Wawa is taking its convenience game to the next level with the launch of its first-ever Travel Center later this month — a sprawling pit stop designed for both long-haul truckers and everyday travelers.
The debut location, opening Aug. 28 in Hope Mills, North Carolina, will span over 8,300 square feet, making it significantly larger than the company’s traditional stores. Travelers will find 20 fueling stations for passenger cars, six high-speed diesel lanes for tractor-trailers, and ample parking, including free spaces for big rigs. Inside, guests can expect the full range of Wawa food and drinks, plus indoor and outdoor seating, oversized restrooms, a weigh station, and even a pet relief area for four-legged companions.
Will Wawa Announce a Travel Center in NJ?
While the Mid-Atlantic brand has deep roots in New Jersey, boasting roughly 300 stores across the Garden State, Wawa has yet to announce any plans to bring a Travel Center to its home turf. The company, which started as an iron foundry in the early 1800s before evolving into a dairy and eventually a convenience chain, is now heavily investing in expansion across the South and Midwest.
In fact, the Hope Mills location is part of a $675 million push into North Carolina, with Wawa aiming to build six to eight stores annually in the state until it reaches around 90 locations. For New Jersey fans, that means the Travel Center experience remains out of reach for now, though the chain continues to grow locally with recent openings in Jackson and Old Bridge, and another site under construction in Hampton Township, Sussex County.
For road-trippers heading south later this summer, the new Travel Center could be the ultimate pit stop — a one-stop shop for fuel, fresh food, and a moment of rest before getting back on the highway.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.