As a special salute to the men of the Armed Forces, Wawa offered free coffee to anyone who presented a military ID to the cashier [image-nocss] during the first weekend the Pemberton store was open.
The new store is a rebuild of an older store located down the street, the report said, adding that the new store has been remodeled and updated to include Wawa's new design prototype as well as gasoline.
"As a company that understands what it means to be available 24/7, service and dedication are values Wawa holds in the highest regard, so we would like to wholeheartedly thank our soldiers for their unfaltering commitment to protecting us all," said Howard Stoeckel, Wawa's president and CEO. "We look forward to treating our Soldiers to a cup of coffee on us as a small token of our appreciation."
Members of the Mobilization Readiness Battalion and the NCO Academy completed a variety of hoagie-building exercises and drills, learning to build hoagies with speed and precision in the traditional Wawa way.
Members of the Color Guard from the JROTC Program of Pemberton Township kicked off the festivities with an official march, and then end with the presentation of an American flag. Members of the Ft. Dix Base Command, local officials, Wawa executives, store associates and Wawa's mascot, Wally Goose, were on hand to share in and celebrate the grand opening festivities, said the report.
Wawa's Chief Operating Officer David Johnston gave brief remarks, saluting the members of the Fort Dix Military for all that they do each and every day.
"We are honored to have a special relationship with the men and women of the Armed Forces, and we take pride in making coffee shipments to Iraq on a regular basis. It's a small token, but we're proud of the hundreds of letters we receive from our soldiers telling us our coffee reminds them of home," said Stoeckel. "As we celebrate our new Pemberton store, we are thrilled to have the involvement of the Fort Dix Military, and we are dedicated to continuing a tradition of providing our Soldiers a taste of home - whether they are in our stores or overseas."
The Pemberton location features Wawa's new store design prototype, including 5,600 square feet of retail space and additional gasoline facility, as well as new in-store graphics, colors, restroom design, and merchandising features.
Emanuel Paul will serve as General Manager of the store, leading a team of nearly 40 associates, a number of which are new positions brought to the area through the development of the store, said the report. Paul is a nine-year Wawa veteran, having earned Wawa's highest honor by being inducted into Wawa's President's Club.
"I know I speak for Wawa and the community when I say that we all recognize what a huge task the Fort Dix military bear," said Paul. "Our Hoagies for Heroes celebration is a wonderful way to bring the community and the military together while celebrating the hoagie that our customers all know and love."
Wawa, Pa.-based Wawa operates nearly 600 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
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