PINELLAS PARK, Fla. -- Wawa Inc. has officially entered the Greater Tampa Bay area on Wednesday with the groundbreaking celebration of its first store in the region. Located in Pinellas Park, Fla., this is the first of five Wawa stores slated to begin construction before the end of May.
Wawa is moving ahead with its plan to expand into the Central Florida region, with the goal of up to 100 stores between Orlando and Tampa in five years.
The site contractor and land developer, local community officials and local Wawa fans who have relocated to the region joined Wawa officials, members of Wawa's real-estate team and company mascot Wally Goose for the milestone occasion. With shovels in hands and hard hats on heads, members of Wawa shared their expansion plans and long-term growth strategy in the Central Florida community before breaking ground.
"We are thrilled to officially break ground on our first store in the Tampa Bay region and look forward to setting a new standard of quality and appetizing convenience for Floridians," said Chris Gheysens, Wawa's president. "During the next two weeks, we will also break ground on four additional stores in the Tampa Bay community; and by February, 2013, Wawa will open the first wave of stores in this market.. "
The event kicked off with welcome remarks by Wawa's chief marketing officer Carol Jensen, immediately followed by remarks from Gheysens about the timeframe and plans for the site. Local officials discussed Wawa's expected economic effect on the local economy.
In addition to marking the official start of construction, the groundbreaking event provided an opportunity for Wawa representatives to unveil a giant store rendering, premiering the new look and store design for the site.
"We can't wait to make the sunshine state our new home, and are committed to filling a void in customer's lives and providing them the level of convenience and appetite appeal our customers have come to rely on us for," said Todd Souders, Wawa's director for store operations in Florida. "This significant occasion provides an opportunity for us to share our business plans for Central Florida, detail our anticipated impact on the local economy and share our commitment to long-term investment in the Florida economy and community."
In addition to the Pinellas Park location, Wawa will break ground on four locations: one in Hillsborough County and three in Pasco County.
All five of the first wave of the Tampa Bay region stores are projected to open during February 2013.
Wawa will celebrate the grand opening of its first Florida store in Orlando on July 18, 2012, with four more stores opening within five weeks. Wawa plans to open 20 stores in 2013, 25 stores in 2014 and 25 stores in 2015, and projects it will open 100 stores in the Orlando/Tampa markets in the next five years.
The new stores will each employ nearly 35 associates, all of which are new positions brought to the area through the development of the stores. Associates in these full- and part-time positions will not only receive competitive salaries and health benefits, but will have the opportunity to be enrolled in Wawa's employee stock ownership plan.
Click here to view Wawa's Florida webpage, including a video gallery featuring the groundbreaking event.
Wawa, based in Wawa, Pa., is a chain of more than 595 convenience retail stores (300 offering gasoline) located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and by summer of 2012, Central Florida. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as built-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, built-to-order specialty beverages and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks, as well as fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs.
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