By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief—
DALEVILLE, IN— I had an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the new Wawa store in Daleville last week after receiving an invitation to attend media day, one day before the store opened to the general public.
Having never heard of the brand before I wondered, “What’s a Wawa?”
I left the store still not knowing what a Wawa was. Mostly because I forgot to ask the super helpful and friendly Wawa PR people in attendance.
I did, however, leave the store knowing what a hoagie is. Not that I didn’t before, because I did. I hail from West Virginia where the elusive hoagie is very plentiful and delicious. (Along with pepperoni rolls, which is another West Virginia staple.)
People from Indiana don’t use the word “hoagie” in normal conversation, but I’m sure they will learn quickly since the company intends to build another 60 Wawa stores in Indiana.
I ordered the hot Pepperoni Marinara hoagie, with additional toppings of sweet peppers, and wheat bread. The final product was not exactly like a West Virginia hoagie, but it was close. So that made me happy.
There are no seats or tables inside the store, so if you are ordering food to eat immediately, I would suggest taking a few lawn chairs with you. There are grassy areas outside the store to have an instant picnic.
In 2025, Wawa plans to open up to 10 new stores in Indiana. To build each store, Wawa will invest more than $7.5 million and employ, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store will employ an average of 35 associates.
The associates all participate in Wawa’s ESOP program. (Employee Stock Ownership Plan.) That means each associate is part owner of the company, so customer service is top-of-mind every day.
Presently, the company serves over a billion customers annually.
It brews over 182 million cups of their award-winning coffee each year and builds more than 183 hoagies each year.
The Daleville operation is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The store is located at 16100 W. Commerce Road in Daleville.
Take a look at the photos below to get a closer view of their products. (Click on a thumbnail to view larger images.)
