Wawa's first Kentucky location to open this week near Okolona in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville's first Wawa, which is also the state of Kentucky's first Wawa, will open its doors this week.

The Preston Crossing Boulevard location of the gas station and convenience store is scheduled to open this Thursday, July 24, near Okolona in Louisville. That's just south of the Gene Snyder Freeway.

The first 250 customers will get free t-shirts, and any size coffee will be free from opening day through July 27.

Crews broke ground on the Okolona location last June. It's the first of eight stores set to open in Kentucky by the end of the year.

Wawa is known for its cheap eats, fresh food and beverage offerings, including coffee, smoothies, hoagies, pizza, burgers, soups and more.

In addition to the eight stores opening this year in Kentucky, Wawa plans to build and open five to eight stores in the state each year. The company intends on opening more than 40 stores in Kentucky.

Additional locations planned for the Louisville area include:

5229 Dixie Highway, near Kurz Way in Pleasure Ridge Park
7203 Apple Mill Drive, near the intersection with Outer Loop and Vaughn Mill
4213 Bardstown Road, near Fegenbush Lane
12415 Taylorsville Road, near the intersection with Sweeney Lane

While the Okolona location will be the first in Kentucky, it's not the first in the Louisville area. It's first regional location opened in May on Veterans Parkway in Clarksville, Indiana, as part of the company's expansion from the east coast.

The southern Indiana location is one of three that opened in the Hoosier state in May. The first opened May 15 in Daleville, with the other two opening north of Indianapolis.

The company also plans to open a location in Sellersburg, Indiana, at the intersection of State Road 60 and Appleleaf Lane.

These stores are part of Wawa's plan to open up to 10 stores in the Hoosier state this year. The company also plans to build and open eight to 12 locations each year in Indiana, with the intention of opening up to 60 stores in the state.

In September 2023, the chain announced several future locations in the Kentuckiana region. It said last year it plans to open about 40 stores across the Kentucky region over the next 8-10 years.

To learn more about Wawa and take a look at what it provides, click here. The chain is also hiring for the new locations. Job opportunities and applications can be found by clicking here.

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