The wait is almost over for Pensacola's 1st Wawa. When it's opening
Wawa, the popular convenience-and-gas chain originating in Pennsylvania, has broken ground at the site of its first Pensacola store, bringing out long-time fans and local members of the community at their event on Friday for a taste of what they plan to bring to the area.
Pensacola’s first Wawa is under construction off Pine Forest Road and will open at the end of the year, according to Wawa officials.
During the groundbreaking event, fans and community members were able to sample Wawa’s coffee, handcrafted beverages like strawberry smoothies and a variety of food choices.
Wawa’s expansion into the Pensacola area is a dream come true for the local superfans who have developed and retained a fondness for how they operate.
“I’m from Spotswood, New Jersey, and grew up going to Wawa, it was just part of my daily life with my friends,” said Ben Waldvogel, who came to the area a decade ago in order to attend Pensacola Christian College. “When you don’t have enough money and you want to go get lunch, we’re going to Wawa, so it’s just a sentimental thing. When I heard they were opening one here I was excited.”
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Waldvogel, like many at the event, said Wawa’s customer service is among the best and most important aspects of how the chain operates.
“There was a Wawa I would stop at every day on my way to work, after a while the manager and I got on a first-name basis and she’d say hi to me every time,” he continued. “I went back like four years later after being in college down here, she saw me and instantly got excited and recognized me then asked how I’d been doing.”
Some attendants of the groundbreaking event didn’t need an introduction to Wawa’s products and services, but rather got a reminder of what they’ve been missing out on for years.
“The coffee, the hoagies, all of it, the whole Wawa experience,” said Barbara Parker, a VIP Wawa customer at the event. “(Wawa) feels like family, it feels like home.”
Barbara and her husband, Peter Parker, are former Pennsylvania residents and have been in Pensacola for two decades. Like many of the superfans present, they’ve asked Wawa over the years to spread into the Pensacola area.
During the long wait, the Parkers have gotten their Wawa fix during trips to Tampa.
“Any time we go to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game, Wawa is a stop every day we’re there,” Peter said. “Every morning, we go by for coffee, breakfast and probably at lunch too.”
Even newer fans of Wawa were excited for how its local presence could change things up.
Zachary Pitts went to Wawa for the first time in the Orlando area between two to three years ago after hearing how it was “the best,” from people living in the area. After ordering a ciabatta sandwich and a quesadilla, Pitts left surprised at the quality of the chain’s food.
“It definitely cleared Circle K and Tom Thumb,” Pitts said. “All the people I’ve talked to (about Wawa) have been really excited about it.”
WYNTK about Wawa: Pensacola's first Wawa broke ground. Here's what first-time visitors can expect
In order to ensure that their company culture is passed on to new employees who are in areas unfamiliar with Wawa, an area manager moves in and oversees the initial team-building process.
Charlene Harrell is the area manager for the incoming Wawa locations in Pensacola, which just so happens to be her hometown.
“We just want to bring another unique option for people to enjoy,” Harrell said. “We’re open all the time, that alone I think will change the dynamics of the area."
Here's what we know about Wawa's plans for expansion into the Pensacola area:
When is the first Pensacola Wawa opening?
The first Wawa in Pensacola will be opening at the end the year, according to Wawa officials.
Are more Wawas coming to the area?
An additional Wawa location at Beulah Road and West Nine Mile Road is planned to begin construction this year and open in 2025, according to Wawa’s Director of Store Operations Joe Collins.
Collins said during the event that Wawa has an additional two sites under contract for locations in the future. The first site will be located at North Davis Highway and East Johnson Avenue, while the second is planned for U.S. Highway 98 and North Blue Angel Parkway.
Wawa plans to open eight to 10 locations for the Pensacola market over the next five to eight years, according to Collins. Each store will bring an additional 35 to 40 jobs to their respective areas and Wawa’s employees can begin investing with the company after a month of employment.
What is Wawa?
Wawa is a family-owned chain of convenience stores and gas stations that has grown to more than 1,000 locations across six states and Washington D.C. Its Florida stores are mostly in the southwest, across central Florida and up and down the east coast. The first Wawa in Florida opened on July 18, 2012, in Orlando, across from SeaWorld.
Each Wawa is open 24 hours every day of the year serving its handcrafted drinks, popular customizable hoagies and other fresh foods outside of the usual snacks and beverages available at a gas station.
Wawa began operating in 1964 in Pennsylvania and has branched out from the state in a rapid fashion.
"Wawa" is an Ojibwe Native American word that translates, more or less, as “Canada goose." It's also the name of the town where this version of the company developed as well as where the corporate offices still reside. That's also why a goose is on the company's corporate logo.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Wawa Pensacola store begins construction, opening end of 2024