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Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,775 posts, read 15,776,851 times
Reputation: 10880
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NC Observer
I don't understand why people get so excited over a gas station. The internal combustion engine is rapidly becoming a dinosaur. Most of these stations will disappear over the next 10-15 years. If not sooner.
Wawa was first and foremost a dairy farm that opened food markets in the 1960s in the Phila. area. They were successful as "convenience" stores as they were smaller than supermarkets, were open early, late, and holidays, and sold delicious fresh milk and dairy products. They did not even begin selling gasoline in their stores until the 1990s. Approximately 20% of their stores do not even have gas pumps. One just opened up without gas pumps in Northern Virginia, although it does have EV charging stations. So, Wawa is not "a gas station" that sells food. It is a convenience market that sells gas. They were successful for 30 years (and still are in some stores) without selling gasoline, and will no doubt adapt to all electric charging stations if gasoline stations go away, although I'm not at all confident gas stations will disappear.
Source: Grew up 10 miles from the Wawa Dairy Farm from the late 60s to mid-80s and remember running over to Wawa on many Christmas Days to pick up milk or some other forgotten food item.
Wawa was first and foremost a dairy farm that opened food markets in the 1960s in the Phila. area. They were successful as "convenience" stores as they were smaller than supermarkets, were open early, late, and holidays, and sold delicious fresh milk and dairy products. They did not even begin selling gasoline in their stores until the 1990s. Approximately 20% of their stores do not even have gas pumps. One just opened up without gas pumps in Northern Virginia, although it does have EV charging stations. So, Wawa is not "a gas station" that sells food. It is a convenience market that sells gas. They were successful for 30 years (and still are in some stores) without selling gasoline, and will no doubt adapt to all electric charging stations if gasoline stations go away, although I'm not at all confident gas stations will disappear.
Source: Grew up 10 miles from the Wawa Dairy Farm from the late 60s to mid-80s and remember running over to Wawa on many Christmas Days to pick up milk or some other forgotten food item.
I see your point but despite their past history, what they are today is kind of what matters. If you plop one down in front of someone who has never seen one, they'll see pumps and think gas station.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,775 posts, read 15,776,851 times
Reputation: 10880
Quote:
Originally Posted by DPK
I see your point but despite their past history, what they are today is kind of what matters. If you plop one down in front of someone who has never seen one, they'll see pumps and think gas station.
Yes, that is true. For me, not living near one currently, they are mostly an all-encompassing rest stop/convenience stop on road trips. We get hoagies/food, use the restroom, and get gas. It's nice not to have to stop at several different places. We do the same at Sheetz if there is one on our drive. I prefer Wawa's hoagies, but like Sheetz' bathrooms better. And as a Philadelphian, I prefer Wawa, overall. The rivalry between the two is strong in Pennsylvania. It's like being a Duke or UNC fan in NC.
On the other hand, if you have a Wawa in town, people run up there for coffee and snacks. It is especially convenient late at night. You also see a lot of workmen in there getting sandwiches/coffee at lunchtime. In many places, it is like a corner market rather than a rest stop off the highway.
Sure, a lot of Philly people like them for the nostalgia, but they have been quite successful and popular as a company well beyond the Philly reach. I don't think those unfamiliar with them will go crazy over them, but they are overall a good store. And their hoagies are quite good.
I see your point but despite their past history, what they are today is kind of what matters. If you plop one down in front of someone who has never seen one, they'll see pumps and think gas station.
Yes and no. Many Wawas (especially in bigger metros) already have Tesla charging stations.
The stores could frankly stand their own. But IMO, they'll evolve in part with the deal they struck with Tesla. I can't wait for Wawa to get here.
How much are they paying you to shill for WaWa? Lol
We don’t care about WaWa down here. We just don’t. If it didn’t have gas pumps, there’d only be a handful of transplants trickling in and out holding an overrated hoagie.
How much are they paying you to shill for WaWa? Lol
We don’t care about WaWa down here. We just don’t. If it didn’t have gas pumps, there’d only be a handful of transplants trickling in and out holding an overrated hoagie.
Huh? You OK? That's a really weird emotional response to my post.
Someone made a comment about gas stations being obsolete. WaWa has a plan in action already to counter that. You made a comment about it being "just a gas station". Thats not true, its a convenience store that usually (not always) includes a gas station. You seem to be projecting your perception onto those of others.
It's not Buc-ee's, but IMO is superior to Sheetz. Nobody paid me to say that. I stated an opinion, nothing more and nothing less. If you don't care, that's great. Those of us familiar with WaWa are happy to see this. You probably will be too once it arrives.
I think transplants with attachment to WaWa will be excited but for most of us it’s just a different kind of Sheetz. People love to hoop and holler over how great things are like Wegmans, Publix etc but most anything has pros and cons.
I think that was the posters point, most of these places are usually “marginally” better if that, but hey good to have more options. In my experiences, the primary purpose of WaWa is to get gas, snacks, restroom and keep chugging down the road. The quality of a hoagie or other service isn’t priority for most people.
When I lived in Boston area over the last year or so, I finally got to experience Wegmans on a regular because it was the closest grocery. It came off as a Costco kind of grocery store. I have also experienced large Harris Teeters with very similar qualities. At the end of the day, it’s still a grocery store (larger prepared food section). And like A “fancy” Harris Teeter, you’re gonna pay extra.
I think transplants with attachment to WaWa will be excited but for most of us it’s just a different kind of Sheetz. People love to hoop and holler over how great things are like Wegmans, Publix etc but most anything has pros and cons.
I think transplants with attachment to WaWa will be excited but for most of us it’s just a different kind of Sheetz. People love to hoop and holler over how great things are like Wegmans, Publix etc but most anything has pros and cons.
I think that was the posters point, most of these places are usually “marginally” better if that, but hey good to have more options. In my experiences, the primary purpose of WaWa is to get gas, snacks, restroom and keep chugging down the road. The quality of a hoagie or other service isn’t priority for most people.
When I lived in Boston area over the last year or so, I finally got to experience Wegmans on a regular because it was the closest grocery. It came off as a Costco kind of grocery store. I have also experienced large Harris Teeters with very similar qualities. At the end of the day, it’s still a grocery store (larger prepared food section). And like A “fancy” Harris Teeter, you’re gonna pay extra.
I’d agree with this, but places like Charlotte don’t even have Sheetz except in far-flung areas. I think Wawa is way better than QuikTrip. As far as Sheetz, I’d say Wawa is better quality, but Sheetz has more selection.
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It's like being a Duke or UNC fan in NC. 
