The grand opening of the newest Wawa Inc. store, located at 54 Cypress Edge Drive, St. Johns, will be held Thursday, Dec. 7. Local friends and neighbors are invited at 7:45 a.m. to join General Manager Steven Branstrator, who will count down to the moment when the doors open at 8 a.m.
This ceremonial start gives a nod to the power of positivity and kindness, according to Wawa Inc.
The first 100 customers through the door on Dec. 7 will receive a limited-edition “Wawa Coffee, Hoagies & Kindness” T-shirt. All customers can enjoy free coffee from Dec. 7 through 17.
“At Wawa, our core purpose is fulfilling lives every day, and since our first store opened, we’ve believed that we all have a role in making this world a better place,” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s CEO. “Our associates deliver experiences and often create emotional connections with customers that go beyond what traditionally happens in a retail environment, and we look forward to welcoming old friends and making new ones in this wonderful community!”
After the store opens, customers will be invited inside to get a free any-size cup of coffee and participate in a community toast and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. with Wawa’s mascot Wally Goose, oversized scissors, red ribbon, confetti and fanfare.
Wawa will also recognize local first responders with its signature Hoagies for Heroes hoagie-building competition. Local first responders from St. Johns Sheriff's Office and St. Johns Fire Rescue will compete to see who can build the most hoagies in three-minutes. Wawa will conclude the Hoagies for Heroes competitions by presenting checks for $1,000 to each department’s charity of choice.
Branstrator will lead a team of approximately 50 associates, all of which are new positions brought to the area through the development of the store. Associates in these full- and part-time positions will receive competitive salaries and health benefits when eligible and participate in Wawa’s employee stock ownership plan. Wawa Associates own 39% of Wawa through the plan. More information and current job opportunities can be viewed at wawa.com/careers.
The store is fully equipped with a built-to-order, fresh food kitchen featuring its signature hoagies, 80 million of which are sold annually, and the ever-popular burger; award-winning Wawa coffee, 195 million cups of which are sold annually; the Sizzliä, Wawa’s hot breakfast sandwich; Wawa’s new line of specialty beverages (hot, cold, iced and frozen); the Wawa Bakery; and Wawa’s beverage line of dairy products, juices and teas, plus packaged goods and fuel services, among other amenities.
In addition to the store-level experience, customers can access their Wawa favorites through mobile ordering, curbside pickup, delivery options and its newest Catering Online offer where customers can order Wawa foods for their upcoming events at wawacatering.com.
Wawa plans to open up to 66 new stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and Florida in 2023. The grand opening of the St. Johns location is the 60th store to open among the chain’s six-state operating area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The chain also announced its future expansion to Florida Panhandle, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with more details on those new locations to be shared soon.
