A future Wawa has been getting plenty of attention along Wyoming Avenue in Exeter, and understandably so. NEPA residents can detect the possibility of a new hoagie touchscreen from several municipalities away.
After reviewing Exeter Borough meeting records, planning agendas, and previous reporting, I found that the proposed Wawa is still moving through the development process. More importantly, it is only one part of a much larger commercial project known as Exeter Commons.
The full development has been described as covering approximately 16 acres, while the Wawa would occupy roughly two acres of the property.
In other words, this is not just a gas station appearing beside the road. Developers are laying the groundwork for a new commercial center.
Where the Exeter Wawa Is Planned
The proposed development is located along Wyoming Avenue near Birchwood Village Drive, across from businesses including Sabatini’s Pizza and Kost Tire and Auto Service.
A new road serving the development has been named Veterans Way. Borough records later described the proposed Wawa as being located near the intersection of Wyoming Avenue and Veterans Way.
No final street address, Wawa store number, construction date, or opening date has been publicly announced.
What Is Planned for Exeter Commons?
Early plans for Exeter Commons included four commercial buildings:
- A proposed grocery store measuring approximately 20,487 square feet
- A Wawa convenience store measuring approximately 5,585 square feet
- A retail building measuring approximately 10,640 square feet
- A second retail building measuring approximately 7,600 square feet
The plans also included parking, internal roads, and stormwater-management infrastructure.
No grocery operator has been officially identified, and tenants for the other retail buildings have not been announced.
That leaves one of the project’s most interesting questions unanswered:
What else is coming to Exeter Commons?
For now, Wawa is the only widely identified business connected to the development.
The Project Has Been Advancing Since 2024
Exeter Commons has moved through several stages of municipal review.
Tax Assistance Approved
In April 2024, Wyoming Ave. Development Group LLC received approval to participate in Exeter Borough’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, commonly known as LERTA.
LERTA is designed to encourage investment in qualifying properties by providing temporary tax relief on certain improvements. It does not mean the entire property becomes tax-free.
Developer Confirmed a Wawa Agreement
In February 2025, developer Raymond Hassey said Wyoming Ave. Development Group LLC had a written agreement with Wawa for the Exeter site.
At the time, construction was discussed as potentially beginning in 2026, depending on the approval process.
That was an estimate rather than an official construction schedule.
Planning Reviews Continued Through 2025
Exeter Borough Planning Commission agendas show repeated reviews involving the Exeter Commons subdivision and the Wawa land-development plans.
Those reviews included engineering comments, sewage planning, road arrangements, signage, and the separation of the larger Exeter Commons subdivision from the individual Wawa development plan.
The repeated reviews do not mean the project was stalled. Large commercial developments usually arrive wrapped in enough engineering documents to frighten a normal printer.
Veterans Way Becomes Part of the Development
In June 2025, Exeter Borough Council approved the name Veterans Way for the road serving Exeter Commons near Wyoming Avenue and Birchwood Village Drive.
Council later acknowledged Veterans Way as a public road, subject to the satisfactory completion of final planning conditions.
The road is important because it shows that Exeter Commons is being developed as a larger commercial site rather than as a single standalone Wawa entrance.
Wawa Sign Variances Were Approved
In September 2025, the Exeter Borough Zoning Hearing Board approved sign variances connected to the proposed Wawa.
The requests included smaller directional signs and a proposed pylon sign measuring approximately 30 feet from base to top.
Residents and local business owners raised questions about the sign’s height, visibility, lighting, and whether Wawa should receive an exception from the borough’s usual sign limits.
The variances were ultimately approved.
This was another meaningful step, although sign approval is not the same as receiving a final building permit.
Sewer Work Became a Major Issue
One of the strongest signs of continued progress came during the Exeter Borough Council meeting on May 5, 2026.
Council approved the urgent relocation of the Birchwood Village sewer force main in connection with Exeter Commons. Borough records stated that the work was needed to help expedite the development.
That matters because underground utility conflicts must usually be resolved before major construction can move forward.
A promotional sign can announce almost anything. Sewer relocation is a little harder to fake.
The meeting minutes do not identify a construction start date, completion date, contractor, or final cost for the relocation work.
Residents Have Raised Traffic Concerns
Traffic has already become part of the public discussion.
Residents have questioned whether vehicles leaving the proposed development could use nearby residential streets as shortcuts. Concerns have also been raised about additional congestion along Wyoming Avenue while utility and roadway work continues.
Those are reasonable questions, especially because Exeter Commons could eventually include several businesses rather than only Wawa.
The complete traffic-impact study has not been located in the public documents I reviewed. That study should provide more detail about:
- Proposed entrances and exits
- Estimated traffic volume
- Turning lanes
- Potential signal changes
- Delivery-truck access
- Traffic movement through nearby streets
- PennDOT requirements
Until that document is reviewed, I would avoid making confident claims about exactly how traffic will be handled.
My Interpretation of Exeter Commons
After reading the planning trail, I do not see Exeter Commons as a simple Wawa project.
I see the early framework of a broader commercial center.
The evidence includes:
- A 16-acre development area
- A new public road
- Multiple proposed commercial buildings
- Sewer infrastructure work
- Repeated subdivision and land-development reviews
- Stormwater and parking plans
- Wawa-specific zoning approvals
The Wawa appears to be the anchor receiving public attention, but it may eventually be surrounded by a grocery store and additional retail businesses.
That could create new shopping and dining options in Exeter while also bringing questions about traffic, public infrastructure, stormwater, lighting, and the appearance of the Wyoming Avenue corridor.
At this stage, I think the project is clearly active, but not yet close enough to declare an opening date or start planning a ceremonial first hoagie.
What Is Still Unknown?
Several major questions remain unanswered:
Construction
- Has a final building permit been issued?
- When will site construction begin?
- Has the sewer force-main relocation started?
- Will Exeter Commons be built in phases?
Wawa
- Will the store operate 24 hours?
- How many fuel pumps are planned?
- Will it include electric vehicle charging?
- Will it sell beer?
- Will indoor seating be available?
- How many employees will be hired?
Additional Businesses
- Which grocery store is being considered?
- Are the two additional retail buildings still included in the final plan?
- Have any other tenants signed agreements?
Traffic and Infrastructure
- Will Wyoming Avenue receive turning lanes or other improvements?
- Has PennDOT issued a highway occupancy permit?
- How will nearby residential streets be protected from additional through traffic?
- Who will pay for the sewer and roadway improvements?
What Can Be Confirmed Right Now?
The safest current conclusion is that a Wawa remains planned as part of the larger Exeter Commons commercial development along Wyoming Avenue.
The project has moved through tax-assistance approval, repeated planning reviews, sewage planning, road naming, sign variances, and sewer-infrastructure work.
The borough’s May 2026 approval of the Birchwood Village force-main relocation shows that officials and developers were still working to move Exeter Commons forward.
What has not been announced is just as important:
There is no confirmed construction-start date or Wawa opening date available yet.
For now, Exeter Commons remains a development worth watching. I will continue reading the borough paperwork, mostly because apparently this is who I am now.
Business and Project Details
Development: Exeter Commons
Planned anchor business: Wawa
Developer: Wyoming Ave. Development Group LLC
Location: Wyoming Avenue near Birchwood Village Drive and Veterans Way, Exeter Borough
Approximate development size: 16 acres
Current status: Planning, infrastructure, and development approvals remain in progress
Confirmed opening date: Not announced
Confirmed construction date: Not announced
Official Links
Exeter Borough:
https://exeterborough.com/
Exeter Borough Council Meetings:
https://exeterborough.com/council-meetings/
Wawa Official Website:
https://www.wawa.com/
Wawa Store Locator:
https://www.wawa.com/store-locator
Sources
- Exeter Borough Council meeting minutes, June 3, 2025
- Exeter Borough Council meeting minutes, October 7, 2025
- Exeter Borough Council meeting minutes, May 5, 2026
- Exeter Borough Planning Commission agendas from April through July 2025
- Exeter Borough Zoning Hearing Board proceedings concerning Wawa signage
- Times Leader reporting on Exeter Commons, Wawa, and the Wyoming Avenue development
- Pennsylvania DEP sewage-planning correspondence referenced in Exeter Borough records
Source note: Some building sizes and layout details come from preliminary plans and could change before final construction.