Dive Brief:
- Wawa’s expansion plans for Tennessee are beginning to materialize, with officials in four areas considering proposals for new stores, according to a report from The Tennessean.
- The convenience retailer applied in April to build stores in Dickson and Bellevue. Two months later, the Clarksville Regional Planning Commission approved a Wawa c-store in that city, and in July, Wawa submitted paperwork to build one in Springfield.
- These preliminary Tennessee plans are part of a multi-state expansion Wawa is undertaking over the next few years as it seeks to grow to 1,800 stores.
Dive Insight:
The first of up to 40 planned Tennessee Wawas are expected to open in 2025, according to a company press release.
Bellevue and Springfield are within about 20 miles of downtown Nashville, while Dickson is about 40 miles west and Clarksville is about 50 miles northwest of the city.
The Tennessean noted that a Wawa spokesperson did not officially confirm any of these locations.
“It’s too soon in the process to confirm locations or timelines, but we look forward to sharing more information on our growth plans as plans take shape,” a Wawa spokesperson told the publication.
Wawa has already begun building stores in Ohio, with its second location in the state expected to open in late July. Additionally, the retailer broke ground on its first North Carolina location in May and has outline plans to add locations in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Kentucky.
Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives for NACS, noted in an earlier interview that Wawa’s immense growth can help the company try its newer concepts — like drive-thru lanes and EV charging — in new markets as part of its “test and learn” strategy.
“If they don’t get it right the first time but figured out something to get it right the second time, it seems like a good time to try that [concept],” he said.
Wawa currently operates more than 1,000 stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Ohio and Washington, D.C.
