Wawa Nails Down Tampa Site

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa City Council recently gave initial approval to rezone the site of a closed Italian restaurant at 401 N. Dale Mabry Highway to accommodate a Wawa convenience store and 16-pump gas station.

A final council vote is scheduled April 5, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Wawa, the 600-store, Mid-Atlantic based convenience store chain, began its move into Florida earlier this year with several locations planned in Orlando.

"They view this store (on Dale Mabry) to be their flagship in Tampa," said Truett Gardner, who represented Wawa at the recent zoning hearing before the city council, according to the Tribune report.