ALTOONA — The Altoona-based Sheetz convenience store chain started a petition drive to convince state lawmakers that customers want to buy beer in its stores.

Thwarted in the courts, chairman Steve Sheetz wants a law allowing convenience stores to sell beer — something he has envisioned since the chain was founded more than 40 years ago.

Sheetz had a license to sell beer in one Altoona store, but the state Supreme Court nixed that in June.

Sheetz was selling the beer in a fast-food area of the store to comply with a law allowing eateries to sell beer, but ran afoul of the law by not letting customers also drink in that section of the store.