The Tiniest Wawa in Philly Is Finally Opening
Philly already has the biggest Wawa in the world. Now the city’s smallest one is opening — complete with our first Wawa pickup window.
Photo courtesy of Wawa
It seems like just yesterday we celebrated Wawa Week in Philadelphia, which culminated with our beloved convenience store opening its flagship location in Washington Square West — aka the largest, fanciest Wawa in the world.
Believe it or not, that was more than a year ago. And since then, Wawa has downgraded — in size, at least.
This Friday, the smallest Wawa in Philadelphia will open at 16th and Chestnuts streets in Center City. It’s been a long time coming: Wawa first announced the store back in April, with an initial goal of opening sometime in the fall of 2019.
So what’s the deal with the tiny Wawa? The under-3,000-square-foot shop (which, needless to say, will not include a gas station) will resemble the small grab-and-go stores you can find in train stations and airports. The small Wawa will include a “Test Nest” that will feature more environmentally friendly lids, straws, bags, and stirrers. Here’s a rendering:
Rendering via Wawa
You’ll also find a walk-up window where you can pick up orders you’ve placed ahead of time on the Wawa app, as well as a “Ready to Run” grab-and-go case full of items like chicken Caesar salads, peppered turkey wraps, and granola parfaits. The pickup window will be the first of its kind for Wawa in Philly. Also keep an eye out for some fancy new products like the ones available at the flagship store, like “upscale” hot tea and cold-pressed juices.
We’ll keep you updated on the store, which will open at 8 a.m. on Friday. Free T-shirts will go to the first 100 customers through the door. And of course, in typical Wawa fashion, there will be free coffee. Plan for an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., with city officials and community leaders in attendance.
