The former Rite Aid on New Jersey Avenue is trading prescriptions for hoagies as Wawa gets to work on a doo-wop styled Super Wawa in Wildwood. The convenience chain is building out a retro look at the corner site, complete with flashy signage, a larger footprint and on-site fuel. Construction has already started, but Wawa has not given an official opening date. The project is billed as the island's second doo-wop Wawa and is meant to tap into the bright neon and midcentury angles that define Wildwood's throwback identity.
Store details
The new store is planned as a roughly 6,300 to 6,400 square-foot outpost at 3400 New Jersey Ave. with multiple fuel dispensers replacing the demolished Rite Aid at that corner, according to Jersey Digs. Site plans and renderings show neon-style signage, bold midcentury colors and an expanded parking lot spread over about 1.4 acres. Jersey Digs reports the location will include five pumps and roughly 56 parking spaces, but Wawa has not yet supplied a timeline for opening.
Why doo-wop?
Wildwood officials specifically asked Wawa to bake doo-wop elements into the design so the store would blend in with the town's signature midcentury look, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The outlet reports the treatment is intended to mirror other local examples, including the existing retro Wawa at 418 W. Rio Grande Ave., while still delivering modern convenience and fuel services.
Wawa's footprint and menu
Wawa traces its retail roots to a 1964 store in Folsom and has steadily expanded both its reach and its menu, adding a burger platform and later rolling out pizza as part of a broader dinner push, according to company press material and industry reporting. Recent press releases from the chain highlight how many new locations are positioned not just as fuel stops but as quick, made-to-order meal destinations, a shift Wawa has emphasized in its rollout notes.
What it means for the shore
Planning documents indicate the new fuel pumps are expected to plug a gap in gas options along this stretch of Seven Mile Island, and local coverage notes that the smaller, pump-free Wawa at 3200 New Jersey Ave. is slated to close once the new site opens, according to PhillyVoice. Preservation advocates and tourism boosters told planners they want new development that respects Wildwood's Doo Wop character, and the retro design is being framed as a middle ground between modern convenience and seaside nostalgia.
Timeline and next steps
There is still no official opening date, and the project remains in early development, according to WhatNow, which reported that Wawa had not provided a timeline at the time of its coverage. Anyone eager to circle a grand opening on the calendar will need to keep an eye on municipal filings and Wawa's own channels for the next round of updates.
