Wawa? What’s a Wawa?

It’s a question they’re now asking in Alabama.

Wawa announced Monday that it’s rapidly expanding in the Florida Panhandle into Alabama as it migrates toward the central Gulf Coast, writes Lawrence Specker for AL.com.

Some Alabamans have come across Wawa in their travels. And like everywhere else, opinions about Wawa bring on some emotional discussions.

“Why Are People So Obsessed With Wawa?” asks a headline at TasteOfHome.com.

“The coffee’s good and cheap, there’s healthy food options, clean stores, and good service,” goes the answer.

Wawa’s scoping out Pensacola, Fla., and Mobile, Ala., but actual stores won’t be in place for a few years. It envisions up to 40 stores in the region by 2024.

Specker notes that Wawa.com devotes a lot of space to real estate acquisitions. 

“Got a patch of property you think would be a good place for a Wawa? Submit it here,” he writes.

Wawa typically wants a two-acre site to run a 24-hour store with eight gas pumps near residential populations and employment centers. They don’t prioritize interstate access.

Read more about Wawa at AL.com.

NJ.com reviews Wawa’s new pizza offering.