WASHINGTON — Gas and convenience store chain Sheetz says it plans to hire more than 8,000 employees in six states, including Maryland and Virginia.

The announcement comes about a month after Sheetz rival WAWA announced plans to hire 5,000 new employees at its stores, including locations in Maryland and Virginia.

Sheetz, whose first store opened in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1952, now has more than 500 locations in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

The company currently has about 17,000 employees.

In January, Sheetz announced it would invest more than $15 million to raise wages of store employees.