Wawa Expands Its Drive-Thru Concept to Florida
WAWA, Pa. — Wawa Inc. will expand its drive-thru store format to Florida with the opening of a new location in Largo.
The city recently issued a development order authorizing the redevelopment of the property at 2530 East Bay Drive. The site previously housed a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, according to a St. Pete Rising report.
A new, 2,036-square-foot drive-thru Wawa convenience store will be constructed following the demolition of the existing, vacant building, according to the development order.
[Read more: Wawa Breaks Ground in Alabama]
Wawa's first standalone drive-thru store opened its doors more than two years ago in Morrisville, Pa. The concept offers drive-thru service and curbside pickup only, and can serve 12 cars at a time from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It was designed to offer extra convenience and focuses on fresh food while retaining key Wawa design elements such as its trademarked canopy, according to the company.
The expansion of Wawa's drive-thru store format comes as the convenience store retailer also expands to new markets. In recent months, Wawa broke ground on its first stores in Alabama and North Carolina. Additionally, earlier this year Wawa announced plans for its first stores in Ohio and Indiana, and shared plans to grow its network in the Southeast as part of the company's efforts to its double footprint within the next decade.
The official opening date for Largo's drive-thru Wawa will be announced at a future date. The store is expected to cater to both busy commuters and customers who want a convenient foodservice experience while on the go.
Pennsylvania-based Wawa operates 1,000 c-stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The company has also broken ground on locations in North Carolina and Alabama — Wawa's first forays into those states. The retailer has plans to double its footprint within the next decade.
Wawa is No. 7 on the 2023 Convenience Store News Top 100 ranking.