Wawa sets opening for Mountain Lakes store. But can it conquer QuickChek in Morris County?
Dominant in the South Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia markets, Wawa continues to expand into North Jersey, including a planned fourth-quarter grand opening in Mountain Lakes.
But the home of the Hoagiefest − and its new pizza menu − still has a long way to go in the convenience-store wars centered in Morris County, where QuickChek is still king.
Wawa estimates a fourth-quarter grand opening for its sixth Morris County location. A groundbreaking at the Route 46 site, formerly home to the Zeris Inn banquet hall, took place early this year. The gas-pump station canopy is currently under construction in front of a brick-store building that is nearing completion.
Wawa vs. QuickChek
Based in the Wawa area of Chester Heights in Pennsylvania, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014 and now has more than 1,000 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
With a grand opening last week in Lakehurst, Wawa now has 284 locations in the Garden State, spokesperson Alyson Mucha said Tuesday. "We look forward to continuing to serve our communities in New Jersey," she added.
More: QuickChek or Wawa? Which one is growing faster in NJ?
Wawa's statewide footprint outpaces its closest competitor, Readington-based QuickChek, which has 144 stores in New Jersey along with 14 in New York's Hudson Valley region and six on Long Island.
That includes 17 QuickCheks in Morris County, including the newest outpost, which opened in November on Route 10 in Denville. Another is scheduled to open on Route 10 in East Hanover before the end of the year.
The first New Jersey QuickChek opened in Dunellen in 1967. Like Wawa, the company traces its roots to a dairy farm.
Replacing banquet hall
Back in Mountain Lakes, the newest Wawa will replace a business that hosted local parties and celebrations for a half-century. After more than 50 years in business, the former Zeris Inn was demolished in May 2022 to make way for the convenience store.
By the time the businesses closed last year, the Zeris had hosted more than 6,000 weddings along with countless fundraisers and charity events, according to former co-owner Andy Zeris. Before he and his brothers bought the business, it had operated as the Rainbow Lakes Inn, he said last year, as he watched the demolition.
"They used to come from all over, up and down the highway, from the [Delaware] River to the city," Zeris said.
William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com
Twitter: @wwesthoven
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Mountain Lakes NJ Wawa to open, challenges QuickChek in Morris County
