PHOTO GALLERY: Inside Wawa's New One-of-a-Kind Philadelphia Store

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia is a city known for its cheesesteaks and the role it played in the American Revolutionary War. It is also recognized as the birthplace of Wawa Inc., which kickstarted 2020 by opening its first store of the new decade: an innovative food-focused destination for customers on the go, located in the heart of the City of Brotherly Love.

Situated at 33 S. 16th St. and clocking in at a mere 3,000 square feet — half the size of a standard Wawa store — the first-of-its kind format began welcoming customers on Friday, Jan. 10.

The new concept is designed to continue the retailer’s commitment of “Fulfilling Lives.”

“At Wawa, we strive to accommodate our customers in multiple ways and this new store design is geared toward meeting the needs of our local community members who require quick food options without sacrificing fresh and quality ingredients to fuel their daily routine,” said David Simonetti, senior director of store operations for Wawa.

To accommodate on-the-go customers, the new format includes several firsts, including:

• Philadelphia’s first-ever PickUp Window for mobile orders and online ordering to expedite service;
• A new expanded line of “Good to Go” hot and cold express food items; and
• A self-serve hot tea bar featuring Revolution Tea.

In an effort to reduce its footprint, the environmentally conscious convenience store offers compostable straws, reusable bags, and an option to purchase a reusable mug for coffee and other hot beverages.

Wawa operates more than 880 convenience stores (with more than 600 offering fuel) across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.