Mainstreet Daily News
Wawa, Inc. today announced the opening of its new store, located at 1007 East University Ave., in Gainesville. Wawa’s newest store will provide customers with access to necessary supplies, fuel and support during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
To celebrate the Gainesville grand opening, Wawa will offer free coffee to all customers at this location for four days from Thursday, October 29th through Sunday, November 1.
“As customers ease back into their routines, Wawa is committed to providing a safe and welcoming experience for everyone,” said Robert Yeatts, Senior Director of Store Operations. We’re excited to expand in Alachua County and the community to provide resources, job opportunities and community support.”
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Wawa stayed focused on serving as an essential provider as safely as possible. During that time, Wawa made several key changes to ensure it has the safest, most convenient store environment. The changes include launch of The Wawa Clean Force, a focus on keeping Wawa stores clean, sanitized and safe every day. Additional protections and policies include masks for all associates; clear plastic safety guards at check out and food-service counters; even more frequent hand washing standards; and wellness temperature checks for associates before each shift. For customers, social distancing with friendly visual markers and more hand-sanitizer stations have been added in common areas.