By Tom Markland, The Journal
INWOOD, W.Va. — “West Virginia here we come!” shouted Wawa officials during a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.
Those officials with Wawa, a chain of popular convenience stores and gas stations located up and down the East Coast, broke ground on the first store in West Virginia, located at Butler’s Crossing in Inwood across from Food Lion.
The store is projected to open in the first quarter of 2025.
“We have been looking to come to West Virginia for at least five to six years now,” said John Polawski, vice president/chief real estate officer. “The day is finally here where we’re going to break ground.”
Polawski also shared plans for further expansion into West Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle, saying three to five more locations are in the works in Berkeley and Jefferson counties over the next few years. He specifically mentioned plans for a Wawa in Ranson, as well as Rock Cliff Drive and Apple Harvest Drive in Martinsburg.
Each store requires an approximately $7 million investment from Wawa, employing 140 local contractors and partners. Once the store opens, it will employ between 30 and 35 associates.
