There’s a special kind of nostalgia associated with family road trips. Waking up at dawn, packing the car with blankets and pillows, and squeezing everyone’s belongings into the trunk. Siblings have inevitable arguments over who controls the music, funny anecdotes to pass the time, and making the first stop at the family’s favorite gas station to get snacks, and of course, coffee for the road.
As a native of Texas, Buc-ees stands as one of the most iconic convenience store and gas station chains in the United States, with fewer than 70 locations in 11 states, most of them in Texas, the chain’s road tripping families, long-haul trucks, an open location in Texas, and the first location in Cluxte. 1982.
However, for East Coast travelers, there is one chain that reigns supreme.
Few could have predicted that a small dairy business in Pennsylvania in the 1920s would become one of the nation’s most recognizable convenience store chains. Officially founded in 1964 as Wawa, the brand quickly became popular among commuters and busy consumers, thanks to its clean bathrooms, fresh coffee, and fan favorite made-to-order hoagies.
But despite building a loyal cult-like following for more than six decades, Wawa has not been immune to financial uncertainty. Changing consumer habits, rising operational costs, and increased competition have created challenges that even the most beloved brands are struggling to overcome.
Wawa has revealed that it will close its Drexel University location at 3300 Market Street in Philadelphia on January 21, 2026, two years after remodeling the entire store, adding to a growing list of recent closings nationwide.
Senior media relations manager Lori Bruce said the decision was strictly business-related and followed several efforts to address ongoing issues at the venue.
“Over the years, we’ve put a lot of effort into addressing business and operational challenges in this space,” Bruce told the Triangle. “This includes partnering with the property owner, Drexel University, in an effort to address some of these issues, and recently investing in our store design to test a fully digital format.”
“Unfortunately, this test did not significantly improve performance or provide an enhanced customer experience, which ultimately led to the decision to close the store,” Bruce added.
While the closing marks the end of Wawa’s presence on Drexel’s campus, it does not mean a complete exit from the surrounding community. The company encourages customers to visit nearby locations, including stores at 3604 Chestnut Street and 3724-3744 Spruce Street.
Wawa did not disclose how many employees would be affected, but confirmed that workers will be offered continued employment at other locations.
The Drexel University store opened in 2018, and in 2023, Wawa converted the location to a kiosk-only format, replacing traditional shelves with digital ordering stations. The change comes after two stores in Philadelphia closed amid growing concerns about theft.
The transformation was part of a broader expansion strategy to reach 1,800 stores by 2030, according to The Business Journal.
More store closings:
Over the past several years, Wawa has expanded into new states and experimented with alternative store formats. The company opened its first drive-thru location in New Jersey in 2020, its first freestanding drive-thru in Pennsylvania in 2021, and its first travel center in North Carolina in 2025.
These efforts helped Wawa grow to about 1,175 locations in 14 states by 2025, according to data by ScrapeHero. However, some experimental patterns failed to resonate with customers. Wawa has closed all of its drive-thru-only locations and converted some others.
“Wawa is constantly testing new concepts to meet the needs of our customers,” a Wawa spokesperson told LevittownNow.com.
Wawa confirms another store closing amid strategic shift.Shutterstock” loading=”lazy” height=”540″ width=”960″ class=”yf-lglytj loader”/>
Wawa confirms another store closing amid strategic shift.Shutterstock ·Shutterstock
Recent closings appear to be affecting Pennsylvania the most, particularly Philadelphia, which has lost about 10 Wawa locations since 2020. Despite the closings, Pennsylvania remains Wawa’s third largest market, with more than 267 stores, representing approximately 23% of its total footprint as of S2H25.
Wawa is not alone in reassessing its strategy. Many leading brands are trying to revive growth by returning to the core experiences that originally built customer loyalty.
Starbucks (SBUX) is a prime example. The coffee giant launched its “back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy in response to declining sales, moving away from transaction-focused formats and toward a more personalized coffeehouse experience.
In August 2025, Starbucks unveiled plans to close all pickup-only concepts and convert some into full cafes, affecting about 90 stores nationwide. That same year, the company closed nearly 400 North American locations, closed at least 10 UK stores, and sold off much of its China business.
Wawa’s challenges reflect broader trends in the retail and food industries, where rising costs and changing consumer preferences have prompted thousands of store closings, even among long-established brands.
Convenience stores, in particular, are losing customers to fast-food and quick-service restaurants. In response, many chains are investing in full kitchens and expanded grocery offerings, according to the latest NACS Convenience Voice survey.
Announced store closings in 2025 were up 67% from the previous year, according to CoreSight research. As of July, nearly 6,000 shutdowns were reported nationwide, far more than the 3,496 shutdowns recorded during the same period in 2024.
“The effects of these closures go far beyond the retail floor,” said Shmuel Shayowitz, president and chief credit officer of Accredited Fund. “Thousands of workers are losing their jobs, many of them in communities where retail employment has historically been one of the largest anchors.”
“For consumers, the result means fewer choices, less access to personalized shopping, and, in some cases, higher prices due to less competition,” he added.
7-Eleven (SVNDY): Nearly 500 stores to close by 2024 (Source: The Street)
Circle K: Alimentation Couche-Tard (ANCTF) revealed plans to sell 36 Circle K locations by the end of 2025 (Source: C-Store Dive)
Casey: 24 stores closed by 2025 (Source: C-Store Dive)
Related: JCPenney reveals surprise update on future of 119 stores
This story was originally published by TheStreet on January 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.
