First Fort Myers stores set to open in spring, 2015.
Wawa is “flying” into Fort Myers, Fla. and is set to share details about the expansion into southwest Florida through a Community Partnership Lunch.
The event will be held immediately following Wawa’s groundbreaking event of its first Fort Myers store, which is set to open next year.
The Community Partnership Lunch is designed to invite local officials, community members, business and charity partners to learn more about Wawa’s history, product offer, people and expected local economic impact in the Southwest Florida
On Tuesday July 15, 2014 at 11 a.m., Wawa’s Community Partnership Lunch will be held at the Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe Street, Fort Myers FL 33901
During the event, Wawa officials will announce the first locations to open, show renderings of the stores, and discuss key milestone dates for store construction and openings in the Fort Myers area and overall southwest Florida region.
Wawa in Florida
On July of 2012, Wawa launched in Orlando, with a goal to provide a whole new world of quality and convenience for Floridians. Since then, Wawa has opened more than 40 stores between Orlando and Tampa and is employs more than 1,500 associates in the sunshine state.
“We are thrilled to mark an important milestone in our expansion by breaking ground on the first three stores in southwest Florida, marking our official entrance into Fort Myers, Fla. ” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s presidentand CEO. “This significant step into a new region in the sunshine state furthers our ability to invest in Florida, open new stores and create more jobs. And while the number of stores we build and associates we employ continues to grow, the growth we are most proud of is in the area of our commitment to community causes. In the past year, we’ve contributed to our neighbors in Florida in many ways including financial grants, blood drives, and community events. We can’t wait to begin to do this in the Southwest Florida community.”
Wawa in Florida by The Numbers
Currently Wawa Has:
• 44 stores open in Florida (27 in Orlando; 17 in Tampa)
• Created more than 1,500 jobs
• 25 new stores under construction
• Dozens of stores under contract
• $5-6 million invested in the community with each store built
• Contributed more than $500,000 to local charities throughout our communities
In the Future Wawa Will
• Create Thousands of new jobs (40+ per new store)
• Spend $22,000 in Property Taxes annually for each store
• Donate thousands to local charities through The Wawa Foundation and product donations
• Continue to open 25 stores per year for the next several years
Wawa expects to invest close to $6 million in each store. Every Wawa store employs on average 40 associates. Associates in these full and part-time positions will not only receive competitive salaries and health benefits, but will have the opportunity to participate in Wawa’s employee stock ownership plan, once eligible.