LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wawa, a privately held, family and associate-owned chain of more than 1,050 convenience retail stores currently operating in eight states and Washington, D.C., officially broke ground on its first two stores in Kentucky located at 9650 Preston Crossing Boulevard, Louisville, Kentucky and 3012 Lexington Road, Nicholasville, Kentucky. The event welcomed VIP customers, state and local officials and charity partners to mark the start of construction on Wawa’s first Kentucky stores. The stores are projected to open late second quarter of 2025.
“We are excited to begin construction on our stores in Kentucky as we get closer to bringing the unique Wawa experience to new customers in more markets,” said Joe Collins, Director of Store Operations for Wawa. “We look forward to continuing to spread our wings in Kentucky and can’t wait to get started serving our new friends and neighbors.”
Access this link to view and download video from the event.
About Wawa’s Growth & Expansion in Kentucky
Wawa will begin construction on the following stores in 2024, with projected openings in the third quarter 2025:
- 9650 Preston Crossing Boulevard, Louisville, KY
- 3012 Lexington Road, Nicholasville, KY
- 4314 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY
- 900 East Main Street, Georgetown, KY
- 1354 Veterans Parkway, Clarksville, IN (Louisville market)
In 2025, Wawa plans to open nine (9) stores in Kentucky. Over the next 5-8 years, Wawa plans to build and open 5 to 8 stores per year in the Louisville and Lexington area, with plans to open up to 40 stores in the state. Wawa currently has more than 20 sites under contract across several Kentucky counties. Those sites are going through the local land development and permitting processes and include locations in the counties of Boone, Bullitt, Campbell, Fayette, Hardin, Jefferson, Jessamine, Oldham, Scott, Shelby, Simpson and Warren. To build each store, Wawa will invest more than $7.5 million and employ, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store will employ an average of 35 associates, with Wawa expecting to create almost 1,500 long-term new jobs as a result of expansion in Kentucky.
Community Grants Awarded
As part of the groundbreaking, Wawa and The Wawa Foundation announced contributions to two community partners in Kentucky. Dare to Care and God’s Pantry Food Banks each received a grant of $10,000 from The Wawa Foundation Fly Beyond Fund, a signature initiative to fight food insecurity and support programs providing good, nutritious food to build healthy habits and help kids thrive. The funds were part of a $1.5 million Key Issue Grant awarded to food bank partners in Wawa’s operating area. “The Wawa Foundation is thrilled to provide grants to our food bank partners toward programs providing consistent access to nutritious and healthy meals for kids,” said Elizabeth Simeone, President of The Wawa Foundation. “We are very excited to begin to share our Fly Beyond mission with our newest Food Bank partners in the Midwest as we begin our expansion to these new markets.”
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, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C. with more than 1,050 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 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. Visit www.wawa/hello to stay up to date on local events.
CONTACT: public.relations@wawa.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/73f2d1b4-e74c-47d1-adee-629df8ee911e
