Wawa Convenience Stores Announce Plans to Expand into South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with 40 New Stores

MOBILE, Ala. – Wawa, a privately held, family-owned chain of convenience stores with nearly 1,000 locations in six states and Washington, D.C., plans to open at least 40 stores across South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle over the next 8 to 10 years

The first stores will break ground in 2023 and open their doors in 2024.

Those first sites in Mobile are at Cottage Hill Road at Sollie Road and Schillinger Road at Old Government Street Road.

“We are delighted to have Wawa in this area. It is an affirmation of the economic growth here because they’ve done their market study. They know that this is a vastly expanding economy and they want to be able to take advantage of it,” said Mobile Chamber President and CEO Bradley Byrne.

The $260 million dollar expansion investment is expected to create 1,400 new jobs. Once open, each store will employ an average of 35 associates.

The Wawa chain is known for its large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, hand-crafted specialty beverages, a dinner menu including burgers and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.

“We’re thrilled to be flying into the Florida Panhandle and South Alabama region, which advances our overall growth projection and spreads our wings further into adjacent markets,” said Robert Yeatts, Senior Director of Store Operations for Wawa. “Wawa’s expansion plans represent a strong commitment to the area and demonstrate Wawa’s plans to invest in these local markets for years to come. Through our Community Partnership Days, we seek to give our new neighbors a preview of that impact while offering attendees a glimpse into how Wawa has become a home-away-from-home for so many of our customers for nearly 60 years.”

The Wawa chain officially introduced itself to the local community with back-to-back community partnership day events on February 3rd. Both events included a “Taste of Wawa” food sampling, presentations about the company’s history, culture, and community commitment, as well as a visit from Wawa’s mascot, Wally Goose.

“Whenever we enter a new market, we always strive, first and foremost, to get to know our newfound friends and neighbors – long before we put shovels in the ground,” said John Poplawski, Vice President of Real Estate for Wawa. “Our Community Partnership Day Tour is the perfect opportunity to meet new faces and demonstrate not only what makes Wawa unique but also what makes the Florida Panhandle and South Alabama region so special. We look forward to sharing our Wawa story, our plans for growth in the area, and our commitment to partnering with and supporting nonprofit organizations that work so tirelessly to make a difference in their local communities.”

Wawa kicked off its long-term commitment to the local community by announcing its support of local non-profit partners, including the Coast Guard Foundation, USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital and Prodisee Pantry.

The Wawa Foundation supports the company’s charitable giving and philanthropic activities – and helps build happier, stronger communities. The Wawa Foundation focuses its support on organizations committed to health, hunger and everyday heroes through local, regional and national grants. Since 2014, Wawa and The Wawa Foundation have donated more than $135 million to causes supporting health, hunger and the heroes who serve our communities every day.

Forbes.com Ranks Wawa as #24 of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2021, #12 on Forbes 100 Halo List in 2022 and one of Forbes 2022 America’s Best Employers for Veterans.