Wawa is adding 10 more stores in Pennsylvania that will be seeking a liquor license to sell beer this year, writes Laura Smythe for Philadelphia Business Journal.

A store in Hereford, Berks County has applied for a liquor license. Stores in Royersford and Quakertown also have pending beer sales, according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

A Wawa store in Boothwyn currently sells beer, as do stores in Horsham and a “stadium store”  in Philadelphia, says Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens

The number of Wawa stores with liquor licenses is pretty low in Pennsylvania, especially when compared to states like Virginia and Florida, where beer is available at all the stores, Gheysens said.

In Pennsylvania, convenience stores have to purchase a restaurant liquor license, and that requires seating in the store.

Liquor licenses are also way more costly in Pennsylvania, with starting costs at $100,000. In other states a liquor license is a few hundred dollars, Gheysens says.

 “From an economic perspective [it] isn’t quite viable,” he said.

Wawa is weighing the cost versus customer convenience of offering beer with a Wawa food order. A beer section will likely be limited to new stores, he said.

Read more at Philadelphia Business Journal about Wawa adding more stores with beer sales.

This 6ABC News story from 2019 looks at reaction to Wawa’s decision to pursue liquor licenses at its stores.