What is your favorite Wawa? Is it one of the originals in South Jersey?
Wawa Inc. keeps building super convenience stores but some of its smaller shops that opened 40 to 50 years ago survive in South Jersey.
The chain has many loyal fans, but how many know which local town has the oldest Wawa? And was the wild goose always part of Wawa’s logo?
The Wawa in the strip shopping center at Ramblewood Parkway and Church Street in Mount Laurel opened in 1968 as the first in South Jersey, according to Wawa chief real estate officer Brian Schaller.
More: Wawa expanding its menu Wawa pizza? Convenience chain says it’s coming during milestone opening in Oaklyn
Wawa refers to its older locations as "legacy" stores.
Others that opened with the name Wawa Food Market are the nearly 50-year-old store on Main Street in Moorestown, one on Route 70 near Kingston Drive in Cherry Hill, and another at Route 73 and Brick Road in Marlton.
Legacy stores vs. Super Wawas
The company, which previously operated a dairy farm with home delivery, opened its first convenience store in 1964 in Folsom, a Philadelphia suburb.
The business at that time was based in Wawa, a Native American word for a wild goose. The bird was added to the company’s logo in 1974.
The number of legacy stores is dwindling, as Wawa focuses on building much larger stores with gas stations.
A legacy Wawa in Collings Lakes, Atlantic County, closed June 26 without a public announcement by the company. Customers said they found out about the closing from store employees.
Wawa did not respond to requests for comment.
What customers like about Wawa
Wawa depends on loyal customers like Mike Williams of Moorestown and Bill Morris of Mount Laurel.
“This is my Wawa," Williams pronounced recently as he left a legacy Wawa in Moorestown.
"I like the smaller stores because I know where everything is. I get my decaffeinated coffee with a splash of hot chocolate in the mornings and snacks later in the day," said the hospital anesthesiologist, who was carrying Mountain Dew, corn chips and M&Ms.
Morris, 87, has been coming to the the Wawa in Ramblewood for 47 years.
He carried a take-out salad after a recent visit, but said he especially loves the French vanilla coffee and hoagies.
Legacy stores are smaller and have a cozier feel with warmer interior colors. However, they were built without a significant customer convenience − public restrooms.
The first superstores opened in 1996 with as many as 12 gas pumps, according to Wawa's website. The chain recently converted an older Wawa on Burnt Mill Road in Voorhees into a super store this year.
Where is Wawa expansion planned?
The spread of the larger stores has wiped out many of the legacy locations.
For instance, the chain this year replaced an older Wawa with a larger store at Burnt Mill and White Horse roads in Voorhees.
Wawa’s also received approval for a convenience store and gas station at Route 322 and Tuckahoe Road in Monroe. It’s indicated to the planning board that a legacy store across the street will close.
The chain opened its 1,000th store this year on the White Horse Pike in Oaklyn. That spelled the demise of a smaller Oaklyn store the same day a block away on the pike
Meanwhile, the superstores are marching into new territories.
In May construction began on the first Wawa in North Carolina as the chain plans to double its size with new locations in the Midwest and South.
Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email ccomegno@gannettnj.com. And support local journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Where is the first Wawa store in South Jersey? Is it still open
