Wawa Looking to Fill Out D.C., Baltimore Corridor

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Wawa Inc. plans to continue its expansion in the Mid-Atlantic region by adding locations near Washington, D.C., the Washington Business Journal reported. Peter Gilligan, vice president and chief real estate officer, shared details of the company's growth strategy at this week's International Council of Shopping Centers Mid-Atlantic Conference.

"We have several sites in the works," said Gilligan. "We're looking to fill out the D.C. and Baltimore corridor, both in northern Virginia and Maryland."

He added that Wawa would like to eventually add stores within D.C. city limits, but its intention to build stores with attached gas stations makes it difficult to match the company's space requirements with available sites in the nation’s capital.

The average Wawa store is 5,000 square feet, but the retailer does operate some c-store-only locations in select cities. Currently, the closest Wawa to Washington, D.C., is located in Beltsville, Md.

Sheetz representatives also attended the conference, which was held at National Harbor on the banks of the Potomac River, but a company spokesman stated that the chain is focusing on existing markets and North Carolina rather than expanding around the D.C. area, according to the news report.