West Virginia is getting the popular convenience store chain Wawa.
The private Pennsylvania-based company is expected to kick off construction on a Wawa location in the Inwood community later Wednesday morning with a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the occasion.
Inwood’s planned convenience store will represent Wawa’s first-ever in the Mountain State and its latest foray into a new state.
A Wawa convenience store in Vienna, Virginia, US, on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. Wawa is aiming to open as many as 280 new stores over the next decade. Photographer: Moriah Ratner/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Moriah Ratner/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Wawa said in a media alert it planned to reveal "more details on locations, expansion plans, community investment and timeline to opening its doors to new friends as well as sharing its core purpose of Fulfilling Lives, Every Day through its unique offering of food, fuel and convenience Services" at the event.
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There are over 1,060 Wawa stores in eight states and Washington, D.C. to date, according to a press release from earlier this month.
Wawa said it was "thrilled to be spreading its wings and flying into West Virginia communities!"
A Wawa convenience store in Vienna, Virginia, US, on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. Wawa is aiming to open as many as 280 new stores over the next decade. Photographer: Moriah Ratner/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Moriah Ratner/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and Tennessee are other new states where Wawa has said it is putting future convenience stores.
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In early June, for example, construction on its first pair of Kentucky stores started, with Wawa saying it ultimately aimed to establish up to 40 in the state within five to eight years. In Indiana, it wants to bring 10 stores next year and up to 50 more on top of that longer-term, Wawa said last month.
This comes as Wawa has been embarking on a massive effort to expand its presence in recent years.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: A Wawa store is seen on May 29, 2024 in Washington, DC. The convenience store and gas station chain, which has its origins in Pennsylvania, recently opened its first store in North Carolina with 10 more expected across the st (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The company has said it sees over 1 billion customers at its convenience stores each year. It also makes over 182 million cups of coffee annually.
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Earlier this year, Wawa reached the milestone of six decades of retail operations.
