Wawa Ends 24-Hour Operations at Select C-stores

WAWA, Pa. — Wawa Inc. is ending 24-hour operations at multiple convenience stores located in Philadelphia's Center City neighborhood. The latest store to go from all-day every-day to an 11 p.m. closing time is located at 20th and Franklin Street.

This change means the majority of Center City Wawa c-stores will no longer be open 24 hours a day, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"We have limited 24-hour service at some Philadelphia stores which close during much of our lower-traffic overnight hours," said Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce. "Some of the changes in hours are recent, and others have been in place ... These decisions are made for a variety of reasons with closings taking place during our lower-traffic overnight hours."

The adjusted hours will be in place until further notice, added Bruce, who did not comment on specific reasons for the changes or say whether adjustments to more stores' hours of operation are expected.

"We recommend checking signage at local stores or visiting wawa.com for operating hours by location," Bruce said.

Store employees who spoke to the news outlet off the record cited quality of life issues, including excessive panhandling, as contributory reasons. 

In total, seven out of 12 Wawa c-stores located in Center City now close before midnight. Other Philadelphia stores have also recently restricted hours: the retailer's East Market store closes at 8 p.m. and its 19th and Market store closes at 11 p.m.

Wawa previously shuttered a Center City located at the corner of 13th and Chestnut streets in December 2021, as Convenience Store News reported. The retailer cited operational challenges that arose less than four years after the store opened.

The company also closed a flagship store in the neighborhood in summer 2020, as well as a store located at Ninth and South streets and a north Philadelphia store located at 1300-14 East Erie Avenue in fall 2021. The closing of the flagship store was largely based on impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, along with some operational uncertainties, which made Wawa's long-term plans no longer viable.

At the same time, Wawa has invested further in Center City by opening several new stores in recent years.

Outside of Philadelphia, Wawa continues to focus on its aggressive growth plans. In June, the retailer announced plans to grow its footprint in central Pennsylvania, particularly along the Susquehanna River. Wawa plans to double its store count over the next three to five years, with the first new central Pennsylvania store likely to open as early as 2024. There is the potential to add up to 40 additional stores in the area.

Wawa also announced plans to open its first Nashville, Tenn., c-store in 2025.

Wawa currently operates roughly 965 c-stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. It wants to operate approximately 1,800 locations by 2030, eventually cutting the ribbon on up to 100 c-stores a year.