Groundbreaking for North Carolina’s first Wawa convenience store, which will be located on the Outer Banks, has been scheduled for next month.
Other details have not been released about the event set for May 12 at 10 a.m. at the corner of U.S. 158 and West Fourth Street in Kill Devil Hills.
Site preparation at 1900 North Croatan Highway began last fall and reached a stopping point a few weeks ago.
Company officials said in October we may have to wait until chain’s 60th anniversary in 2024 before grabbing one of their popular hoagies and coffee on the beach.
The company’s website also notes they “normally do not confirm a location until construction begins. We believe this helps avoid disappointment if a planned location doesn’t meet our needs.”
A webpage where the public can sign-up to attend the groundbreaking is now live.
Founded in Pennsylvania in 1964 and based in Chester Heights, Penn., Wawa now has more than 800 stores in six states, including Virginia, D.C, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Florida.
Their location just off the Chesapeake Expressway in the Edinburgh section of Chesapeake has become a popular stopping point for Outer Banks travelers and commuters.
Kill Devil Hills commissioners gave final approval last May to a 6,000 square foot store, with 52 parking spaces and 8 gas pumps across North Croatan Highway from the Target that opened earlier this month.
Concerns were expressed by nearby residents about the addition of a Wawa to their neighborhood in the Avalon area of Kill Devil Hills. The developer plans to erect a shadowbox-style fence as a buffer at the rear of the property.
An initial request for a direct driveway connection to U.S. 158 was denied in the planning process. Town zoning regulations require corner lots along Croatan Highway to connect driveways only to the side street, and a variance was denied by the KDH Board of Adjustment.