NICEVILLE — Wawa is officially opening its newest Niceville location this week, and the convenience store chain is planning a grand opening celebration featuring free coffee, limited-edition T-shirts, local first responders and a hoagie-building competition.
The new store, located at 1560 E. John Sims Parkway, will open its doors at 8 a.m. Thursday, August 27. The Niceville location is Wawa’s 56th store to open in 2026 as the company continues its expansion across Florida.
The festivities will begin at 7:55 a.m., when Wawa General Manager Thomas Hunton leads a countdown to the store’s opening.
The first 100 customers, while supplies last, will receive a free limited-edition Wawa Grand Opening Tour T-shirt. Customers will also be able to receive a free hot coffee of any size from August 27 through August 30.
A celebration ceremony will follow at 8:30 a.m. with remarks from Wawa representatives and local officials. The event will also include a “Hoagies for Heroes” competition featuring first responders from local police and fire departments.
The ceremony will conclude with a ribbon cutting celebrating the new store and its employees.
Wawa representatives expected at the event include Joseph Collins, Wawa director of store operations; Kevin McGrath, Wawa area manager; and Hunton, the Niceville store’s general manager. Local officials, first responders and Wawa mascot Wally Goose are also scheduled to participate.
The grand opening is part of Wawa’s 2026 Grand Opening Tour, which includes nearly 100 grand opening celebrations across 14 states.
According to Wawa, each new store represents an investment of more than $7.5 million and employs an average of 35 associates once open. The company also estimates that approximately 140 contractors and local partners are involved in building each store.
The company said the grand opening events are designed to celebrate the communities Wawa is joining while creating opportunities for residents, employees and local organizations to connect.
The Niceville grand opening will begin at 7:55 a.m. Thursday at 1560 E. John Sims Parkway.
Graphic photo of a Wawa station in Pennsylvania.
