First Wawa store in Florida opens to big crowd in Orlando | Video

Wawa fans welcome 1^st Florida store in Orlando

4:59 p.m. EST, July 18, 2012|

By Sandra Pedicini, Orlando Sentinel

Teal Zambri has fond memories of Wawa convenience stores from growing up in New Jersey.

So on Wednesday she and her three kids made a 40-minute trek from their Waterford Lakes home to the grand opening of Florida's first Wawa, in Orlando near SeaWorld.

"It's like the brand name [that] is the sign of home," Zambri said. "We want to be here for the madness."

Hundreds of people flocked to the store for the opening, some waiting for hours in line. Gov. Rick Scott attended, as did Orlando and Orange County mayors Buddy Dyer and Teresa Jacobs.

The Wawa is one of five scheduled to open in Central Florida in the next five weeks. Wawa says it plans to open 100 stores in Orlando and Tampa over the next five years.

"Wow. Wawa, I should probably say, instead of wow. I have never seen anything quite like this," Jacobs said. "As you can imagine I get to a lot of grand openings, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see this many people, this enthused."

The crowd cheered as employees danced under a tent, holding up posters with important dates in the Pennsylvania company's history.

Company chief executive officer Howard Stoeckel called the opening a "major milestone in our company's growth." Wawa hopes to become a part of Floridians' daily routine just as it has for residents of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

Wawa is named after its Pennsylvania hometown. The word itself is from a Native American language for the Canada goose that's found in the Delaware Valley.

The stores sell everything from Tastykakes ? much beloved by many Philadelphians ? to Wawa coffee. Rabid fans also love its hot pretzels and fresh-made hoagies. Wawa sells gasoline, too, but its focus on food could force other convenience stores to up their game, industry experts say.

In fact, on Thursday competitor RaceTrac will unveil a new design in Florida, opening a 6,000-squar-foot store with a 24-hour Swirl World frozen yogurt shop, free Wi-Fi and outdoor seating.

But Wawa's opening was the news Wednesday.

Scott said Wawa "is going to do extremely well" in the state and generate job growth.

Each Wawa will employ about 35 people, who generally start at $8 to $9 an hour. They get health benefits at 35 hours a week and receive stock in the employee-owned company after a year and 1,000 hours worked.

The next Orlando-area stores to open will be on Hoffner Avenue and South Goldenrod Road in Orlando, John Young Parkway and Silver Star Road in Orlando, U.S. Highway 192 and Simpson Road in Kissimmee and Orange Blossom Trail and on East Donegan Avenue in Kissimmee.

Wawa also is planning stores in the near future on U.S. Highway 441 in Apopka and Alafaya Trail in east Seminole County.

spedicini@tribune.com or 407-420-5240.

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-wawa-opening-orlando-20120718,0,6563839.story?track=rss

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