When will Wilmington get a Wawa? | MyReporter
Wawa is coming to the Wilmington area.
The popular convenience store with roots in the northeast would be opening stores in Wilmington and Leland. A reader recently asked the StarNews about the location and timelines for those stores.
Here’s what we know.
Wawa has plans to open new stores in North Carolina.
According to a press release on Wawa’s website, dated Oct. 25, 2023, the company plans to expand its chain of more than 1,000 convenience stores, opening about 80 new stores across the eastern region of the state over the next 10 years. The first eight stores are set to open this year. Those will be in Elizabeth City, Kill Devil Hills, Rocky Mount, Greenville, and Goldsboro and Wilson will have two stores each. “In addition to the stores set to open in 2024, Wawa has more than 30 sites under contract currently going through local approval processes,” the release states.
'Competition is heating up': Why more gas station chains are moving into the Wilmington area
Wawa has submitted plans for stores in the Wilmington area.
In December 2022, it was reported that Wawa was considering a spot in Brunswick County near the intersection of U.S. 17 and Lanvale Road. On Nov. 23, 2023, Wawa submitted plans for a store at 2402 S. 17th St. in Wilmington, and according to the city of Wilmington’s project tracker, that plan remains active and is currently under review. The site also shows that Wawa submitted plans for a second store in Wilmington, located at 4301 Carolina Beach Road, on Feb. 13, 2024.
The StarNews reached out to Wawa about their plans and the possible timelines for these stores. Lori Bruce, public relations manager for Wawa, Inc., said she could not confirm “specific sites or timelines at this point,” but she said the company “couldn’t be more excited to bring our offer to this market,” and they “look forward to serving the community.”
Bruce noted the company plans to provide more details later this spring. According to the October 2023 release, in addition to the eight stores slated to open this year, Wawa expects to open 15 additional stores in 2025 and 10 in 2026.
Have a question about a local topic? Submit it to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: When is Wawa opening in Wilmington, NC?
