Dive Brief:
- Wawa is set to begin building its first convenience store in West Virginia in mid-August, the company announced on Wednesday.
- The c-store will be located off the Route 51 Bypass near Route 11 in Inwood, roughly 80 miles northwest of downtown Washington, D.C. Wawa will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 14.
- Wawa’s expansion into West Virginia tightens up the company’s presence in the eastern U.S., where it continues its ambitious journey to nearly double its c-store count by 2030.
Dive Insight:
Since 2022, Wawa has targeted Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina in its growth plans. The company has already begun entering those states, starting with opening its first stores in Alabama and North Carolina earlier this year.
Those seven states complement the company’s current footprint, which, in addition to Alabama and North Carolina, includes over 1,060 convenience stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and the District of Columbia.
Although it’s in Wawa’s operating region, West Virginia — as well as South Carolina — had been a notable absence in the company’s growth plans until now.
In Inwood, Wawa will compete with several local retailers, as well as national chains such as Liberty Petroleum, BP, Dollar General and Pennsylvania rival Sheetz.
Wawa executives John Poplawski, vice president and chief real estate officer; and Mandy Wynne, director of store operations, will provide an update on the retailer’s expansion plans at the groundbreaking ceremony, according to the announcement. A spokesperson from Wawa did not respond by press time when asked when its first store in West Virginia is expected to open.
“Wawa looks forward to sharing more details on locations, expansion plans, community investment and timeline to opening its doors,” the company said in its announcement.
