LEXINGTON, Ky (FOX 56) — Wawa, a convenience store and gas station chain based on the East Coast, announced Wednesday that it is planning to expand into Kentucky.
The Pennsylvania-based business has built a following upon its built-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, and hot breakfast sandwiches.
Wawa currently has more than 1,000 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, but said they have received “thousands of requests over the years to spread their wings further west.”
“At Wawa, growth means strengthening our existing markets as well as expanding to both adjacent and new markets so we can reach new friends and neighbors and welcome them as part of our extended family,” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s President and CEO. “These markets are the perfect places for Wawa to expand based on their strong business communities, their family-like atmosphere, and the confidence that our unique offer and amazing associates will be welcomed by these communities. We look forward to bringing our freshly prepared food, specialty beverages, fuel, and convenience services to these new areas all while creating new jobs and meaningful community support.”
In a news release, the business announced its plans to build locations in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky “sometime after 2025″. The estimated time frame for opening and the number and locations of stores will be announced in early 2023.