QuoteBy Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor
Wawa Inc. has one site under contract and several more in review for its entrance into Northeast Florida with five or six stores — and expects 20-25 over time.
"We are all in for our efforts in Jacksonville," Wawa Regional Real Estate Manager Brian Duke said Thursday.
Wawa is the popular Pennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station chain that launched its Florida presence in July 2012 in Central Florida.
It has opened 87 locations in the state at a pace of one every two weeks, Duke said.
At an estimated minimum $5 million capital investment for each store, not counting the cost of real estate, Wawa's initial Northeast Florida investment is at least $25 million to $30 million.
Each Wawa hires 40-50 full- and part-time employees, so the initial area wave would create up to 300 jobs.
Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546945
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
If you also bring in Sheetz from PA you'll see those Gate stores singing a different tune or go the way of Lil' Champ and Majik Market ;)
Quote from: PeeJayEss on January 29, 2016, 09:48:05 AM
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Other than the name, how does this differ from any other decent gas station (Pilot/7-eleven/flagship gate store)???
^^^Exactly. Add Daily's to that list too. Wawa: the Macy's of gas stations.
Quote from: coredumped on January 29, 2016, 10:05:12 AM
Quote from: PeeJayEss on January 29, 2016, 09:48:05 AM
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Other than the name, how does this differ from any other decent gas station (Pilot/7-eleven/flagship gate store)???
Wawa stores have very decent made to order sandwiches. Much better than the offerings at Daily's Dash.
Frankly, I'd drive past several sub chains to get to a Wawas if I was looking for a quick, sandwich on the go.
Quote from: I-10east on January 29, 2016, 10:16:17 AM
^^^Exactly. Add Daily's to that list too. Wawa: the Macy's of gas stations.
Nothing really is that black and white. To be specific, Pilot is a travel center (truck stop with gas station and a few quick service restaurant chains included). Their competitors are Love's and TA.
7-Elevens are typically smaller scaled convenience stores that don't necessarily include fueling pumps. Circle K would be more comparable to 7-Eleven than a Pilot or Love's.
WAWA would be more comparable to the newer Gate and Daily's gas stations. Over the years, they've built a cult like following in the northeast partially due to their fresh food offerings. One could probably argue that chains like WAWA had directly lead to Gate and Daily's attempting to step their game up recently. Btw, WAWA is also planning to add 120 stores in South Florida.
Quote from: coredumped on January 29, 2016, 10:05:12 AM
Quote from: PeeJayEss on January 29, 2016, 09:48:05 AM
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Other than the name, how does this differ from any other decent gas station (Pilot/7-eleven/flagship gate store)???
Once you've experienced Wawa, you won't consider those to be decent gas stations. And it has nothing to do with the gas.
So are their deli sandwiches on the level of Publix?
I went to a Wawa's in Brevard County and got a sandwich, It's okay, I wasn't salivating with every bite by no means; I'd definitely rather go to Firehouse for a sandwich. I been to Sheetz while heading to Knoebels; The thing that stuck out there were the good sodas from the Northeast. I don't get these supposed 'higher end' gas places that supposed to me me stop going to a regular BP, Gate, etc somewhere, but whatever, as long as those additions make everyone happy...Don't get me wrong, I love it when new companies come to Jax, but will I drive outta the way to get food at a Wawa? Absolutely not.
I don't think they'll stop people from going to get cheap gas. However, if they offer something you seek and do a better job at it than existing places, you'll seek them for that particular product. It's really no different from having multiple options for groceries (ex. Aldi, Publix, Trader Joe's, Winn-Dixie, Sav-a-lot, Walmart, Earth Fare, Fresh Market, Native Sun, etc.). They all sell food. However, they all have their niches.
RaceTrac's been stepping & prepping too (all of the new locations are going through conversions):
http://www.cspnet.com/industry-news-analysis/corporate-news/articles/how-racetrac-plans-attract-more-tracfanatics
Fair enough Lake.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on January 29, 2016, 10:00:34 AM
If you also bring in Sheetz from PA you'll see those Gate stores singing a different tune or go the way of Lil' Champ and Majik Market ;)
I visited my friend in Ohio a few years back and fell in love with Sheetz. If only!
Quote from: Spitfire on January 29, 2016, 12:56:42 PM
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on January 29, 2016, 10:00:34 AM
If you also bring in Sheetz from PA you'll see those Gate stores singing a different tune or go the way of Lil' Champ and Majik Market ;)
I visited my friend in Ohio a few years back and fell in love with Sheetz. If only!
Stopped at Sheetz on a trip to and from PA and really liked their food and coffee plus it was overall very nice and clean.
I like WaWa. Nice addition. They have pretty decent coffee and often run really great specials. And it's made by real human hands. The free ATM and decent prices help too. I wouldn't drive across town to go to one but if I pass one I would stop ahead of some of the other places. So I guess I'm with PeeJayEss.
Quote from: avonjax on January 30, 2016, 10:22:13 AM
I wouldn't drive across town to go to one but if I pass one I would stop ahead of some of the other places.
Probably why they want to have 25 across the city ;D
During our trip to the mountains of WV a stop at a Sheetz has become a cult like tradition. Sandwiches and salads are good(of course they aren't Oviente) and inexpensive. One near the Riverside area would be good - food at 4 AM. You don't feel like your getting food at a gas station. WAWA is similar but stores feel different. Either way the competition will raise the bar for the locals.
The differences between Wawa and Sheetz are subtle but sets themselves world's apart in my view. Both have everything a typical Gate or Daily's has plus touch screen food ordering and quality sandwiches, burgers, and soups, but Wawa's have a bigger in-your-face presence to them with their history, bold lettering, spacious stores, marketing, and how they embrace their Mid-Atlantic roots. Sheetz on the other hand don't seem to market themselves the same way: Their logo is less-obtrusive, the lighting of the stores is more subtle, and their stores are smaller but inside is more cozier plus they make up for it with seating indoors and out (it would also blend in more with a neighborhood like Riverside for those reasons). Also the newer Wawa's have more hectic suburban strip-mall or heavy trafficked highway turn-off locations while many Sheetz locations are in more rural locales where they're not competing with a lot of fast-food places so they are a much more welcomed site especially driving a lot of back road non-interstate central Pennsylvania highways (given they are 24 hours). Wawa is the place you go to fill up after a long hot day at the shore or amusement park to get last minute drinks and snacks before you get stuck with all the weekend beach traffic. While Sheetz are looked at as more of a beacon, Wawa stores acts more like a floodlight.
...and don't forget the Wawa promos on TV and radio, funny and eye-catching (and a little annoying). Buckle up, Jax!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgR5NwivNI8
Looks like the first Wawa's will go up at Beach & Central Parkway across from FSCJ. Sleiman had tried to option the same property to get a 7-11 built there but couldn't find an operator and gave up.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547561 (http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547561)
There are already a Murphy Express, Kangaroo Express and a Mobil by the Alhambra 3/4 mile east of this parcel. If it in fact goes through this stretch will be very well served. Oddly, there is a vacant Citgo sitting a mile west that still shows $4 gas at Beach and 295.
With Central Parkway now connected to Eco Drive (UNF) to the south and FSCJ across the street, this location may get a good collection of students coming and going.
Gate pushed hard for a mega store in Atlantic Beach - over the objections of many residents. Is Gate gearing up for stiff competition from Wawa?
Quote from: Flash60 on May 17, 2016, 04:07:28 PM
Gate pushed hard for a mega store in Atlantic Beach - over the objections of many residents. Is Gate gearing up for stiff competition from Wawa?
yes....but their food offerings still pale in comparison
Gate is on the bottom of my list for convince stores. Some are nice, but the bad ones are REALLY bad.
And correct, their food is bad. I have to go to kangaroo to get my dandee sandwiches now.
Quote3:45 p.m. update: Wawa considers area a 30-plus store market; fourth local store in Fort Caroline
Wawa Inc. intends to roll into North Florida in a big way, starting with up to five gasoline station-convenience stores by the end of 2017 and at least 30 locations eventually.
Maybe more — think 40.
At a cost of at least $5 million in each location, and 40 jobs per store, the Pennsylvania-based company is looking at an investment of $150 million and a job base of 1,200 in Northeast Florida with those first 30.
Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=547721