Location of second Wawa in Pensacola identified. Here's what's in the works:

The second of at least two Wawa stores coming to the Pensacola area filed a project development request with Escambia County’s Development Review Committee to build at the corner of U.S. Highway 98 West and North Blue Angel Parkway.

This location will be the second of two Wawa stores promised for Escambia County by Wawa officials at their community day event hosted in February. At the same event, Wawa officials said that an additional three to four potential sites were under consideration.

The first location, which received approval from the Development Review Committee on Oct. 25, is planned to be built on the corner of West Nine Mile Road and Beulah Road. Pensacola’s first Wawa will likely finish construction early next year.

First Wawa coming to Pensacola: Pensacola's first Wawa is set to break ground soon on West Nine Mile Road

Where will Pensacola’s second Wawa be?

The second Wawa store in the Pensacola area, being developed by WaWa Florida, LLC out of Orlando, is planned to be built at 9262 W Highway 98 on a 2.54-acre parcel of undeveloped land, according to its project information form filed with Escambia County for approval of the development.

The store is planned to be approximately 5,915 square feet, slightly smaller than the West Nine Mile Wawa, which is planned to be 6,119 square feet on an almost 18-acre parcel.

WaWa Florida, LLC initially applied for the project’s approval in April and applied once again Oct. 23 to Escambia County’s Development Review Committee. The project latest filings was reviewed by the Development Review Committee on Nov. 1.

Once the project gets approval from Escambia County’s Development Review Committee it will be at least summer of 2024 before the new Wawa opens. Wawa officials said earlier this year that developing a new Wawa store takes about six to nine months.

Wawa's Florida stores are mostly in the southwest, across central Florida and up and down the east coast, but in 2021 Wawa announced plans to open up to 40 new stores around Pensacola, Panama City and Tallahassee, along with Mobile, Alabama, over the next eight to 10 years.

There are 1,027 Wawa stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The first Wawa in Florida opened on July 18, 2012, in Orlando, across from SeaWorld.

Why Wawa is so popular: What's so great about Wawa? Grab a hoagie, here's everything you need to know

What is Wawa?

"Wawa" is an Ojibwe Native American word that translates, more or less, as “Canada goose." It's also the name of the town where this version of the company developed as well as where the corporate offices still reside. That's also why a goose is on the company's corporate logo.

The popular convenience store and gas station chain began in 1964 in Pennsylvania and has branched out from the state in a rapid fashion.

Wawa has opened 267 stores in Florida and employs about 10,000 associates across the state. After expanding its footprint across six additional states, Wawa has ranked No. 23 on the Forbes list of largest privately held companies in America.

Wawas also are famous for customer service, scrupulously clean bathrooms, decent gas prices, free air for your tires and no-charge ATMs. They're a comforting presence for travelers and a community hub for neighborhoods. In 2022 Forbes ranked them No. 12 in their Halo 100 list of brands that consumers love.

Each chain is open 24 hours every day of the year serving its handcrafted drinks, popular customizable hoagies and other fresh foods outside of the usual snacks and beverages available at a gas station.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola's second Wawa store planned for Highway 98