Wawa, Inc. officially announced the date of Wednesday, April 16 as the grand opening of the first Wawa store in the state of Ohio launching the retailer’s expansion into the Midwest. Located in Butler County at 7198 Cincinnati Dayton Road, Liberty Township, Ohio, this location is the first of 8 to 10 Wawa stores slated to open in Ohio by year’s end. Each store employs on average 35 workers.
Not only does this date mark the retailer’s entrance into its tenth state, but it coincides with the founding date of the first Wawa store that opened on April 16, 1964 in Delaware County, PA. Fondly known as “Wawa Day,” by associates and customers, the retailer will toast its new friends and neighbors in Liberty Township, Ohio, as well as across its 1,100 locations with festivities to celebrate entrance to the Midwest and thank everyone for decades of support!
As Wawa gears up for its big day, the convenience retailer is seeking stories from Ohio friends and neighbors about their favorite Wawa memories to attend a “Taste of Wawa” preview event the day before the store opens. In addition, the retailer will highlight select stories at the Grand Opening and on its social media channels on Wawa Day to celebrate the unique, family-like bonds between associates and customers.
“We are excited to fly into Ohio and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this state for the very first time. This historic milestone kicks off our ongoing growth and expansion in Ohio as we continue to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian Schaller, President of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending our commitment to being a good neighbor with the announcement of several community partnerships made on opening day!”
Wawa projects opening 8-10 stores in the Buckeye State in 2025. Over the next 5-8 years, Wawa plans to build and open 6-10 stores per year in Ohio, with expectations to open up to 60 stores in the state. 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 2,100 new, long-term new jobs as a result of expansion in Ohio.