Up until now, Buc-ee’s has operated gigantic interstate stops catering to heavy long-distance traffic and Wawa has stuck to small convenience stores mostly serving local communities. That’s about to change, as Wawa debuts a new super-sized format in the South.
To be clear, Wawa’s first move into the travel center game isn’t as monstrous as the typical Buc-ee’s. The Buc-ee’s location in Leeds, at 50,000-plus square feet and 120 gas pumps, is typical of the Texas chain’s stores in Alabama. According to Wawa, its first travel center will feature over 8,000 square feet of space and 20 fueling stations for passenger cars.
While that’s obviously smaller than a Buc-ee’s, it’s quite a bit bigger than the typical Wawa. Just as significantly, it features six “high-speed diesel fuel lanes, accepting over the road (OTR) payments” and is located on an Interstate exchange. It’s on I-95 in Hope Mills, N.C., just south of Fayetteville; the actual address is 630 Chicken Foot Road…