Honoring a Legacy

In early February, Wawa Inc. revealed it was embarking on an ambitious journey to remodel its legacy stores and older fuel stores. More specifically, the remodeling program is aimed at 50 stores this year — the most remodels to occur in one year in Wawa’s history.

With each new remodel, the retailer is investing $1 million to bring its latest store design, technology and foodservice offerings to its older locations.

Within just days of the announcement, the first of the convenience stores in the initiative closed their doors for a three-week overhaul. During week one, the stores were gutted; week two, new walls, equipment, floors and tiles were placed; and week three, the merchandise arrived and the stores were stocked. The end result is legacy stores that now mirror the Wawa experience found in newer locations — from top to bottom. (All associates are relocated to nearby Wawa stores during their store’s remodel period.)

One of the first locations to debut the refreshed look was the Wawa at 1600 Route 37 East and River Drive in Toms River, N.J. It closed Feb. 16 and reopened March 9.

The c-store sits on a stretch of road that connects Toms River to the Garden State Parkway, where motorists often experience bumper-to-bumper traffic while traveling to the Seaside Heights, N.J., beach and boardwalk during the summer.

A newer standalone Wawa with fuel is just about a mile up the road, while this non-gas store anchors a strip mall that also features a pizzeria, hair salon and laundromat.

Stepping inside pre-remodel, customers found the products and services Wawa has become known for: touchscreen kiosks to order its famous hoagies, a coffee section and an open grab-and-go display. The store added a f’real milkshake machine in the past few years, but the décor lacked the inviting splash that welcomes customers in newer Wawa stores.

Stepping inside post-remodel, that’s all changed. The warm hues and new store graphics now welcome customers into a space that looks and feels bigger despite being the same footprint.

In addition to a fresh look, the c-store now features an enhanced coffee bar and foodservice offerings, with customers able to get made-to-order milkshakes and Flurricanes — an option that first debuted in Wawa’s Florida stores. The remodeled store also boasts a Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain machine in a newly upgraded dispensed beverage section.

According to the retailer, the remodel initiative takes Wawa’s commitment to “fulfilling customers’ lives every day” to the next level. The changes bring the most current Wawa experience to all locations and customers.

Some things, though, will never change, the company said, like the Wawa associates and their connection to their customers; the company’s promise “to refresh, reinvest and reinvigorate;” and its values in action: embracing change and delighting customers.