There will likely be more competition in the near future for convenience store chains like 7-Eleven, Krauszer’s, and QuickChek that have locations across Northern New Jersey. That is because Wawa, which has historically had most of its New Jersey locations in the southern and central parts of the state, is seeking to open several more locations in the region.
Jersey Digs has learned that the Chester Heights, Pennsylvania-based business is trying to open two of these new locations in Morris County, where the company’s expansion into North Jersey began nearly seven years ago. Records from the Morris County Planning Board show that the new locations, both of which would include a Wawa convenience store and a gas station, are proposed for the Town of Dover and the Township of East Hanover. The Morris County Land Development Review Committee conditionally approved the applications for both new locations during its June meeting.
The East Hanover Wawa is planned for the corner of Ridgedale Avenue and Route 10 West, according to the County records. Although a Township representative told Jersey Digs that she could not provide the exact address since the company has not yet applied for approvals at the municipal level, the only property at that intersection where new development appears possible is the site of Matthijssen Office Machines at 14 Route 10, since the other properties contain Novartis office buildings and a small wooded area next to a river.
Meanwhile, in Dover, the Wawa location is planned for the edge of the community’s downtown at 218 East Blackwell Street, near the corner of South Salem Street. Part of the property was previously home to Blackwell Auto Sales, LLC’s Buy a Ride business, but has been a vacant lot in recent years. A representative of the Town’s Planning and Zoning Department told Jersey Digs that the proposal was approved by the Dover Zoning Board of Adjustment, but is still awaiting other necessary approvals.
Wawa opened its first North Jersey store and gas station in 2010 in Parsippany, which has remained its only Morris County location. Earlier this year, the company applied to open up in the Pine Brook section of nearby Montville Township, but the proposal was denied by the municipality’s Planning Board.
