Wawa's First Travel Center Begins to Take Shape
WAWA, Pa. — Wawa Inc.'s largest store format yet is steadily approaching its opening date as construction of the chain's first travel center continues in North Carolina.
The prototype store is designed to serve both professional drivers and regular travelers, reported the Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Located on Chickenfoot Road in Hope Mills, which is adjacent to I-95 near Fayetteville, the store is expected to open by mid-2025.
According to Wawa, the travel center will offer a high-speed diesel fuel court to meet the needs of professional tractor trailer drivers. Six lanes will serve diesel drivers and 20 fuel spots will be available for standard vehicles.
Outdoor amenities include parking for trucks, a weigh station and a pet relief area.
[Read more: Wawa Officially Enters Central Pennsylvania]
The 8,400-square-foot store is significantly larger than modern Super Wawa locations, which typically range from 5,500 to 6,000 square feet. It will feature both indoor and outdoor seating areas plus a large open design for Wawa's fresh food and beverage area.
"Wawa has a 60-year history of innovating and evolving our store design to meet the changing needs of our customers," said Walt Poplawski, Wawa's chief real estate officer.
The chain's first travel center is the latest concept the retailer is testing, Poplawski noted, but it will join numerous other standard convenience stores as the company makes inroads in the state, where it plans to eventually open 90 locations. Wawa opened its first North Carolina store last May in Kill Devil Hills, as Convenience Store News reported.
The company also broke ground on its first West Virginia store in August.
Pennsylvania-based Wawa Inc. operates more than 1,060 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C.
The company is No. 9 on the 2024 Convenience Store News Top 100 ranking.