Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wawa

The Wawa convenience store/gas station/cafe/mini-supermarket chain created a buzz when it opened its first Florida store in Orlando in July. Gov. Rick Scott attended a ceremony welcoming the company, which opened five outlets in five weeks by late summer. Wawa is targeting Tampa for an early 2013 rollout there as part of a plan to build 100 Florida stores and create 3,500 jobs within five years. Made-to-order hoagies and other specialties have earned the Wawa, Pa.-based company legions of fans in five states from New Jersey to Virginia.