Central KY’s first Wawa sets opening date. Here’s when, where, what to expect
Central Kentucky’s first Wawa has an opening date.
The convenience store known across the Northeast for its coffee, breakfast sandwiches and hoagies will open Sept. 12 in Nicholasville at 3000 Lexington Road. The Jessamine County city is about 30 minutes south of Lexington.
“We are excited to spread our wings further into Kentucky and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this part of the state for the very first time,” said Wawa President Brian Schaller. “This historic milestone continues our ongoing growth and expansion in the Midwest as we continue to build new stores and create new jobs.”
The Nicholasville location is the chain’s third to open in Kentucky this year.
By the end of 2025, Wawa plans to have eight stores operating in Kentucky. It plans to build and open between five and eight stores annually until it reaches 40 locations in the commonwealth.
According to CSP Daily News, a news outlet with a focus on convenience store coverage, Wawa has 20 sites under contract in Boone, Bullitt, Campbell, Fayette, Hardin, Jefferson, Jessamine, Oldham, Scott, Shelby, Simpson and Warren counties.
On average, Wawa spends more than $7.5 million to build each store and typically employs 140 contractors. Once stores open, Wawa employs an average of 35 people at each location. By the time the chain’s 40 locations open, Wawa expects to have created 1,400 jobs across Kentucky.
The chain has more than 1,100 locations in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
The stores offer a large fresh food service section, including Wawa exclusive brands like its custom prepared hoagies, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages, freshly brewed coffee and a dinner menu with burgers, soups, sides and snacks.
The first Kentucky Wawa opened July 24 near Okolona in Louisville off the Gene Snyder Freeway. The second Kentucky Wawa will open Sept. 5 also in Louisville on Bardstown Road near Fegenbush Lane.
In April 2023, the planning commission approved plans for the Nicholasville Wawa location. In December 2022, the Pennsylvania-based company said it was set to expand into Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
Before that announcement, Herald Leader readers put Wawa in their top 10 stores or chains they’d like to see come to the Bluegrass area.
Wawa is almost 39% owned by its workers through an employee stock ownership plan that also gives its employees educational assistance and other workforce training and development.
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