Gas station, convenience store Wawa expanding with 60 stores in Ohio

Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer
·3 min read
Wawa plans to open around 60 stores in the next eight to 10 years in Ohio, the company announced Wednesday.
Wawa plans to open around 60 stores in the next eight to 10 years in Ohio, the company announced Wednesday.

Wawa plans to open 60 stores in Ohio in the next 10 years, starting in Cincinnati and Dayton markets.

The Pennsylvania-based gas station and convenience store chain, known for its made-to-order eats, held a community partnership event Wednesday at the Cincinnati American Red Cross headquarters to announce its expansion.

Wawa will invest $420 million into the stores ‒ $7 million per location – and plans to employ 40 local contractors and trades workers for each project. Each store will employ at least 35 staff members, creating over 2,000 jobs statewide.

While touring the country for potential new Wawa locations, "Cincinnati felt like home," John Poplawski, director of real estate, told The Enquirer. Poplawski said Cincinnati customers are similar to Philadelphia's, "from supporting local sports teams fervently to being involved in their communities."

CEO Chris Gheysens said Wawa will fill a void in Ohio for 24/7 fresh, customizable, made-to-order food.

Groundbreakings will start in mid-2024 and the first store openings are projected for January 2025, Lisa Corpus, Wawa's local real estate manager, said. Wawa has 16 sites under contract in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Greene, Hamilton, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties. The company could not provide opening timeframes for individual stores, including the one planned for Colerain Township.

These sites are under contract:

  • Butler County: Dixie Highway and Symmes Road; Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Liberty Way; Dixie and Mack Road; Highway 4 and Tylersville Road; Highway 4 and Liberty-Fairfield Road.

  • Clinton County: Highway 73 and SR 380.

  • Clermont County: SR 32 and Mt. Carmel Tobasco.

  • Greene County: Dayton-Yellow Springs Road and Park Hills Drive; Broad Street and Spangler Road.

  • Hamilton County: Springfield Pike and Glensprings Drive; Beechmont Avenue and Elstun Road; Colerain Road and Struble Avenue.

  • Miami County: S County Road 25A and W Kessler Cowlesville Road.

  • Montgomery County: Chambersburg Road and Old Troy Pike.

  • Warren County: Fields-Ertel and Wilkens; Highway 48 and Kingsview Drive; Kings Mill Road and Courseview Drive.

Wawa will announce projected stores' locations and opening timelines after the permitting and approval processes are completed. The company plans to open up to 10 locations in 2025, 10 in 2026 and five each year after that.

Wawa, a Pennsylvania-based gas station and convenience store chain, is known for its made-to-order food offerings.
Wawa, a Pennsylvania-based gas station and convenience store chain, is known for its made-to-order food offerings.

The Colerain Township Zoning Commission unanimously approved final development plans for a Wawa last week after initially rejecting the application. Some residents voiced concerns about the forthcoming gas station's impact on traffic, health and quality of life. The store will be located near the intersection of Colerain Avenue and Struble Road.

Along with the expansion, Wawa's nonprofit foundation will partner with the Cincinnati Red Cross and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The Wawa Foundation announced Wednesday it contributed over $20,000 to American Red Cross, Cincinnati Children’s, USO and National Air Force Museum Foundation.

"Supporting those in times of need and our everyday heroes, as we call them, at the Red Cross, as well as fighting children's health issues and supporting children's hospitals are two areas that are near and dear to our heart," Gheysens said.

Wawa, a family-owned chain, has more than 1,000 locations across six states and Washington, D.C.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Wawa plans expansion of 60 stores in Ohio