As the holiday season kicks into full throttle across the Pensacola area, residents will be privy to a long-awaited treat before the end of the year.
Popular gas-and-convenience chain Wawa has finally announced an opening date for their first store in the Pensacola area, which will open on Dec. 19 at 8840 Boesch Lane in northwest Pensacola.
Doors to the store will open at 8 a.m. and a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held half an hour later.
“We are excited to end 2024 with marking a significant milestone of opening our first store in Pensacola to fulfill lives of our friends and neighbors,” said Director of Store Operations Joe Collins in a press release. “We look forward to bringing our unique brand of fresh food, beverages and convenience to the Panhandle to further our commitment to providing our new friends and neighbors with not only a new level of convenience but a strong, committed community partner.”
This location will be the first of five Wawa stores that will open in the area over the next couple of years, with several having already broken ground in Escambia County.
What you’ll see at Wawa: Pensacola’s first Wawa broke ground. Here’s what first-time visitors can expect
Where is Wawa opening in Pensacola?
The Pennsylvania-based chain has been planning to establish a pipeline in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties for years.
Escambia County has approved five locations for the chain ranging from Blue Angel Parkway over to North Davis Highway.
The Boesch Lane location was the third project to get approved but will be the first store to open.
Once the Boesch Lane location opens, it will be followed by the following four openings in Escambia County:
In Santa Rosa County, where Wawa has yet to receive approval for their development plans, the chain is planning three stores for East Milton, Navarre and Pace.
They’re still planning more new stores for the Panhandle, according to a Wawa press release, and want to build 20 locations over the next five to eight years while simultaneously expanding into Georgia.
Wawa expects to hire an average of 35 employees for each store.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Wawa first Pensacola store is opening in December
