Wawa, Inc. today announced a significant milestone in the Company’s
history –
the grand opening of its first Wawa store in the
state of North Carolina! Located in Dare County at
1900 Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills, this
location is the first of nine Wawa stores slated to open in North
Carolina before the end of summer and 10 by year’s end. During this
historic event, Wawa was joined by local officials, heroes and
community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, parade of Wawa
history, local cheerleaders, and a “Hoagies for Heroes” charitable
hoagie building competition recognizing local everyday heroes
serving their communities.
To mark the milestone, The Wawa Foundation announced a $2,500
grant to the Coast Guard Foundation to support moral and wellness
initiatives for Coast Guard members and their families in the Kill
Devil Hills area, specifically at the Oregon Inlet unit. In
addition, another grant was made to Special Olympics of North
Carolina for $2,500 to support Dare County athletes to compete in
the largest state-level event, the Summer Games on June 2-4.
“We are excited to fly into North Carolina and bring our unique
combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to
this state for the very first time. This historic milestone kicks
off our ongoing growth and expansion in North Carolina as we
continue to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian
Schaller, President of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending
our commitment to being a good neighbor to Dare County, and our
partnerships with the Coast Guard Foundation and Special Olympics
North Carolina Dare County athletes are examples of how we will
support local causes.”
Grand Opening DetailsAt 8 a.m. on Thursday, May
16, Wawa’s doors opened for the first time in North Carolina to
welcome new friends and neighbors! The first 250 customers received
special milestone Wawa t-shirts. At 10 a.m., the celebration began
with local officials joining Wawa associates, Wawa’s mascots Wally
Goose and Shorti, and community partners for this landmark event.
The event included color guard and a national anthem singer from
the US Coast Guard and cheerleaders from Dare County Special
Olympics, followed by the introduction of the store team and the
first official “Wawa Parade through the Ages,” which visually
highlighted key milestones in Wawa history. Immediately following
the parade, Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens spoke about the significance of
the company’s first store in the state and expected local and state
impact through continuing Wawa expansion in North Carolina markets.
The Wawa Foundation announced grants to community partners
including $2,500 to the Coast Guard Foundation and $2,500 to
Special Olympics of North Carolina. The ceremony ended with a
ribbon cutting, officially marking the Company’s entrance into the
state. For a link to b-roll footage from the grand opening event,
click here.
The event also included North Carolina’s first Hoagies
for Heroes charitable hoagie building contest, as members
of the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department, the Coast Guard
Foundation and Dare County Special Olympics athletes face
off in a battle of bravery, skill and sandwich-making expertise.
Each team was challenged to see who can build the most hoagies in
three minutes in the traditional Wawa way. Wawa concluded the
Hoagies for Heroes competitions by presenting checks on behalf of
the winning and runner up teams, for $1,000 to the charities of
their choice.
Conni Sanchez will serve as General Manager of
the store, leading a team of 35 associates, new positions brought
to the area through the new store. Associates in these full- and
part-time positions will not only receive competitive salaries and
health benefits, but they will participate in Wawa’s employee stock
ownership plan (ESOP). Today, Wawa Associates own more than 39% of
the Company through the ESOP. Associates also have access to the
ingredients that build a career, including training, development,
educational assistance and a flexible, welcoming environment that
helps everyone soar. Wawa’s expansion plans provide opportunities
to join a growing company with opportunities and a culture where
associates take the lead in bringing joy to new friends and
neighbors and supporting their communities through volunteering,
charitable giving and events. Soar with Wawa Video
Gallery.
Wawa Expansion in North CarolinaBy the end of
2024, Wawa will have 10 stores open in North Carolina serving Kill
Devil Hills, Rocky Mount, Elizabeth City, Greenville and two stores
in Wilson and Goldsboro. In 2025, Wawa projects opening up to 11
stores in additional counties including Robeson, Pitt, Cumberland,
Onslow, Johnston, Nash, Pender, Brunswick and New Hanover.
Over the next 8-10 years, Wawa plans to build and open 6-8
stores per year reaching a total of 90 stores in North
Carolina. To build each store, Wawa will invest more than
$7 million per store and employ, on average, 140 contractors and
local partners to build the store. Once open, each store will
employ an average of 35 associates with Wawa expecting to create
more than 3,000 long-term new jobs as a result of expansion in
North Carolina.
About Wawa’s Core PurposeWawa’s core purpose is
Fulfilling Lives, Every Day. It captures Wawa’s special place in
the world and recognizes Wawa’s higher calling beyond convenience
and satisfaction. It inspires Wawa associates to create meaningful
personal connections and make a real difference in the lives of
customers, communities and each other, every day.
About Wawa’s and The Wawa Foundation’s Commitment to
Local CommunitiesThrough The Wawa Foundation, a registered
501(c)(3) nonprofit founded to support Wawa’s charitable giving and
philanthropic activities, Wawa and The Wawa Foundation are
committed to building stronger communities, specifically in the
Foundation’s three focus areas of health, hunger and everyday
heroes. Visit:
www.thewawafoundation.org.
About Wawa, Inc.Wawa, Inc., a privately held
company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the
end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in
dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in
Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its
quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of
milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson,
opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 in Pennsylvania as an
outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day
stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services
and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington,
D.C. with nearly 1,000 locations to date. The stores offer a large
fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom
prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches,
hand-crafted specialty beverages, a dinner menu including burgers
and pizza, an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Forbes.com
Ranks Wawa as #20 of America’s Largest Private Companies, #1 in
Convenience Category for America’s Best Customer Service by
Newsweek, one of Forbes 2023 America’s Best Employers for Women and
New College Grads.
Contact:
public.relations@wawa.com