Busy coffee bar at the Neptune Wawa. Blogfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
The new Wawa just opened at the corner of 33 (eastbound ) and 35. You can get gas there as well as the best fresh coffee and sandwiches of its genre. They are offering free coffee through Saturday. After Saturday, they will have a breakfast special of a Sizzli sandwich and coffee for $2.99. Watch for free coupons mailed to your home.
Wawa has made a study of how to run a place like this. The keys are basic: cleanliness, fresh coffee, quick service at the sandwich counter and fast checkout. We wrote two pieces about the forthcoming store which was built very quickly. If you are driving on Rt. 33 (Corlies Ave) west, there is a convenient left turn lane into the ample parking lot. The employees who work at the gas pumps tend to be efficient and courteous.
Wow. Wawa was really wonderful this Monday morning. This is Paul from Blogfinger weporting live. Photo by a passing 9th grader.
JOHNNIE AND JOE with “Over the Mountain Across the Sea”
Not getting the Wawa excitement at all.
While in the facility this week, took a good look at the sterile environment, the prepared food to go, and the commercial-looking baked goods. I wasn’t salivating. In fact the greasy-looking baked goods made me turn away, and I’m known to never pass up a good piece of cake.
As for the coupons Wawa sent, that breakfast sandwich looks like a fat bomb. Who needs this?!
Blogfinger : Your response reads like a big fluffy puffy PR blurb for Wawa. ” A triumph of corporate attention “, ” a social phenomenon for Neptune “, etc., etc. You describe Wawa as if it were Shangri La or La La land.
Most American corporations started out as family owned and then went corporate.. No surprise that Wawa also did. Nonetheless Wawa is now a corporation. A chain. Period. It is as “partly owned by their employees” as much as Walmart is by its “associates” or Target is by its “team members”.
JW. I don’t think you can judge the Wawa situation now because of the free coffee frenzy this past week. And they will have other specials to attract new customers.
Well! Maybe the WaWa customers will stand aside and wait their turn for coffee better than they did eariier this week during the free coffee event. Got there late morning Wednesday. Like a mob scene at the coffee bar, complete with pushing and elbowing. Perhaps one of the reasons for the frenzy was some of the customers were filling up multiple cups. Maybe I’m missing something, but the whole WaWa environment reminds me of a highway travel plaza. Think I’ll stick with supporting the small business coffee sellers in Ocean Grove.
I think the Wawa story is more than trivial. The new store brings light, cleanliness and people to that ugly corner of Neptune. It is a triumph of corporate attention to detail. It is a cheerful place where many locals will come, as if to a town center—sort of like a Wegmans for the blue collar crowd.
The Wawa customers will meet their neighbors, they will enjoy the human activity and interactions there, they will hold open a door for a stranger and they will stand aside while they wait for the milk for their coffee. They will watch fine food being prepared carefully in front of them and they will notice the other customers who are men, women, children, Indians, Chinese, African Americans, businessmen, bloggers, and sanitation men. Also, the Wawa customers are helping the local economy and enabling the addition of jobs to this area.
Wawa will be a social phenomenon for Neptune—-a distinct plus, and I will go there myself because of their great coffee and fresh made four inch toasted tuna sandwiches.
And for Frank who belittled Wawa because they are a “corporation” and not a family business, he should know that Wawa is a family business from Pennsylvania dating back to the 19th century. It is a privately held corporation which is partly owned by their employees and by a number of family members–descendents of the founders.
Rt 35 is a commercial highway. WaWa is a commercial entity. Its providing jobs and offering some outstanding soups (a little known secret) in addition to keeping gas prices competitive. Unless they were given tax incentive by the Committee it also brings in tax revenue.
Would I prefer green pastures leading up to the gates? Sure. But that’s not practical so I say embrace the new business. This was supposed to be a 7-11 and look a lot like what went into Neptune City when the Chinese restaurant used to be on Rt. 35 but I guess delays killed that.
Yikes…I could care less about the WaWa but I have no control over the fact that it’s there. In a perfect world there would be no unsightly buildings, no unkempt homes, no j-walkers, no bullets flying….
I think I’m done with expending my energy on this.
There is life( and ugliness) beyond OG. Seems that the attitude here is that since this(Wawa and its ilk) is not in OG proper then it is ok.
Diminished aesthetics and expectations are acceptable outside OG. It’s a kind of “not in my backyard” point of view. I do not agree with or condone this attitude.
Lest you forget OG is part of Neptune township. Upon entering or exiting OG one can not be blind or numb.
I just don’t really understand how anybody could be so excited, impressed with, and defensive of a Wawa.
Frank S: Last I looked there are a couple of liquor stores a little West of this so called “ugly” Wawa. I don’t go to Wawa that often, but saying that this intersection is where people get an ” initial impression/introduction into OG” is stretching it a bit I think. If it was 71 & 33 I would be more likely to agree with you, but not 33 & 35.
Frank…I have a great appreciation for aesthetics, come over to Franklin Ave. and take a look at my home…it’s pretty nice. I also have an appreciation for “Fwee” coffee. At any rate, I don’t really understand how the WaWa is any more or less attractive than the rest of Rt. 33 leading up to the OG gates. It’s not exactly “Main Street USA” with the “Taco Hell”, empty antiques building , car parts store, etc….
Sal : Some of the more affluent newcomers or tourists might like a Tiffanys. I myself would actually prefer something less high brow like a diner. That would be more unique and less generic then a Wawa. There actually used to be a really nice diner at this intersection (Neptune Diner).
A third of a mile is less then a minute before OG. While you might disagree I contend that approach/introduction to a town does indeed effect ones initial impression. If you think a Wawa is appropriate upon visiting OG you are welcome to your opinion. You might also think that a Chucky Cheese, pool hall, liquor store, or fast food chain is OK and appropriate.
Anything instead of nothing is not necessarily appropriate or a good thing.
Yes, an empty fenced in lot with political ads one month out of the year is way more appropriate over a third of a mile away from the gates. Maybe the only open corner at that intersection will have a Tiffany’s spring up.
Mary Lou : So coffee addiction blinds ones aesthetics ?
youknowyagottahaveit : Springwood Ave. is not a main approach into OG as is Rt. 33. Also Meat & More has quite good meat products. Have you ever actually been there ?
Frank S, If you find the Corlies Avenue approach a little ugly then come in on Springwood Ave. next time and make a right at “Ye Olde Meat’n More Emporium. I’d eat roadkill first.
Ugly or not, I took advantage of the fwee coffee with pleasure!
I think Wawa is ugly and a bad addition to the aproach into OG. How can Blogfinger rant about the way the Old High School/Arts Center or the pink campaign looks yet rave about a Wawa ?
The Route 33 approach into OG is getting pretty ugly and commercial. Not a great initial impression/introduction into OG.
If one has to choose thier poison I prefer Quick Check. At least it is family owned & operated as opposed to Wawa which is a corporate chain.