Massive Wawa Celebration In South Jersey As Chain Opens Its Thousandth Store

OAKLYN, NJ — Wawa is bringing a massive celebration to Camden County as the South Jersey staple opens its 1,000th location. The store opens Thursday in Oaklyn with festivities including an Eagles pep rally, free coffee and giveaways for the first 1,000 customers.

Doors will open at 8 a.m. on 1006 White Horse Pike. The store will give away free, any-size hot coffee all day, plus t-shirts for the first 1,000 to arrive.

Wawa will begin festivities at 9 a.m., with a slate that includes:

• a pep rally featuring Eagles mascot Swoop, plus the NFL franchise's pep band, drumline and cheerleaders.
• state and county officials presenting a proclamation to mark Wawa's 1,000th store.
• $1 million in gift cards presented to Wawa's seven national partners — American Red Cross, Check Out Hunger, Children’s Miracle Network, JDRF, LLS, Special Olympics, and USO — plus local organizations including Meals on Wheels and the Eagles Autism Foundation.
• A Hoagies for Heroes hoagie-building competition. The Oaklyn Police and Fire Departments will compete to see who can build the most hoagies in three minutes. The winning agency will receive $1,000 for the charity of its choice.

The store will feature Wawa's signature fresh-food counter, coffee, the Wawa bakery, the chain's new line of specialty beverages and more. Roughly 50 people will work at the location.

Wawa first opened in April 1964 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and continues to expand. The company plans to open travel centers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, targeting "light-duty vehicles" carrying travelers and some single-day commercial truckers. Read more: 'Wawa On Steroids': Chain Could Bring 'Travel Centers' To NJ, PA