Wawa opens store in Kearny -- company's first in Hudson County
EnlargeFrom left: Assemblywoman Angelica Jiminez, Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, Kearny Mayor Alberto Santos, Wally the Goose, and Kearny Town Council members Albino Cardoso, Susan McCurrie and Carol Jean Doyle. Photo by Anthony J. Machcinski/The Jersey Journal. Wawa holds sneak preview on jan. 10, 2013 gallery (9 photos)
A Jersey Shore staple with hundreds of locations in Centeral and South Jersey opened its doors this morning for the first time in Hudson County.
Wawa, a convenience store chain that started in Folsom, Pa., outside Philadelphia in 1964, celebrated the opening of its northern-most store, on Harrison Avenue in Kearny, near the entrance to the New Jersey Turnpike.
"We are thrilled to spread our wings into northern New Jersey and to celebrate this exciting occasion with honored friends and guests," said Wawa Vice President of Store Operations Sal Mattera.
The Kearny location's opening is the first Wawa location in North Jersey since a store opened in Parsippany in Dec. 2010.
Wawa's opened its new store in grand fashion. Singers and dancers from the West Hudson Arts & Theater Company entertained a small crowd of town officials while Kearny's police and firefighters battled it out in a hoagie building competition.
Wawa officials held a sneak preview with local officials yesterday in anticipation of the store's grand opening this morning. During the preview, Wawa Director of Store Operations Jim Shortall announced community partnerships with three local groups.
The groups, West Hudson Arts & Theater Company (W.H.A.T.), Literacy Volunteers of West Hudson, and Community FoodBank of NJ, are part of Wawa's community outreach.
"(Being a part of the community) is a privilege we take very seriously," Mattera said yesterday. "We look forward to becoming active members of the community."
The donations come as a help for W.H.A.T., which is halfway through its second season revitalizing an old, West Hudson tradition.
"With Wawa as a supporter, we are more confident that we can revive our theater tradition," said W.H.A.T. co-founder Gerry Ficeto. "This will ensure that W.H.A.T. continues to be a vibrant part of the community."
For Kearny Mayor Alberto Santos, Wawa's opening is the continuation of a revitalization plan in the Harrison Avenue area.
"When I first became mayor in 2000, this was an empty site with a lot of potential," Santos said of the lot, which also contains a WalMart. "We have been able to transform this area into a vibrant area. It shows how can utilize some of these unused industrial sites."
Third Ward Councilwoman Carol Jean Doyle added, "This is a plus. So many commute in this area and this is a great spot for them to come to."
While Wawa is scarcely found in North Jersey with only a few stores, the chain hopes to continue to expand throughout the region in the coming years.
Wawa, a convenience store chain that started in Folsom, Pa., outside Philadelphia in 1964, celebrated the opening of its northern-most store, on Harrison Avenue in Kearny, near the entrance to the New Jersey Turnpike.
"We are thrilled to spread our wings into northern New Jersey and to celebrate this exciting occasion with honored friends and guests," said Wawa Vice President of Store Operations Sal Mattera.
The Kearny location's opening is the first Wawa location in North Jersey since a store opened in Parsippany in Dec. 2010.
Wawa's opened its new store in grand fashion. Singers and dancers from the West Hudson Arts & Theater Company entertained a small crowd of town officials while Kearny's police and firefighters battled it out in a hoagie building competition.
Wawa officials held a sneak preview with local officials yesterday in anticipation of the store's grand opening this morning. During the preview, Wawa Director of Store Operations Jim Shortall announced community partnerships with three local groups.
The groups, West Hudson Arts & Theater Company (W.H.A.T.), Literacy Volunteers of West Hudson, and Community FoodBank of NJ, are part of Wawa's community outreach.
"(Being a part of the community) is a privilege we take very seriously," Mattera said yesterday. "We look forward to becoming active members of the community."
EnlargeThe Kearny Fire Department makes as many hoagies as they can in three minutes during a battle against the Kearny Police Department during the grand opening of Wawa on Harrison Avenue in Kearny on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Lauren Casselberry/The Jersey JournalGrand Opening of Wawa in Kearny, Jan. 11, 2013 gallery (19 photos)
"With Wawa as a supporter, we are more confident that we can revive our theater tradition," said W.H.A.T. co-founder Gerry Ficeto. "This will ensure that W.H.A.T. continues to be a vibrant part of the community."
For Kearny Mayor Alberto Santos, Wawa's opening is the continuation of a revitalization plan in the Harrison Avenue area.
"When I first became mayor in 2000, this was an empty site with a lot of potential," Santos said of the lot, which also contains a WalMart. "We have been able to transform this area into a vibrant area. It shows how can utilize some of these unused industrial sites."
Third Ward Councilwoman Carol Jean Doyle added, "This is a plus. So many commute in this area and this is a great spot for them to come to."
While Wawa is scarcely found in North Jersey with only a few stores, the chain hopes to continue to expand throughout the region in the coming years.
Source: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/01/wawa_to_open_first_north_jerse.html
So you see I may wanna stop buy & get a coffee or something like that but you know it's better than 7-Eleven or Quick Check? lol that's my optional. What's your optional on these Wawa stores/gas stations in your area? Plz leave a comment below to find out.
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