Construction is slated to start soon on a new Wawa convenience store to be located on U.S. 13, fronting the Laurel Junction Flea Market property at U.S. 13 and Delaware 9. Long anticipated, the construction site is being blocked off with chain-link fencing, and the former gas pumps located in front of the Flea Market building have been removed, making way for the new store and all-new gas aisles.

Mike Mercer, owner of the Laurel Junction Flea Market, said that while construction will somewhat limit parking spaces in front of the market, there will be no impact on the flea market operations inside and outside of the main building and adjoining storefronts.

“We are open and operating as normal,” he said. “This will not create any loss of business operations at the market. Although construction will have an impact on some out-front parking, there is plenty of parking around the building and in the rear area of the flea market property.”

The most recent official update from the town of Laurel comes by way of Town Manager Jamie Smith’s report to Mayor and Council recently. She told the council that Wawa’s site plan had been recorded with Sussex County and that site work was expected to start in late September or October. Smith said there has been no timeline established regarding how long the store construction will take and the Wawa will open. Laurel’s Wawa will be the latest addition of the convenience store chain along the western Sussex U.S. 13 corridor, joining stores in Delmar, Seaford and Bridgeville.

According to Wawa corporate information regarding the history of Wawa, George Wood founded the Wawa Dairy in 1902 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, to bottle fresh milk products from certified Guernsey cows. The Wawa Dairy produced and delivered certified Wawa milk to the doorsteps of homes throughout the Philadelphia region.

The first Wawa Food Market opened on April 16, 1964, in Folsom, Pa.. By 1969, the first stores in New Jersey and Delaware opened, and Wawa Kitchens were offering foods like hamburgers and fried chicken. In 1970, pre-made hoagies and sandwiches were introduced, and in the 1980s Wawa separated the deli from the checkout counter for even speedier service and introduced its “Built-to-Order®” hoagies, followed by hot foods, like meatballs.

In 1995, ATMs were installed in all stores, and the first fuel store opened in Millsboro, in 1996. By 2016, Wawa had opened its 500th fuel store, and, in 2017, partnered with Tesla to install Tesla Supercharger stations at select stores. In 2018, Wawa opened its largest store nationwide to date at Independence Mall in Philadelphia.