Wawa plans to open a technology hub at the site of one of its recently shuttered Center City locations, CEO Chris Gheysens said, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Gheysens made the announcement Friday during a panel discussion at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia's 2023 Economic Outlook event. He told the Business Journal that the Delaware County convenience store chain's space at 19th and Market streets, which shuttered last fall, will potentially serve as a venue to bring startups together in a "Wawa real-life environment" to provide tech solutions for the company.
He said the details of the technology hub are still in the works.
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The hub could also provide training for young workers to help meet the growing demand for tech talent in the region, Gheysens added. It could be Wawa-specific, or could serve as a more regional, multi-partner venue.
Overall, the chain wants the location to become a "beacon" for the health of the tech industry in the region.
"That is a great location, and hopefully a visible sign that tech is alive and well, and the ecosystem that we create around it for the Philly area is alive and well," Gheysens told PBJ.com.
The planned venue is part of Wawa's partnership with the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia to support its efforts to grow the region's brand and market it as a tech hub. Philadelphia's potential in the tech industry, Gheysens said, is "undersold."
Gheysens also shed some light on the fate of two other recently closed Wawa stores at 12th and Market streets and 13th and Chestnut streets. Check out the plans on PBJ.com.
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