Wawa announced two stores along Market Street in the heart of Center City will close in the coming weeks due to safety concerns. NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville reports.
Two of Wawa's downtown Philadelphia stores will be shuttered as the Delaware County-based chain continues "to be focused on doing everything we can to monitor and work with local authorities to address challenges impacting operations in any other stores," the company announced.
The convenience stores to be closed in Center City are located at 12th and Market streets and 19th and Market streets.
"Despite reducing hours and investing in additional operational measures, continued safety and security challenges and business factors have made it increasingly difficult to remain open in these two locations," the company said in a statement. "All associates from these two stores will be offered continued employment at Wawa. These two closures do not necessarily impact or limit potential for future stores in Philadelphia County."
Customers NBC10 spoke to had a hard time when they heard the news.
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"Is there any way we can get a petition and try to get it open still? That’s crazy man," Tyrone Suters said outside one of the Market Street locations.
The announcement comes two days after City Councilman Mike Driscoll told business leaders at a public forum in Northeast Philadelphia that Wawa officials were considering halting new store openings in Philadelphia amid rising crime and lawlessness in the city, according to a report published by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Last month, Wawa closed some of its city stores early when groups of young people ransacked stores in the area. On Sept. 24, a Wawa in Northeast Philadelphia was ransacked by hundreds of people. Video of the chaos and destruction went viral.
In the company statement, Wawa said "these closures do not diminish in anyway our on-going commitment to serve the Philadelphia community or our acknowledgment of the effort and support we continue to receive from local police."
The company statement also noted that Wawa's "commitment and ongoing investments in Philadelphia continue to grow and expand."
