Wawa breaks ground on Ohio’s first location with many more to come

In addition to what’s expected to be Ohio’s first Wawa in Deerfield Twp. on Fields Ertel, Greater Cincinnati stores also will include ones in Liberty Twp., Fairfield, Mason and Springdale, and all are expected to be open by summertime next year. Statewide, there will be 11 stores opening by mid-2025.

Wawa has a dedicated fan base.

“You can buy sandwiches and beverages a lot of places, but what you can’t find is our unique balance of convenience, of great associates giving amazing customer service, being part of their communities, and of course our crave-able products,” said John Poplawski, Wawa’s vice president and chief real estate officer.

The Deerfield Twp. groundbreaking was the third of four across the Midwest (they also had events in Kentucky and Indiana), and Poplawski said the Ohio groundbreaking “has been the biggest, most exciting turnout that we’ve had.”

Each Wawa store, which executives describe as a convenience store that also sells fuel, will see $7.5 million invested for construction, and employ on average 40 people. With this expansion, Wawa is expecting to create 2,500 new jobs in Ohio, and company associates own 40% of the company through an employ stock ownership plan.

By 2026, another 10 stores are expected to open, and at least five stores in the years thereafter. The company is also looking for even more sites around the region.

“Our roots go back to Pennsylvania, which is not that far away, and when we think of Pennyslvania, we think of people who love their towns, work hard, love their sports teams, and Ohio’s no different,” said Poplawski. “It’s a state of neighborhoods ... friends and neighbors serving friends and neighborhood.”

Wawa is a privately held company, family- and associate-owned company, that began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. The company began dairy farming in Wawa, Pennsylvania in 1902 and the first Wawa Food Market opened in 1964 as home milk delivery declined. Today, Wawa is a convenience store and fueling station with around 1,000 locations in eight states and Washington, D.C.

The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as custom-prepared hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, hand-crafted specialty beverages, and a dinner menu including burgers, as well as an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.

OHIO’S FIRST FIVE WAWAS

Wawa will begin construction on five store locations in Southwest Ohio this year. They include:

5308 Fields Ertel Road, Deerfield Twp. in Warren County

7198 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, Liberty Twp. in Butler County

4577 Dixie Highway (Ohio 4), Fairfield in Butler County

5248 Courseview Dr., Mason in Warren County

370 Glensprings Drive, Springdale in Hamilton County