By james art 
A thunderstorm signaling that the doors are about to open for the debut of the second Wawa store as employees erupted a steady stream of greetings “Welcome to Wava”.
Situated at 1755. Blair Stone Road, at the corner of the Miccosukee Road, the 16 pumps comfort store is sunk by the residents.
Long lines wrapped the building. Hot customers took a sample of free coffee in small glasses, danced on music pipes through external speakers, and waved noise -free valves.
Second Wawa opened in Talahasi on Friday morning, January 31, 2025. This Wawa is located on the corner of Miccosukee and Blair Stone Road.
From young children attached to their parents, to the elderly, who encountered walking canes, they were all glad to be able to say that they were among the first inside.
Nancy and John Dorr arrived at 6:30 in the morning – an hour and a half early before the store was opened. Nancy Drak said she had been hooked on Wawa while visiting Gainesville.
She came gifts: red bracelets with beads saying “wawa” in white beads and black letters. Drak said she had made them for some of the employees she had met the previous day when they were coming to be stored without knowing that she had not yet officially opened. Nourished by excitement, she wanted to be the first on the line and offer a sign of her appreciation.
“It’s so sweet,” said Patricia Garcia, a team-general who received a bracelet.
Second Wawa opened in Talahasi on Friday morning, January 31, 2025. This Wawa is located on the corner of Miccosukee and Blair Stone Road.
Jen Wolf, a Wawa spokesman, threw himself over the gesture and said “this is not your average gas station” for people ready to queue before sunrise and offer good -natured gifts.
“It’s so cool,” she said. “It’s just saying a lot of our customers and this connection here in Talahasi.”
Another client, Nancy Venture, was in line without knowing Friday, was the solemn opening. She was just craving for Gevrek and said that the lively atmosphere was an unexpected bonus.
“I’m 80 years old and still have a little Oomph In me, she jokes, making Quip, given that she is one of the most strong and most active ones. “So, I enjoy every stinking minute of it.”
Customers are enjoying the big opening of the second Wawa location on Tallahasesee Friday, January 31, 2025. This Wawa is located on the corner of Miccosukee and Blair Stone Road.
Further, Gakierra Ash crashed and danced with her three children, who came to be among the first in the store before heading for school.
“We live (nearby) and we had the opportunity to watch Wawa built from the ground up,” she said. “We have made the goal of being one of the first buyers, which is why we are so excited today.”
When asked, her 10-year-old son, Messiah Ash, did not hesitate to say who was most excited to see: Wally goose, a friendly mascot of Vawa.
Wawa and C-Stores growth in the capital
Wawa debuted its first Tallahasesee store in November in a great way, as residents were confronted with long lines that extended around the building to be among the first to enter. The introductory store opened on Hartsfield Road and Capital Circle Northwest.
Previous coverage: Waiting end: Wawa will open first place in Talahasi November 20
Nancy Dulani, director of WAWa store operations, said the reaction of the introduction store is “incredible”.
“Now this second store was a continuous conversation,” she said. “This is a really exciting moment for us and we are in this place, we made the innovative here. So we are ready to leave and the community is excited.”
The new Tallahasesee location has spread free Wawa shirts to the first 100 customers. Other free of charge included coffee and caramel cream with WAWA coffee.
Free coffee of any size will be offered now until February 9th. Throughout the company, WAWA offers a 1-2-3 deal as part of its awards program, which includes hot coffee with $ 1, $ 2 ice coffee and 3 monstrous energy drinks now in February. 16.
Pennsylvania -based company plans to open 20 Panhandle stores in Florida, including four to six sites in Talahassi over the next five to eight years. Each new store is planned to have about 35 employees.
Dalani was hesitant to say which place would be the next debut in Talahasi, but said it would take place somewhere in the near future.
The location of Blair Stone and Mikosuki has 45 employees, said General Manager Devin Bloodsworth. He has been an employee of Wawa for 15 years, but it was his first time he opened a store as a general manager.
“It was a great new experience. When entering, we have to interview about 400 people,” he said. “We spent about five weeks training everyone and we just got the right team. Everyone is excited, everyone is engaged and ready to go. I’m ready to see people develop their careers with us.”
Wawa has reached a record growth as it is open to open 90 new stores this year.
At Tallahassee there was a leap in convenience stores, also known as C-magazines in recent years:
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Cumberland Farms on North Monroe Street opens in May 2023.
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Sunstop on Capital Circle Northeast opened three years ago and other places are planned for Thomasville and Ox Bottom and Blair Stone Road and Apalachee Parkway.
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And on the south, local Skyline Express opened on Orange Avenue and Springhill Road.
Contact the Economic Development Reporter Tamaryn Waters at [email protected] and follow @tamarynwaters at X.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: “Welcome to Wawa”: The convenience chain opens a second TALLAHSSEE store