PHILADELPHIA - Wawa, a Philadelphia staple, announced Thursday it will close two Center City locations due to "continued safety and security challenges and business factors.""We are very sorry we can’t be there for our friends and neighbors at these two locations, but we continue to serve the community from our other nearby stores and our commitment to the greater region remains strong," a statement read in part. "Philadelphia is our hometown and that’s something that will never change."The chain remains hopeful it can repurpose the two defunct locations "to further benefit Philadelphia" and doubled down on its commitment to helping communities around the city grow." Since 2020, at least four Wawas have closed their doors and others have cut their hours.
The announcement comes amid a rash of crimes at Wawa across the city, including a recent robbery where an employee was pepper sprayed at store in University City.
In a Philadelphia Business Journal report, Philadelphia Councilmember Mike Driscoll suggested Wawa is reconsidering its presence in Philadelphia and could halt expansion due to crime.When reached for comment by FOX 29's Jeff Cole, Driscoll backed off his comments about Wawa's future in Philadelphia.
He claimed that the concerns that he voiced were his own and nothing Wawa had expressed to him."What I meant was I had concerns that could cause them to reconsider," Driscoll said.