700 New Wawa Stores Coming Soon and What it Means for New Jersey
Those of us in New Jersey and most of Pennsylvania know what it's like to have a Wawa on practically every corner in practically every town.
And soon, many other parts of the country will, too.
Published reports say Wawa's plans to expand across the country aren't slowing down anytime soon. In fact, another 700 stores will be opening soon.
Yeah, 700!
Grab a cup of coffee and a hoagie, because here's what Wawa looks like now and what it will look like in the years to come.
Where Wawa Stands Now
Right now, there are about 1,000 Wawas, primarily in the Northeast and Florida (more on that in a second).
At least five or six dozen new stores are set to open this year, which will bring their store count to about 1,100.
Wawa’s Long-term Vision
Ultimately, Wawa's plan is to have 1,800 stores by 2030. That's 700 new stores opening in the next five years.
And while there might not be much room for the convenience store chain to expand around here (although it seems like there's always room for a new Wawa somewhere), that's not a problem for them.
Simply put, there are lots of states that Wawa hasn't dominated yet, which means its growth potential is practically limitless at this point.
As it stands now, there are 293 Wawas in New Jersey and 262 in Pennsylvania. Florida tops the list with 299.
Yes, there are more Wawas in Florida than up here. Blasphemy!
Not too long ago, Wawa opened its first location in Alabama (and we provided them with a how-to guide to navigate the store and the ordering kiosk). Now, they're already working across Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Wawa vs. Buc-ee’s
Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles to Wawa's growth outside of Jersey and PA is Buc-ee's, but in the battle of the goose vs. the beaver, Wawa doesn't seem to be backing down.
While Buc-ee's has a massive cult following, Wawa does, too. And even though Buc-ee's stores are significantly larger, Wawa will likely use that to their advantage.
Buc-ee's typically announces only a few store openings per year while Wawa moves in rapid fashion. While the thought of 700 new Buc-ee's stores across the country would have folks craving beaver nuggets from sea to shining sea, that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon.
For Wawa, though, they have a plan, and as we all know around here, there's not much that can stop them.
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