WAWA, Pa., April 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Wawa proudly announced the date of its first official store opening in North Carolina and shared additional details on stores under construction in the state. Wawa’s first store in North Carolina will be located at 1900 Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 with a grand opening date of Thursday, May 16 (8 a.m. doors open; 10 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony).
During every grand opening event, Wawa will host festivities, ribbon cuttings, announce community partnerships and support for local organizations and celebrate local everyday heroes with its signature “Hoagies for Heroes” initiative. Stores located in Wilson, Rocky Mount and Elizabeth City are also currently under construction and projected to open in the third quarter of 2024, with specific dates available this summer.
“We can’t wait to open our doors to our new North Carolina friends and neighbors and are excited for the chance to serve new customers and communities with our unique brand of fresh food, beverages and convenience,” said Kim Dowgielewicz, Director of Store Operations. “As each location opens, we will further solidify our commitment to providing the community with not only a new level of convenience but a strong, committed community partner.”
About Wawa’s Growth & Expansion in North Carolina
Over the next 10+ years, Wawa plans to build at least 80 stores across North Carolina markets, with the first 8 to 10 stores opening in 2024 and up to 15 stores opening in 2025. On May 14 and 15, Wawa will host Community Partnership events in Wilmington, Jacksonville and Fayetteville and share plans for the next phase of expansion into those North Carolina markets.
To build each store, Wawa will invest approximately $7 million and employ, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store will employ, on average, 35 associates, with Wawa expecting to create more than 2,800 new jobs as a result of its expansion.
About Career Opportunities: Soar with Wawa!
Wawa’s expansion plans will create thousands of new jobs and career opportunities for those interested in soaring with us as we expand to the North Carolina market. Joining the Wawa team makes you part of a longstanding tradition of success that spans decades, hundreds of stores, multiple states and counting! It’s a chance to become part of a family- and associate-owned company committed to putting people first, doing the right thing and making every day a little bit brighter for our communities. Wawa associates own 39% of the company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). View career opportunities at Wawa and examples of fulfilling careers at Wawa.
About Wawa, Inc.
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, family and associate-owned company that 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 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, pizza and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Forbes.com Ranks Wawa as #24 of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2021, and one of Forbes 2023 America’s Best Employers for Women and New College Grads, and Ranked #1 by Newsweek for Best Customer Service in the Convenience category in 2024.
