A new Wawa is opening by the 2nd Target location coming to Bradenton. Here’s the latest
It may be possible to buy Wawa’s Classic Hoagie with turkey, the company’s most popular sandwich in the Florida market, or any of its other hand-helds, coffees and lattes later this year in west Bradenton.
Site preparation has started for the sixth Wawa convenience store in the Bradenton area at 7481 Manatee Ave. W.
Wawa announced in 2018 that it planned to open a store there, but construction started only recently. Bradenton building officials completed review of the project on Nov. 15, 2021.
A sign on the fenced construction site, at the southeast corner of Manatee Avenue West and 75th Street West, says that it is “another quality job by A.T. Construction Management.” The company’s website features an image of a Wawa store.
The Wawa construction site is adjacent to a parking lot, once home to a now demolished Albertson’s supermarket. A Lucky’s market had been planned on the Albertson’s site, but Lucky’s pulled out of the deal after it lost Krogers as an investor. Lucky’s eventually filed for bankruptcy and closed many of its stores.
Wawa has a strong following for its made-to-order foods, beverages, and coffee as well as its fuel services. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
Wawa opened its first Bradenton store on Dec. 18, 2014, at 701 First St. E. Since then it has opened stores at 14510 S.R. 70 E., 4506 53rd Ave. E., 5306 14th St., and 4455 S.R. 64 E.
The intersection where the new Wawa is under construction is a busy one and has a lot of potential for businesses.
On the north side of Manatee Avenue, just across the street from the Wawa construction site, Target has started work on its second store in Manatee County.
The new Target is going into space at 7350 Manatee Ave. W., once occupied by Kmart, the last of its brand in Manatee County.
In September 2020, Target confirmed that it plans to open a second store in Bradenton. A year later, contractors applied with Manatee County Building Services for a permit to build out the interior of the former Kmart as a Target store.
Target has not announced an opening date for the planned 49,000-square-foot store.
“As we get closer to opening the store, we’ll have more specific details to share — including how the shopping experience will be tailored to serve local guests and the grand opening date,” a spokesperson said most recently.
