June 01, 2015
JACQUELINE LARMA/AP
Bubba, 2, leans out of his owner's pickup truck parked in front of the first Wawa convenience store, opened in April 1964, in Folsom, Pa., Thursday April 22, 2004.
Local attractions are readying for an influx of tourists during Pope Francis' visit to the city this fall, and in a true testament of Philly pride, that includes expediting construction of a flagship Wawa location in Center City.
According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, the Center City Wawa, which is set to take the place of the former Robinson Luggage store at Broad and Walnut streets, was originally projected to open in early November, but because of Pope Francis' visit in late September, there is a push to move up the completion date.
A new estimated opening date will be released once construction begins this summer, PBJ reports, but the hope is that the convenience store will be ready in time for Pope Francis and his followers to stop in for a hoagie, if they so wish.
“Wawa would be ecstatic if they could open for the pope’s visit,” Larry Steinberg, senior vice president of the retail brokerage firm representing Wawa in its Philadelphia expansion program, told PBJ. “But reality is that getting it open by then is very difficult."
Pope Francis' visit during the World Meeting of Families, a Vatican-sponsored event from Sept. 22-25, is expected to draw as many as 2 million people to the area.
Wawa isn't the only place trying to capitalize on the influx of tourists expected to flock to the area.
Trolley tours to holy sites are being set, murals are being painted and parades are being planned.
Read the full Philadelphia Business Journal article here.
