ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Wawa will open its first store of 2026 in Lehigh County, with an America250PA T-shirt giveaway and other nods to the United States’ 250th birthday.
The new Wawa location will open on Feb. 26 at 3015 Lehigh St. in Allentown, at the former site of The Brass Rail, an iconic Lehigh Valley restaurant that closed in 2022 before being demolished last year.
The Brass Rail’s new iteration, a fast-casual eatery, opened in 2024 at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market.
The new Wawa’s grand opening festivities will kick off at 7:55 a.m. Feb. 26, with Wawa general manager Christopher Olsson counting down to the moment when the doors open for the very first time at 8 a.m.
Free Wawa T-shirts will be offered to the first 100 customers, as supplies last, and 150 America250PA T-shirts also will be given away, while supplies last.
Additionally, free any-size coffee will be offered through March 1.
A new Wawa location is coming soon to 3015 Lehigh St. in Allentown.
Ryan Kneller
At 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, customers are also invited to participate in a ceremony to celebrate the new store team and positive impact associates will have on the community.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature remarks from Wawa representatives and local officials, and there also will be a Hoagies for Heroes hoagie building competition.
The grand opening will feature appearances by Jim Magee, Wawa’s director of store operations; Gerard Matthew, Wawa’s area manager; Christopher Olsson, Wawa’s general manager; state and local officials; first responders from local police and fire departments; Wally Goose, Wawa’s mascot; and The Keystone Kid, America250PA’s mascot.
A new Wawa location is coming soon to 3015 Lehigh St. in Allentown.
Ryan Kneller
“Wawa is thrilled to mark our nation’s 250th birthday year at 100 grand opening parties across the country that celebrate local communities across the communities Wawa serves!” a news release states. “In partnership with America250PA, Wawa is proud to be able to celebrate this milestone in our home state with special giveaways and an appearance by The Keystone Kid mascot.”
Delaware County-based Wawa, Inc., a privately held company with more than 1,100 gas station and convenience store locations in 12 states and Washington D.C., began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey.
Toward the end of the 19th century, Owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming, and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, Delaware County in 1902.
The milk business was a huge success, and as home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 in Pennsylvania as an outlet for dairy products.
Today, Wawa locations offer freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services, convenience items and surcharge-free ATMs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C.
Popular food offerings include Sizzli breakfast sandwiches, signature hoagies, wraps, quesadillas, burgers, pizzas, salads, soups and sides.
Wawa’s new Allentown location will supplement about two dozen other Lehigh Valley area Wawa locations, including a location that opened in 2024 at 3608 Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township; a location that opened in 2023 at 770 Hellertown Road in south Bethlehem; and 2022 additions at 4089 Jandy Blvd. in Lower Nazareth Township, 364 Susquehanna St. in Allentown and 6680 Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township.
A new Wawa location is coming soon to MacArthur and Mickley roads in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Another Wawa location is nearing completion at MacArthur and Mickley roads in Whitehall Township, and several other Lehigh Valley Wawa locations are under development or have been proposed, including those at Highland Avenue and Route 512 in Hanover Township, Northampton County; 62 N. Broadway in Wind Gap; 4457 Easton Ave. in Bethlehem Township; 1810 Route 309 in South Whitehall Township; and near Routes 309 and 873 in North Whitehall Township.
The new Lehigh Street location will operate a mile south of another Wawa at 2209 Lehigh St. in Allentown.
The forthcoming Allentown location also will operate about 100 yards away from a Sheetz convenience store and gas station, which opened in August 2023 at the southeast corner of Lehigh Street and 29th Street, near Auto Zone.
A new Wawa location is coming soon to 3015 Lehigh St. in Allentown.
Ryan Kneller
A Turkey Hill gas station and convenience store operates on the other side of Sheetz.