Clarksville, TN – The wait is over, and the line was worth it.
On Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, Wawa threw open the doors of its very first Tennessee location — right here in Clarksville at 1290 Parkway Place — and gave VIPs, local officials, community partners, and media a behind-the-scenes “Taste of Wawa” preview before the public got its first bite.
By the time the doors opened, the building was packed wall to wall, every guest working their way through a full spread of finger-food samples: the brand’s legendary hoagies, chicken sandwiches, pizza, bagels, croissants, smoothies, and more. Every single item disappeared fast, and every bite delivered — this is the kind of food that turns curious first-timers into instant regulars.
“I grew up in New Jersey and have been to Wawa more times than I can count. I’m thrilled that I’ll finally be able to enjoy Wawa right here in Clarksville,” said Clarksville City Council Ward 1 Council member Brian Zacharias.
It’s official: Wawa has spread its wings into Tennessee, and Clarksville gets to claim the historic first. With this opening, Wawa now operates in 14 states — and after Wednesday’s tasting, it’s easy to understand why the brand inspires this kind of loyalty everywhere it goes.
A Company Built on “Friends and Neighbors”
Joseph Collins, Wawa’s director of store operations, set the tone for the day, framing the company’s mission in deeply personal terms.
“Friends and neighbors serving friends and neighbors,” Collins said, describing one of the company’s core beliefs.
“When we open our doors, we open our hearts,” Collins said.
It’s not just a slogan. Collins explained that the Wawa Foundation is built around three pillars — health, hunger, and everyday heroes — and the company has backed that mission with more than $200 million in charitable giving since 2014.
That commitment was on full display well before the ribbon was even cut. Earlier in the day, the Clarksville team partnered with the USO at Fort Campbell for a special “Breaking Bread with Heroes” event featuring celebrity chef Robert Irvine, treating service members and their families to Wawa favorites like pretzels and snacks. Collins couldn’t resist a laugh, recalling Irvine’s unexpected talent with the youngest guests, joking that the chef doubled as a “baby whisperer” during the visit.
Wawa backed up the celebration with real dollars, presenting a $15,000 donation to the Robert Irvine Foundation to support its work with military members, veterans, and first responders.
Robert Irvine: “You’re Going to Love This”
If anyone in the room could speak to Wawa’s staying power, it was Chef Robert Irvine — a self-described Wawa fan for 25 years, the kind of devotion that has him sending his CEO a photo of his morning coffee and toasted Italian hoagie every single day.
“You’re going to love this,” Irvine told the crowd. “I think it’s a great addition to the community.”
Irvine’s connection to Clarksville’s military community runs deep, drawn from his own experiences visiting troops stationed around the world — from Afghanistan and Iraq to Poland, Spain, and Syria — and he made sure the room understood exactly what Fort Campbell represents.
“A lot of people don’t know what Fort Campbell is. I do,” Irvine said. “The 160th, the 5th Group, the 101st — the tip of the spear. We appreciate everyone who wears the cloth and the families that stand behind them.”
He thanked Wawa for the $15,000 gift to his foundation, noting the impact it would have on feeding people and supporting critical programs — and then handed the new store right back to the community it serves.
“This is your store,” he said. “If something’s not right, tell them. If I don’t have coffee creamer in the morning, somebody’s getting it.”
Hoagies for Heroes, and a New Fight Against Hunger
The generosity didn’t stop there. Wawa’s annual Hoagies for Heroes competition, a friendly, high-speed showdown pitting teams from the Clarksville Police Department, Clarksville Fire Rescue, and the USO against each other to see who can build the most hoagies in two minutes. Both charities walk away with $1,000 from Wawa regardless of outcome — though only one team gets the bragging rights and the trophy.
A brand-new community initiative, “Lending a Helping Hoagie,” was announced alongside the store. During the store’s first week of operation, a portion of every hoagie sale will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, turning every customer’s lunch order into a direct contribution to fighting food insecurity across the region.
Second Harvest: “I’m a Wawa Fan Now, for Sure”
Dick Brown, senior director of corporate engagement for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, offered one of the day’s most genuine moments — admitting he didn’t know much about Wawa at all until the company showed up at his organization’s facility last year.
“My co-workers educated me, and then Wawa came to our facility and held a community day,” Brown said. “That’s when I got my first taste of Wawa.”
That first taste clearly made an impression. Brown praised the energy surrounding the brand and thanked the company for stepping up in the fight against hunger, sharing that Second Harvest distributed 1.8 million meals in Clarksville alone last year — work that the proceeds from Wawa’s hoagie campaign will now help sustain across 22 partner agencies serving the region.
“I’m a Wawa fan now, for sure,” Brown said.
The First Official Tennessee Hoagie
With the speeches finished, it was time to make it official. Chef Robert Irvine joined Clarksville store General Manager Jacy Van Arkel to build the ceremonial first Wawa hoagie ever made in Tennessee, formally launching the “Lending a Helping Hoagie” program and Second Harvest partnership in front of the crowd.
More Than Convenience: “We Think of Ourselves as a Restaurant That Happens to Sell Fuel”
After the event wrapped, Collins took a moment to talk through what actually sets the Wawa experience apart — starting with the convenience that goes far beyond gas pumps. Customers can order ahead through the app, pull into one of the store’s 20 to 30 dedicated curbside spaces, and have their order brought straight to the car.
“We try to meet customers where they are,” Collins said.
But the real magic, Collins explained, is in the hoagie itself — and the sheer number of ways to make it your own.
“It’s all about choice and fresh ingredients,” he said. “Customers can select their bread, proteins, cheeses, toppings, seasonings, and whether they want the sandwich toasted. There are hundreds of combinations.”
It’s a menu built to outgrow the “convenience store” label entirely. Breakfast brings biscuit sandwiches, bagels, croissants, breakfast burritos, and bowls. Lunch rolls in with hoagies, wraps, salads, and crispy chicken sandwiches, while dinner serves up burgers, fries, and pizza. Wash it all down with coffee, teas, lemonades, milkshakes, or smoothies from the beverage menu.
“We think of ourselves as a restaurant that happens to sell fuel,” Collins said. “No matter your taste, we have something for you.”
What’s Next for Wawa in Tennessee
Clarksville is just the beginning. Collins confirmed Wawa plans to open six additional Tennessee stores this year alone, with six to eight new locations planned annually going forward — and Clarksville will see a second location near a Fort Campbell gate entrance before long.
For a company stepping into a brand-new state, Collins made it clear that Wawa isn’t taking the welcome lightly.
“We don’t take this opportunity for granted,” Collins said. “It’s an honor to be welcomed into Tennessee, and our goal is simple — we want customers to feel a little better when they leave than when they walked through our doors.”
Wawa is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Wawa’s official opening is today at 8:00am, with a Grand Opening at 8:30am.
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