It’s hard to believe that Labor Day is just around the corner, and the summer is almost over. This past summer has been filled with exciting events and memories.  From our Wawaversaries to new store openings to charitable walks and runs to our Hoagiefest events, it seemed like every week brought new celebrations and excitement. 

Something we are always excited about is the passion and loyalty of Wawa customers. It’s more and more evident over the summer, when so many customers who are already taking long trips to the beach will go out of their way to make a stop at Wawa…even if they have to drive a few miles out of their way to get to us. 

This deep customer loyalty and devotion is something that we not only treasure, but that also fascinated Washington Post reporter Hank Stuever, as he expressed in his article last week entitled "Isn't that convenient?".

In his article, Stuever profiles Wawa and Sheetz, doing a fabulous job showing the unique space that each of our companies occupy in the convenience universe.  As I read his article, I was impressed by his ability to convey the true Wawa flavor, the nuances that make our culture tick, the associates that get our customers’ days started, and the thousands of customer personalities who walk though our doors every day and have become part of our extended family. 

During our interview, I got a chance to do something I love--I got to talk about our unique history, about all the fun and memorable ways we were able to celebrate our 45th anniversary this summer, about the incredible customers I’ve met in our stores, and about how we like to think of ourselves as the cheers of convenience stores, where our associates know our customers by name. 

More than anything the interview gave me the chance to reflect on the fact that while we’ve truly had an unforgettable summer at Wawa, every season at Wawa is unforgettable, due to the passion and loyalty our customers and associates have for Wawa throughout winter, spring, summer and fall.  Now that’s something to think about that makes the summer ending not so bittersweet. 

‘Till next time…