Dive Brief:
- Wawa’s first six stores in Alabama will open about a year from now, representatives from the company said Friday during two press conferences in Mobile and Spanish Fort, Alabama, according to a report from AL.com
- Two locations in west Mobile will sit at the intersections of Cottage Hill and Sollie roads, and of Schillinger and Old Government Street roads, according to the report. Meanwhile, four locations will open in Baldwin County — about 25 miles east of Mobile — with two in the Fairhope neighborhood, one in Daphne and one in Robertsdale.
- When combining its Alabama and Florida Panhandle expansion plans, Wawa said it will invest about $6.5 million into each of the 40 planned stores, according to the report, adding up to about $260 million invested into the regions.
Dive Insight:
The details of Wawa’s Alabama and Florida Panhandle expansion plans underscore the retailer’s mission to rapidly accelerate its store growth around the country — an approach that comes with potential rewards as well as risks, experts say. The retailer currently has plans to increase its footprint from seven to 14 states and surpass 1,800 locations by 2030.
The two confirmed sites in west Mobile will be followed by three to four that are now under consideration, Robert Yeatts, senior director for store operations in Florida and new markets for Wawa, said during the press conference, according to the report.
Wawa announced its plans to expand to Alabama last April, but did not disclose any specific store locations at that time. Around the same time, the retailer also said it was looking to extend its footprint in the Florida Panhandle region, specifically targeting Pensacola, Panama City and Tallahassee.
In September, Wawa started building its first store in Alabama — one of the locations in Fairhope.
Wawa operates more than 975 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington D.C. If its explosive growth plans run their course, Wawa could become the fourth-largest c-store retailer in the country.
