'Wawa On Steroids': Chain Could Bring 'Travel Centers' To NJ, PA

NEW JERSEY — Hold onto your hoagies. As Wawa embarks on an aggressive push to expand, with plans to bring "travel centers" to existing markets, which could mean larger stores in New Jersey.

CEO Chris Gheysens described the travel centers as "Wawa on steroids" during the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia's 2023 Economic Outlook on Jan. 13. While they won't have overnight accommodations, the centers will include offerings targeting "light-duty vehicles" carrying travelers and some single-day commercial truckers, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports.

Gheysens first hinted at opening travel centers last April, telling the Business Journal that the company plans to nearly double its store count and operate about 1,800 locations by 2030. The plan involves new locations in existing markets and expansion into new states.

The opening of travel centers will likely take five years, a Wawa spokesperson told NBC10 Philadelphia. The facilities will be bigger than typical Wawa stores and located in more high-profile locations on major highways, such as Interstate 95, which has a lengthy stretch in the Garden State.

The average Wawa store is roughly 4,000 square feet. While the company hasn't estimated the size of any travel centers, the plan could put Wawa more in line with southern chain Buc-ee's, known for its mega travel centers.

Buc-ee's holds the world record for the largest convenience store — a 66,335-square-foot facility in New Braunfels, Texas. The store, which is larger than a football field, features 120 gas pumps, 83 toilets and a wider selection of goods available than a typical Wawa. The average Buc-ee's is 35,000 square feet.

Wawa operates about 950 stores, located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The business plans to open locations in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.