Wawa Spares No Pomp for Opening of New Flagship Store

Musicians from the Philadelphia Orchesta, the Eagles cheerleaders and mascot, and some "extravagant cake" are all lined up for the grand opening of the high-profile new Wawa location at Broad and Walnut streets, scheduled for this Friday, September 18.

The opening date comes a couple of months earlier than originally anticipated. Those eager to see the opening of the new convenience store can thank Pope Francis for the rush, as the company strove to be ready to serve impending crowds during the official papal visit in late September. Initial projections had the opening penciled in for November.

This new Wawa has more than 4,000 square feet of retail space, counter seating lining the street-facing windows, and "upscale cabinetry." The indoor seating element is a first for the company. Fancy touches aside, it's the same familiar place to buy all the Sizzlis, touchscreen-conjured hoagies, coffee, and iced tea that you already know and love.

The family-friendly festivities kick off at 9 a.m. on opening day, with live music, a hoagie-building contest pitting Philly cops and firefighters against each other in the name of charity, the Eagles cheerleaders (and mascots for both the football team and Wawa itself), an appearance by Mayor Nutter, and a "parade of Wawa's Philadelphia milestones." (We're told this is an in-store presentation, not a parade in the traffic-interrupting sense, so perhaps some pomp was in fact spared.)

Wawa, 201 S. Broad St. (at Walnut), opening September 18.