The first opened in April on Cincinnati-Dayton Road in Liberty Twp. In June, Fairfield’s first Wawa opened at the corner of Tylersville Road and Ohio 4 Bypass.
The Pennsylvania-based, family- and associate-owned company, opened its first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for the company’s dairy products. Fuel stations weren’t added until 1996.
Today the company is known for its made-to-order food – including hoagies, soup, burgers, fresh salads, smoothies, and burritos. Wawa has stores in 10 states and Washington D.C.
The new 5,919 square-foot Wawa at the corner of Ohio 4 and Symmes Road is a welcome addition to the Ohio 4 corridor, city leaders say.
“We’re excited to see a significant investment in the northern section of the Route 4 corridor,’’ said Nathaniel Kaelin, the city’s economic development manager.
“This site previously contained a used car lot and a couple of small buildings. Aesthetically, it’s major improvement – especially with curbs, gutters and landscaping.”
Wednesday grand opening celebration Wednesday begins at 8 a.m. when free t-shirts will be given to the first 200 customers.
The ribbon cutting – complete with confetti – starts at 8:30 a.m. with Wawa officials talking about expansion plans in Ohio and a Parade of the Ages showing milestones over the company’s history.
Fairfield’s firefighters will get a chance to redeem themselves and get bragging rights as they compete with a team from the Fairfield Police Department in a Hoagies for Heroes competition.
Police won the June competition between the first responder groups, with a cash prize going to the winner’s charity.
Wally Goose, the Wawa mascot, will be on site visiting with customers. Free hot, any-size coffee will be available Sept. 10-14.
The company plans to open six to 10 stores a year in Ohio over the next five to eight years. The goal: 60 stores in Ohio, each employing an average of 35 associates.
“We expect construction of the third Wawa at the corner of Ohio 4 and Mack Road to begin later this year with an opening sometime in 2026,” Kaelin said.
Last month Wawa opened a store on Fields-Ertel Road in Warren County’s Deerfield Twp.
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