In Philadelphia proper, Wawa is closing in on its competitor—7-Eleven, writes Danya Henninger for billypenn.com.

The 7-Eleven store has been the Philly market leader for over a decade. As of May 2019 it maintains 55 outposts inside the city limits. Wawa has 44 Philly stores.

That’s a big switch from the turn of the millennium, when Wawa famously “jilted Center City,” and began closing down urban storefronts.

Wawa’s scheme to return to Philadelphia was voiced by CEO Chris Ghysens in 2015, when he announced a forthcoming Broad and Walnut location. “We have re-evaluated our position in Center City,” he said. Ghysens reiterated the brand’s commitment to Philly last year, unveiling the largest Wawa ever, at 6^th and Chestnut near Independence Mall.

Next to launch will be a “tiny Wawa” near 16th and Chestnut, adding to an influx of city grid stores that are often laughably close to one another.

This proximity is not by chance, according to Ghysens.  Wawa looks at walking patterns and overcrowded stores.

As for 7-Eleven, it’s still on a growth push — there are more than 65,000 stores in 17 countries around the world — but in Philly, not so much.

Read more about Wawa’s Philly expansion here.

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