JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Wawa Inc. intends to roll out as many as five convenience stores in northern Florida by the end of 2017 and at least 30 locations—possibly as many as 40—after that, reported the Daily Record.
Wawa opened its first Florida store in July 2012 near SeaWorld and now has 92 locations in the Orlando, Tampa, Daytona and southwest and east coast markets in the state.
The company expects the first area groundbreaking in April. When the first locations open by late 2017, they may launch simultaneously or in the same week.
Wawa projects a second wave of 10 or more openings in 2018. In 2019 and after, the company expects to open two to four a year.
John Poplawski, the company's senior director of site acquisition and development, and Brian Duke, regional real estate manager, told the newspaper that the company has identified four northern Florida sites that are in various stages of approvals and permitting. Three are in Duval, and one is in Clay County.
They did not identify additional sites, but they said six are under contract and another dozen are being reviewed.
Wawa is working with commercial real-estate firm CBRE to help evaluate the Florida sites.
As of June 8, there also were 48 sites in the regulatory pipeline and more than 150 under company consideration in Florida, Poplawski said.
At a cost of at least $5 million in each location and 40 jobs per store, Wawa is looking at an investment of $150 million and a job base of 1,200 in northeastern Florida.
Wawa executives presented its retail concept at events last week in Clay County and Jacksonville.
“It’s different things to different people,” Wawa president and CEO Chris Gheysens told a group at the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center in Orange Park, in his first visit to Jacksonville, according to the report.
He emphasized the company’s “family atmosphere,” the friendliness of its associates, the popularity of its food—especially its hoagies and coffee—and its service. “We give out a lot of hugs,” he said of the friendly atmosphere.
People make connections with and at the stores, leading to wedding photos and actual ceremonies taking place at Wawa c-stores, Gheysens said. He said people consider it their town center. “And that is what we hope happens here.”
Competitors in the Jacksonville market include RaceTrac, Gate, 7-Eleven and others. Asked how Wawa affects competitors, Gheysens said, “We tend to make them better.”
Other gas station and convenience store companies might remodel, seek better sites and drop fuel prices in advance or in reaction to Wawa’s market entrance, he said.
The Wawa, Pa.-based convenience-store retailer operates 731 stores in six states. In addition to Pennsylvania and Florida, Wawa has a presence in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.