OT: Wawa potentially coming to State College!!

[TheBigUglies]

Not sure why I am excited by this, maybe because I am a Philly transplant. I like Sheetz but I think Wawa offers more made to order food. For example, Wawa has mashed potatoes but Sheetz doesn't. I am not a fan of Rutters or Uni-Marts. I do like the Sheetz gas discounts on their rewardz card but not sure if Wawa has something similar.

Curious to where they decide to put the Wawa. Rutters is supposedly putting a store at Blue Course and W. College Ave in that open space before the car dealer.

https://www.statecollege.com/wawa-exploring-potential-state-college-area-stores-could-open-by-2025/

If this thread leads into a which is better Sheetz vs Wawa, I want to apologize in advanced before it hits the crapper.

 

[BobPSU92]

Be right back.

 

[psuro]

If this thread leads into a which is better Sheetz vs Wawa, I want to apologize in advanced before it hits the crapper.

Wawa.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

about frickin time

 

[PSU87]

about frickin time

Considering we've had them in Florida for years....you'd think central PA would have happened years ago

 

[CvilleElksCoach]

Just what we need, more gas stations and convenience stores. How about figuring out how to fill all the empty retail space downtown.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

I was born/raised in Sheetz territory, then later in life lived amongst the Wawa-onians. Both are fantastic options, but I now prefer the latter. That said, I’d take either considering I’m stuck with otherwise y choices up here in New England.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Considering we've had them in Florida for years....you'd think central PA would have happened years ago

understood, but there was either an official or an unofficial agreement between Sheetz and Wawa to not erect stores in the other's territory. That's slowly been being broken. Wawa has had a few facilities in the Lancaster and Lititz area for some time, and that's traditional Sheetz territory.

I find it interesting that Royal Farms, which is traditionally in MD, has erected several stores/gas stations in the Philadelphia suburbs. I guess there wasn't an agreement between them and Wawa, as Wawa has quite a few stores in Eastern MD.

Florida has become pretty big for Wawa, in terms of a growth area. I've read that the Wawa stores in FL are quite popular.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I was born/raised in Sheetz territory, then later in life lived amongst the Wawa-onians. Both are fantastic options, but I now prefer the latter. That said, I’d take either considering I’m stuck with otherwise y choices up here in New England.

lol, I was at a soccer tournament in the past year, and upon leaving it went to a Wawa. There were some kids there that were having some trouble with the order screen, and I decided to help them. After I did so for a minute, the mom of one of them appeared, and we got to chatting. Turns out they were from upstate NY, but the mom grew up in SE PA. She said whenever they are in the SE PA region, they always stop at Wawa, as there is nothing remotely close to it where they live.

 

[Woodpecker]

 

[BobPSU92]

understood, but there was either an official or an unofficial agreement between Sheetz and Wawa to not erect stores in the other's territory. That's slowly been being broken. Wawa has had a few facilities in the Lancaster and Lititz area for some time, and that's traditional Sheetz territory.

I find it interesting that Royal Farms, which is traditionally in MD, has erected several stores/gas stations in the Philadelphia suburbs. I guess there wasn't an agreement between them and Wawa, as Wawa has quite a few stores in Eastern MD.

Florida has become pretty big for Wawa, in terms of a growth area. I've read that the Wawa stores in FL are quite popular.

I can see why Wawa wouldn’t want to be crowded by Sheetz’s erections and vice versa.

 

[GrimReaper]

lol, I was at a soccer tournament in the past year, and upon leaving it went to a Wawa. There were some kids there that were having some trouble with the order screen, and I decided to help them. After I did so for a minute, the mom of one of them appeared, and we got to chatting. Turns out they were from upstate NY, but the mom grew up in SE PA. She said whenever they are in the SE PA region, they always stop at Wawa, as there is nothing remotely close to it where they live.

Depending on where in "upstate" those folks are from there may be nothing close to anything.

 

[LBUfanatic]

Just what we need, more gas stations and convenience stores. How about figuring out how to fill all the empty retail space downtown.

Is it your money being invested? Didn’t think so.

 

[Ernst]

I work for a large foodservice manufacturer and i call on both Sheetz and Wawa. People who live in areas where their stores are located have no idea how lucky they are to have this conversation. The other 85% of the US does not have anything close to the foodservice offerings of these two retailers. Other than Kwik Trip in Wisconsin and possibly Maverik in Utah there's nothing like a Sheetz or a Wawa. When PA did not allow beer to be sold in convenience accounts both accounts had to move in a different direction for sales dollars.

 

[ODShowtime]

Florida has become pretty big for Wawa, in terms of a growth area. I've read that the Wawa stores in FL are quite popular.

They're huge and clean. It's the closet station to my house so I go often. And they have a beer cave!

 

[psuro]

Depending on where in "upstate" those folks are from there may be nothing close to anything.

Tim Horton's eh?

 

[PSU87]

I work for a large foodservice manufacturer and i call on both Sheetz and Wawa. People who live in areas where their stores are located have no idea how lucky they are to have this conversation. The other 85% of the US does not have anything close to the foodservice offerings of these two retailers. Other than Kwik Trip in Wisconsin and possibly Maverik in Utah there's nothing like a Sheetz or a Wawa. When PA did not allow beer to be sold in convenience accounts both accounts had to move in a different direction for sales dollars.

Buc-ee's is Wawa on steroids.
I can get fuel, a fountain drink, a fresh carved brisket sandwich, a pair of Columbia fishing shorts and a new smoker all in the same stop.

 

[manatree]

Be right back.

For Pete's sake, use tongs.

 

[psuro]

Buc-ee's is Wawa on steroids.
I can get fuel, a fountain drink, a fresh carved brisket sandwich, a pair of Columbia fishing shorts and a new smoker all in the same stop.

And a bj from a Lot Lizard.

 

[Karl_Havok]

For Pete's sake, use tongs.

Who's Pete and why is he in involved in this at all?

 

[Bwifan]

understood, but there was either an official or an unofficial agreement between Sheetz and Wawa to not erect stores in the other's territory. That's slowly been being broken. Wawa has had a few facilities in the Lancaster and Lititz area for some time, and that's traditional Sheetz territory.

I find it interesting that Royal Farms, which is traditionally in MD, has erected several stores/gas stations in the Philadelphia suburbs. I guess there wasn't an agreement between them and Wawa, as Wawa has quite a few stores in Eastern MD.

Florida has become pretty big for Wawa, in terms of a growth area. I've read that the Wawa stores in FL are quite popular.

Just to expand on this a bit since my good friend works at wawa corporate. The families sit on each other's boards. They will not open a store within a certain mile radius of each other's stores without permission from each family. Why you do see some Sheetz and Wawa's right next to each other or right down the street from each other, as the families have approved it.
Living in southeast Florida the wawa stores are popping up everywhere. They kind of did a Disney move and bought up properties for years while they worked on the 3 stores in Tampa for a the correct business model. Not everything in Florida moves off the shelves like it does in PA. Took them several years to get it right, but now they know how long each product will sit on a shelve before it is sold. Just a FYI for those don't know Wawa will be opening up stores soon all along the I-95 corridor in NC/SC. They will not at this time be going deeper into those states. They are also opening stores in TN that I believe already have scheduled opening dates.

 

[UncleRoyBiggins]

For Pete's sake, use tongs.

Who is Pete?

 

[UncleRoyBiggins]

I'm waiting for Buc-ee's!!

 

[psuro]

Who is Pete?

He is the guy with the principle.

 

[TheBigUglies]

They're huge and clean. It's the closet station to my house so I go often. And they have a beer cave!

I think that is the advantage Wawa and Sheetz have over the others. I heard that it is because they are corporate owned and are kept to a high standard. Whereas Uni-Marts and 7-Elevens are independently owned so they owners cut corners and offer lesser products and cleanliness. Not sure about Rutters and Royal Farms. However, I have been is some run down Rutters traveling back and forth to MD.

 

[Pennst8nut]

Just what we need, more gas stations and convenience stores. How about figuring out how to fill all the empty retail space downtown.

Drop the rent and watch how business comes back!

 

[CvilleElksCoach]

Is it your money being invested? Didn’t think so.

No, but it's my community being blighted.

 

[psuro]

No, but it's my community being blighted.

OK but that is not the fault of Wawa or Sheetz. They have a business model and that model needs space that is not found downtown.

You need to push your local planning and zoning boards and Borough Council to get the businesses back to downtown.

 

[Whart]

Central Pa will see over 20 new Wawa locations per an announcement a few months back. In addition to State College , I would imagine that Harrisburg Metro is or would be a prime growth market for several of the 20 locations.

 

[Woodpecker]

Central Pa will see over 20 new Wawa locations per an announcement a few months back. In addition to State College , I would imagine that Harrisburg Metro is or would be a prime growth market for several of the 20 locations.

There was this thread 6 months ago

 

[BobPSU92]

Wawa NIL money?

 

[CvilleElksCoach]

OK but that is not the fault of Wawa or Sheetz. They have a business model and that model needs space that is not found downtown.

You need to push your local planning and zoning boards and Borough Council to get the businesses back to downtown.

I see gas stations and convenience store, well, too many of them as blight. BTW, Sheetz is downtown too.

 

[ODShowtime]

I think that is the advantage Wawa and Sheetz have over the others. I heard that it is because they are corporate owned and are kept to a high standard. Whereas Uni-Marts and 7-Elevens are independently owned so they owners cut corners and offer lesser products and cleanliness. Not sure about Rutters and Royal Farms. However, I have been is some run down Rutters traveling back and forth to MD.

The ones in Florida are all just the way wawa wants them since they could choose where to go and build them just how they want.

Probably many of the OG wawas in Eastern PA are limited to the original building and footprint. The ones in Florida feel huge with high ceilings and well designed flow with people getting coffee and waiting for their food orders in a different area from where people who just want to get drinks and smokes and get out quick queue up.

 

[GrimReaper]

Tim Horton's eh?

See how many you can find from more than, say, 50-75 miles from the shores of Lake Ontario or banks of the St. Lawrence River.

 

[TheBigUglies]

There was this thread 6 months ago

Who remembers what happen 6 months ago vs 6 hours ago? Plus that thread didn't site an articles about State College and was just a rando post where someone said they are looking to put 40 stores. But you have a great memory!!!

 

[Bwifan]

OK but that is not the fault of Wawa or Sheetz. They have a business model and that model needs space that is not found downtown.

You need to push your local planning and zoning boards and Borough Council to get the businesses back to downtown.

Correct 'ro... Wawa likes large corner lots with lots of square footage. . Multiple entry/exit points that they can fit a large amount of gas pumps on with plenty of parking.

The ones in Florida are all just the way wawa wants them since they could choose where to go and build them just how they want.

Probably many of the OG wawas in Eastern PA are limited to the original building and footprint. The ones in Florida feel huge with high ceilings and well designed flow with people getting coffee and waiting for their food orders in a different area from where people who just want to get drinks and smokes and get out quick queue up.

Correct. Wawa is slowly over time looking to eliminate the OG Wawa's. Usually small footprint and parking. For example several years ago they got rid of the old Wawa in Doylestown that I went to all the time as a kid. It was new and the in thing to do back then. They finally found a big enough lot about 400 yards from that OG Wawa where they could put in gas pumps and a much larger store. As much as they can they try to keep to that model if they can find a big enough lot near an existing old Wawa they will build new and retire the older store.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

The ones in Florida are all just the way wawa wants them since they could choose where to go and build them just how they want.

Probably many of the OG wawas in Eastern PA are limited to the original building and footprint. The ones in Florida feel huge with high ceilings and well designed flow with people getting coffee and waiting for their food orders in a different area from where people who just want to get drinks and smokes and get out quick queue up.

yes and no.

Many of the old stores have been closed in SE PA, and replacements built relatively close by. None of the old stores had gas pumps, and many had limited parking and limited space. The replacements stores are often at big intersections, and feature the footprint and flow designs that Wawa prefers.

I suspect there are more limits to building in SE PA than in Florida. SE PA has been lived in by settlers since the 1600s, and many of the roads are smaller than would be optimum as they were designed in the 1700 & 1800s, and there isn't space to expand them. Plus, each township/whatever the governmental entity is, has their own zoning requirements. Wawa is often required to tweak their preferred design to address these requirements.

 

[BobPSU92]

See how many you can find from more than, say, 50-75 miles from the shores of Lake Ontario or banks of the St. Lawrence River.

Wish there were many more because Dunkin sucks.

 

[GrimReaper]

Wish there were many more because Dunkin sucks.

Well, there is the Krispy Kreme on 22 in Springfield.

 

[ODShowtime]

Wish there were many more because Dunkin sucks.

They don't even try to make good donuts anymore. I miss that dude who use to wake up early and make the donuts.