Wawa will hold a “Community Partnership Day” next month in State College as the convenience store chain prepares to build at least three locations in Centre County.
The event will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 9 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
“Whenever we enter a new market, we want to get to know our new communities long before our doors open,” Brian Schaller, Wawa president, said in a statement on Tuesday. “We are thrilled to share the Wawa story, our growth plans for the State College area, and our commitment to partnering with and supporting local nonprofit organizations that positively impact their communities.”
Wawa has submitted land development plans for new stores in Benner Township, Potter Township and Ferguson Township
The southeastern Pennsylvania-based company will share information about “its long-term commitment and plans for expansion in the State College market, along with details on expected timeframes, job growth, career opportunities and the economic impact Wawa’s ongoing growth will have on the region,” according to a release.
The community partnership event will start with a “Taste of Wawa” food sampling and exhibits, followed by a presentation and announcements from Wawa leadership.
Community members can sign up to attend and share their favorite Wawa memories for a chance to attend the event as a VIP customer at wawa.com/iframe/form/state-college-pa-community-day-event.
Wawa confirmed in late 2022 that it was exploring potential Centre County stores as part of a national expansion that aims to double its more than 1,000 current locations by 2030. That expansion includes a westward push into Central Pennsylvania, a market that has typically been dominated by Altoona-based Sheetz.
The company revealed its first proposed location at the intersection of Benner Pike and Eagle Point in Benner Township, directly across from Sheetz, in 2023. Plans for the 6,600-square-foot store with fuel pumps for 16 vehicles have been approved, but construction has not yet commenced.
In the fall of 2023, Wawa was granted a variance for a potential store at the intersection of North Atherton Street and West Aaron Drive in Ferguson Township, on the former site of an auto dealership and service gate. A concept plan for the 5,330-square-foot store with fuel pumps for 12 vehicles was presented to the township in September 2024.
A land development plan has been submitted to the township and is under review, but has not yet been scheduled to go before the planning commission, Ferguson Township director of planning and zoning Kimberly Smith said on Tuesday.
The third planned location is at the intersection of Earlystown and Old Fort roads in Potter Township on the former site of Snappy’s and across from another Sheetz. Plans for the 6,577-square-foot store with fuel pumps for 16 vehicles were presented to the Centre County Board of Commissioners in May and the Centre County Planning Commission in July.
Wawa has not confirmed timelines for openings or if additional Centre County locations are planned.
