and one in Virginia, a new fourth State for the convenience store brand.

Chris Hartman, VP of Fuels, Advertising and Development at Rutter’s, explains the background to the new format.

“We’ve been working on the new concept for about three years. We looked at the business and said: ‘Hey, are we getting too boxed in with the typical idea of convenience?’. When you think about convenience, most people think of fast service but it’s really better defined as giving customers what they are looking for at the time they are looking for it,” he maintains.

This led Rutter’s to consider what the business was able to do but was actually not doing and to evaluate the market to look at what needs fit with its own customer base, he says.

“That’s how this bar and lounge concept came to life,” Hartman adds.

Alcohol and gaming and meeting new convenience needs

In Pennsylvania, for instance, Rutter’s has served alcohol for on- and off-premise consumption since 2016. And, while beer and wine has largely been sold ‘to go’, customers are able to consume alcohol purchased inside its licensed locations, since the retailer holds a full restaurant license.

In 2019, meanwhile, Rutter’s added gaming to the convenience mix with video gaming terminals (VGTs) introduced to its Pennsylvania stores.

According to Hartman, it was a logical progression to review how Rutter’s could take these two new lines of business and expand what it was doing to better meet customer needs as a convenience store.

The retailer already ticked several boxes – it had a license to sell alcohol on-premise, convenient locations and great, award-winning food. It also has big stores and the ability to build even bigger ones.

Put together, this has enabled Rutter’s to create a place where people can come and stay and define their own experiences, selecting from a mix of beverages, food and gaming.

“It goes against the grain of getting customers in and out,” Hartman smiles. “We have that ability but we also capture people who want to stay for a while and we provide a place for them to sit and have a good time with friends and watch sports etc. It entirely supports our slogan and mantra of ‘Rutter’s…why go anywhere else?’,” he says.

Targeting dinner and melding history and innovation

The new lounge bar concept features 20 65in TVs, video gaming terminals (only in Pennsylvania stores due to eligibility), a bar with alcohol and an expanded foodservice offer – Rutter’s plans to introduce new exclusive items to the menu as the 1747 Lounge and Bar concept opens up a new customer day part.

While Rutter’s observes similar food trends to the industry, with breakfast and lunch being the busiest sales periods, they’re also now focusing on more options for dinner and late-night meals.

“It’s offering customers another reason to make our stores a destination at the end of their day,” Hartman says.

The 1747 Bar and Lounge branding is entirely deliberate, acknowledging the company’s rich heritage but nodding to its forward-thinking strategy. “It’s a collision between our history and our future. We don’t forget where we came from but we are very excited about where we are headed,” Hartman says.

The concept also builds on Rutter’s idea of being part of each community they join, by providing significant employment opportunities. Rutter’s is hiring over 50 people for each of the new stores, over 250 jobs in total in 2025; and providing a convenient place for people to visit with award-winning food and great entertainment options.
“It intersects with what we do best in our current convenience store model and how we look to grow into the future,” Hartman says.

Broad appeal with a focus on quality and value

The concept is designed to appeal to a wide demographic, melding the proven success of gaming plus adult beverages with high quality, quick food and great value; as well as the convenience fun factor of Rutter’s stores. “There’s going to be lots of customers that will find what they are looking for,” he says. “The combination of different customer needs came together and is where we envisioned success with our new concept.”

The 1747 Bar and Lounge features a mixture of lounge seating with low and high top tables. While access is restricted to over 21s, which is monitored by dedicated employees for the room, eligible customers can order food and drinks, gamble, watch national and local sports or take advantage of the free WiFi. The lounge and gaming opportunities are open 24/7 but alcohol sales are regulated on a State by State basis – In Pennsylvania, for instance, the bar can serve alcoholic drinks 7am-2am Monday to Saturday and 9am to 2am on Sundays. In addition to new exclusive food options, the entire Rutter’s menu is available in the lounge through kiosk-based ordering.

The TVs, meanwhile, are strategically located to optimise viewing, including one TV wall featuring nine TVs, to show multiple games and events at one time.

Unique concept and future developments

With five new sites in the pipeline this year, it’s too early to consider the additional future roll out potential, Hartman says.

“We will measure the success of the new concept and revisit the potential of expanding it further,” he says.

In the same vein, Rutter’s plans to continue to evolve its convenience concept.

“The culture here is to have a forward-looking view – saying ‘this is what we are doing now, but what’s next?’. There will certainly be adaptations as we expand, as we have had in the past with other concepts; but we always do it in a thoughtful manner. That’s the Rutter’s culture, adaptable growth and always thinking about ‘how do we keep making the experience better?’,” he says.

Rutter’s will continue to innovate and grow over the rest of the year as it looks to meet customer needs across its locations, Hartman adds. The new concept is certainly a game-changer in convenience retail, he maintains.

“This is very unique to the convenience industry in America, and we are going to do it differently and in a fun way that offers a unique experience to customers that we don’t think they can get anywhere else,” he says.

“I’m really proud of our incredible team and how they came together, working diligently to build something revolutionary. I’m excited to see it launch and find out hear customer feedback,” he smiles.