Wawa has officially opened its first store in the Hoosier State, located in Daleville, Ind. The retailer has plans to open dozens of stores in the state, with the next two slated for Noblesville and Clarkesville, opening later this month, according to local publication IndyStar.
The Dalesville site was met with a grand ribbon cutting ceremony on May 15, with grand openings in Noblesville and Clarkesville planned for May 22 and May 30, respectively.
All of the sites will offer fuel, Wawa’s signature hoagies and a robust food and beverage selection. The retailer aims to open 12 stores per year in Indiana, with the hopes of eventually operating 60 location in the state.
The company invests, on average, $7.5 million per store, with each site employing 35 people.
Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Beyond
Wawa is in the midst of an aggressive expansion, with multiple news outlets, including Delco Today, PennLive.com and the Philadelphia Business Journal reporting that the retailer aims to open a staggering 700 new stores by 2030 — bringing its store count to 1,800.
The expansion is estimated to cost about $1.2 billion, with $300 million being invested in central Pennsylvania in the next few years.
The news of this expansion comes as the retailer is already hitting new markets. In the beginning of 2024, CEO Chris Gheysens said that the company would be undergoing “the most aggressive growth” in its history. The company has since grown to Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, Virginia and Indiana, with plans to expand into Kentucky and bolster its presence in key states like Florida, Tennessee and North Carolina.
“We are excited to fly into Ohio and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this state for the very first time,” said Brian Schaller, president of Wawa, at the time of the move. “This historic milestone kicks off our ongoing growth and expansion in Ohio as we continue to build new stores and create new jobs.”
The company’s plans in Ohio mirror its intentions in Indiana — in 2025, Wawa aims to open 8-10 stores in the Buckeye State, and then continue opening 6-10 stores per year until it reaches 60 in the state.
Today, Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio and Washington, D.C., with nearly 1,100 locations to date.
