The Inter-Mountain photo by Joey Kittle Officials announced Tuesday that Sheetz store #174 in Belington will be closed by Nov. 18.

BELINGTON – The Sheetz gas station and convenience store in Belington will be closing by Nov. 18, officials announced today.

Sheetz store #174 is the only remaining gas station in the immediate area of Belington.

On Tuesday, Sheetz released the following statement:

“Sheetz has made the difficult decision to permanently close its store located on North Crim Avenue in Belington, West Virginia. It is expected that this store will close on Nov. 18th.

“All employees at this store location will be offered employment at other Sheetz locations in the region.

“We thank our customers for their years of support and look forward to serving them at our other locations in the region.”

The statement came from Nick Ruffner, a PR manager for Sheetz.

By Tuesday afternoon, a petition had been created on Change.org to prevent the store from closing.

The petition was posted by Mikeala Cain, who describes herself as a “frequent commuter” through Belington for her work.

“The proposed closure of the Sheetz Convenience Store & Gas station threatens to disrupt so many people’s lives & make basic living difficult,” Cain writes. “So many individuals will lose a way to get a meal, a cigarette, and a major important detail, morning coffee & a donut! It will certainly impact Belington and all of the people who live here and nearby…

“Many working individuals… heavily rely on this establishment for fuel and vital amenities during off-peak hours. There are many others also, who are just as important as anyone else, who do not have the luxury of a vehicle and live right in the middle of downtown Belington. These individuals solely rely on Sheetz as a way to get a meal and a drink, especially in the late hours.

“There are also many people who depend on the fuel at Sheetz to keep their homes or living set up running & going to another location miles away is not an option,” Cain writes. “The store’s strategic location and operation hours make it the only available option for late-night workers and residents.”

The petition page on Change.org is titled “Prevent the Shut Down of Sheetz Convenience Store & Gas Station in Belington.”

With the Belington Sheetz closure, coupled with the recent closing of Station 1 in Junior, residents of the Belington area may be forced to travel to either Philippi, in one direction, or Norton, in another, in order to buy gasoline.

Sheetz has rebuilt several of its convenience stores in the local area, including the one in Buckhannon, but did not renovate its Belington location.

In September 2018, Sheetz closed its location in Parsons.