Dive Brief:
- Wawa plans to hold a grand opening for its first Georgia store on Nov. 14, the company announced on Friday.
- The inaugural store will open near the intersection of Route 27 and Route 84 in Bainbridge, about 40 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida.
- This opening will be the next step in Wawa’s massive multi-state expansion plan, as it seeks to operate 1,800 stores in 14 states and the District of Columbia by 2030.
Dive Insight:
Wawa plans to open three or four stores a year for the next five to eight years in Georgia, with an initial goal of 26 sites in the Peach State. It already has additional properties under contract in Brunswick, Jesup, Hinesville, Pooler, Waycross, Bainbridge, Tifton, Valdosta and Albany.
“We can’t wait to host our grand opening and look forward to bringing our unique brand of fresh food, beverages and convenience to Georgia,” said Nancy Dulaney, director of store operations, in the announcement.
Wawa, one of the top 10 convenience store chains in the U.S. by store count and the top scorer in the American Customer Satisfaction Index Convenience Store Study for 2024, has announced plans to reach eight new states over the past two years. With next month’s grand opening, it will have begun operating in three of those states — North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia.
The first stores in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are expected to come next year.
As Wawa expands its reach, it brings its extensive made-to-order menu, which is centered around the company’s well-known hoagies, but also includes a variety of bowls, wraps, sandwiches, unique beverages and even pizza.
Wawa currently operates over 1,060 convenience stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
