Customers drove for hours to be the first to get their hands on the signature coffees and made-to-order hoagies that the first Alabama Wawa convenience store served at its grand opening in Fairhope Thursday.

Located in Baldwin County, at 18968 Greeno Road in Fairhope, the convenience store is the first of three Wawa stores slated to open in South Alabama before the end of summer.

During the grand opening, Wawa was joined by local officials, heroes and community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a parade of Wawa history, local cheerleaders and musicians, and a “Hoagies for Heroes” charitable hoagie-building competition between local fire and police teams.

The grand opening celebration also kicked off Wawa’s “Lending a Helping Hoagie” program to benefit Prodisee Pantry, a non-profit organization providing emergency food and disaster relief to Baldwin County families facing hardship stemming from job loss, medical expenses, natural disasters and other crises.

Wawa has committed to donating a portion of hoagie sales from the first Baldwin County store (up to $5,000) to Prodisee Pantry to help fight hunger in the local community. In addition, The Wawa Foundation will also announce a grant to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital to support child life programs.

“We are excited to fly into Alabama and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this market for the very first time. This historic milestone kicks off our ongoing investment in Alabama as we continue our plans to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian Schaller, President of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending our commitment to being a good neighbor to Baldwin County, and our partnerships with Prodisee Pantry and USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital are examples of how we will support local causes.”

On Thursday,  Wawa’s doors opened for the first time in Alabama to welcome new friends and neighbors!

The first 250 customers received special milestone Wawa t-shirts. At 10 a.m., the celebration began with local officials joining Wawa associates, Wawa’s mascots Wally Goose and Shorti, and community partners for this landmark event. The event included the Fairhope High School musical ensemble, followed by the introduction of the store team and the first official “Wawa Parade through the Ages,” which visually highlighted key milestones in Wawa history.

Immediately following the parade, Wawa President Brian Schaller spoke about the significance of the Company’s first Alabama store and expected local and state impact through continuing Wawa expansion in the Baldwin County and Mobile markets. Local officials spoke about Wawa’s expansion and community initiatives, including Prodisee Pantry and the “Lending a Helping Hoagie” program and The Wawa Foundation grant to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital. The ceremony ended with a ribbon cutting, officially marking the Company’s entrance into the state.