Returning to Normal: Step One Completed

business, family, happiness, humor, lessons learned, travel 2 Minutes

It’s been over four months since I’ve stepped foot inside a Wawa convenience store.

Never heard of Wawa? Here’s a little background info I provided on Wawa in a previous post.

If you haven’t heard of Wawa, then just imagine what the ultimate convenience store would be like, and that’s Wawa. It’s better than 7-Eleven, Sheetz, or any regional convenience store chain you can think of. It’s a Philadelphia based chain, with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. If you ever visit the Philly area, then Wawa has to be on your list of places to visit.

Sure, if you are visiting Philly for the first time, you’ve got to see the Liberty Bell. But your next stop should be Wawa;  in fact, there’s one a little more than a football field away from the Bell.

Anyway, between being in Singapore for the first few months of the year, and then coming home to a lockdown, I hadn’t been able to stop into my favorite store for over four months now. You’ve got to realize, this is a place I would stop in to at least a couple of times a week.

Sure, it’s been open the whole time – it’s most certainly an essential part of people’s lives around here – but I couldn’t justify going there since we were doing all of our grocery shopping online and eating our meals at home. So it wasn’t a “necessity” to me.

But today I just couldn’t take it any longer – the slogan “gottahava Wawa” kept running through my head.

I had to stop in and pick up that most Philly of all foods – a soft pretzel.

I was happy, but not surprised, to see that Wawa had things well under control, safe distancing markers, hand sanitizer bottles, plastic shields in front of the cashier, and everybody was wearing a mask.

And they had soft pretzels.

My son and I each picked one up, along with a couple of other items, and we were in and out in a couple of minutes.

But what wonders that short visit did for me.

It brought to life the bravery of store employees who have been working through this pandemic.

It showed me that people were taking things seriously and showing respect for each other by doing all the things we have been asked to do.

It gave me the sense that things were returning to normal, slowly but surely.

And of course, it reminded me of how great Wawa is, and how yummy their soft pretzels are.

Yes, the visit was all that and more.

So if you are ever in the Philly area be sure to make it a point to stop in at a Wawa.

Heck, you may even want to visit one before you check out the Liberty Bell…

 

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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55 thoughts on “Returning to Normal: Step One Completed”

  2. I never heard of Wawa. Not to make fun of something that seems so great, but that seems like an odd name for someone to choose. It gives one the impression of baby talk. It must have felt pretty great to go back into a store that you enjoy so much after four months.

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    1. it is an odd name, but that’s part of the charm. it is believed the name comes from the Native American name for goose, which is the company’s logo. It is also the name of the town where Wawa got started and is still located. It did feel good to stop in…

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    1. I’m glad you got a chance to stop in at Wawa while you were in town. Did you try a cheesesteak as well? And the Wawa name is just part of our vocabulary at this point…

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  5. Although I do not have one close enough to visit on a regular basis, I have enjoyed the delicious convenience of a Wawa’s in my travels. I have not tried there soft pretzels, but with your glowing recommendation, I will make the a part of my next visit when the opportunity arises. Great post!

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  9. I’ve never been to a Wawa store, but the name alone would lure me in … Now, what am I supposed to do about my sudden craving for a warm soft pretzel this morning? Suddenly, my bowl of oatmeal feels deflated. Nice spot, Jim. Thanks for the share 😊

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      1. There’s a town called Wawa in NW Ontario not far from the Michigan-Wisconsin border, which I’ve known about for years but have never visited. I’m sure I’ll make it to Philly before Wawa. I know of a local place that sells Pizza Pretzels, but that’s not what I’m still craving 10 hours later … also, a beer would help.

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  10. I love the name, have never been in one, and now want to visit one. I love that it offered you a sense of comfort, of perspective, and a slice of human compassion. and a soft pretzel as a bonus!

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  13. I have never heard of this chain, Jim, but I fully appreciate what you are saying about returning to our new normal. Much better than the past few months and I also feel more positive now that things are moving forward.

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