Wawa Slates Opening of First Central Pennsylvania Store
WAWA, Pa. — The long anticipated debut of Wawa Inc. in central Pennsylvania is finally happening this September.
The convenience store operator plans to host a grand opening for the new location at 1601 West Harrisburg Pike in Middletown on Thursday, Sept. 19, according to ABC 27. The doors will open at 8 a.m., with a 9 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony and a host of festivities following, including Wawa's traditional "Hoagies for Heroes" initiative.
"We are excited to open our first store into central PA, as well as celebrate others under construction," said Katie Stevens, director of store operations at Wawa. "We look forward to continuing to bring our unique brand of fresh food, beverages and convenience to new areas and to further our commitment to providing the community with not only a new level of convenience but a strong, committed community partner."
Though Wawa initially announced plans to enter central Pennsylvania in 2022, it just broke ground earlier this year on the chain's first locations.
In addition to the Middletown store, the retailer plans to have sites in York, Dover, Williamsport, Hanover and Enola open by the end of the year. Looking further ahead, the retailer already has several locations in the pipeline, anticipating up to 12 stores opening in Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lycoming, Northumberland, Union and York Counties by the end of 2025.
Wawa has also continued to expand beyond its home state of Pennsylvania, breaking ground on its first West Virginia location last month and opening the company's second and third stores in Alabama. Additionally, Wawa has more than 20 new locations under construction in Kentucky and Ohio, respectively, has mapped out plans for future sites in North Carolina and intends to open seven new stores in Indiana in 2025.
Pennsylvania-based Wawa is a privately held, family-owned chain of more than 1,040 convenience stores currently operating in six states and Washington, D.C.
The company is No. 9 on the Convenience Store News’ Top 100 Convenience Store Chains of 2024.