An East Coast convenience store chain with a cult following, Wawa is rumored to be considering an expansion into California in the coming years with possible plans to open at least one location in San Diego.
Wawa began as a dairy farm in Delaware County, PA, in 1890, and gained popularity due to owner George Wood using doctors to certify his product as safe for consumption. Eventually as milk began being sold in markets rather than directly to consumer by dairy farms, the founder's grandson, Grahame Wood, began opening Wawa Food Markets. The first Wawa market opened in 1964 in Folsom, PA, and the company now has almost 1,000 locations, mostly sited in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, and Virginia.Over the years, Wawa has gained a cult-like following due to its service, focus on sense of community, cheap gasoline at some branches, and each store's onsite deli, which offers a selection of breakfast items, made to order hot & cold sandwiches, salads, bowls, soups, and coffee drinks. Last year, the privately-held company Wawa Inc. announced expansion plans that include aggressive growth in Florida and future locations in previously untouched states like North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.
We have received word that Wawa is also planning to expand into California in the coming years, likely to begin in 2025. With California migration on the horizon, Wawa is certainly exploring launching several stores around San Diego County.
For more information, visit wawa.com.
