Wawa is taking over the world

Wawa is taking over the world.

The world's largest Wawa will open its door today across the street from Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It's 11,500 square feet. It's located in the Public Ledger Building.

This joint gives a whole new meaning to the term "Super" Wawa.

Yeah, the art deco layout is a long way from the very first Wawa store, which opened its doors on MacDade Boulevard in the Folsom section of Ridley Township back in 1964.

Of course, the iconic convenience store has its roots right here in Delaware County. It all started on the Wood family farm in Chester Heights. Its corporate offices are still located there.

There are now more than 800 Wawa stores stretching up and down the East Coast, including New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and even into Florida.

If you're beginning to think you can't spit without hitting a Wawa, you're right.

They are everywhere.

For instance, this week on our front page we noted the changing landscape of Baltimore Pike. One of its signature iconic structures, the old Burlington Coat Factory, which was housed in that distinctive design of the old Penn Fruit supermarket, is coming down. I used to drive past it every day on my way to the office in Primos. Did you ever notice that as you head east on the Pike toward Clifton, as you came up the rise before the Burlington Coat Factory store, the skyline of Philadelphia can be clearly seen out in the distance.

The site is now going to be a "Super" Wawa. Yep, even throw you can probably throw a stone at another one - albeit on the other side of the street - at the intersection of the Pike and Bishop Avenue. It's something Wawa has been doing now for awhile, seemingly clustering stores to get customers traveling in both directions.

And is if the discussion over the future of the Don Guanella property needed a little more vinegar, yep, you guessed, plans there include a Super Wawa as well.

Now if we could only convince company officials to expand the number of stores where they are selling beer. Right now there is only one in Pennsylvania, that would be the store out at Naamans Creek Road and Route 202. Why do you think they held that party for the rollout of the Winter Stout combo Wawa coffee and 2SP beer there?

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