LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Wawa, the Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain, announced plans on Tuesday to build at least 40 stores in Kentucky over the next decade.
The first 10 stores will open in 2025, with five added each year after that.
They held a “community day” in downtown Lexington where fans of the store heard from top executives, got free gifts, ate Wawa food, and drank Wawa coffee.
Wawa has an incredibly loyal following in the Mid-Atlantic and in Florida.
To put it one way, Wawa is to the Mid-Atlantic what Bucee's is to Texas.
The major difference is Wawa’s size, which is more comparable to a traditional gas station/convenience store.
“I have missed Wawa every day since I left,” said Dani Wood, who used to live in the Philadelphia region, where Wawa is based. “I’m happy you guys are all coming to the city, I think it’s going to be fantastic, I think Lexingtonians have no idea what’s coming at them.”
To those in the Mid-Atlantic, Wawa is known for its hoagies (sandwiches), coffee, and very often cheap gas.
Another woman, who happened to spot the Wawa setup while walking by, said she first went to a Wawa while on a trip in Florida. She decided she liked Wawa so much that she wanted to move to Florida solely for Wawa.
Wawa will invest $7 million in each store, totaling $280 million.
It’s expected to create 1,400 new jobs.
