Wawa Closes Two Philadelphia Stores Because of  Growing Public Safety Concerns

The Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Wawa is shutting down several of its stores in the City of Brotherly Love. This decision did not just happen by coincidence. It was the result of a surge in crime and general unrest that has taken place in Philadelphia.

According to a recent FOX 29 report, Wawa shut down two if its locations in Center City because of “continued safety and security challenges and business factors.”

“We are very sorry we can’t be there for our friends and neighbors at these two locations, but we continue to serve the community from our other nearby stores and our commitment to the greater region remains strong. Philadelphia is our hometown and that’s something that will never change,” the chain said in an official statement. 

Per a report by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge, locations at 12th and Market and 19th and Market in Philadelphia will be shutting their doors.

Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce stated the following: “Despite reducing hours and investing in additional operational measures, continued safety and security challenges and business factors have made it increasingly difficult to remain open in these two locations.”

“These two closures do not necessarily impact or limit potential for future stores in Philadelphia County. We continue to be focused on doing everything we can to monitor and work with local authorities to address challenges impacting operations in any other stores,” she added. 

FOX 29 noted that 4 Wawas have closed in the Philadelphia metro area since 2020. Fox noted that “Philadelphia Councilmember Mike Driscoll suggested Wawa is reconsidering its presence in Philadelphia and could halt expansion due to crime.”

Durden provided further context to Wawa’s latest move:

The news comes a couple weeks after a mob of people entered a Wawa convenience store on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia and broke out into a riot, seemingly without warning or reason.

“We continue to be focused on doing everything we can to monitor and work with local authorities to address challenges impacting operations in any other stores,” Wawa said in a recent statement. 

BLP has previously reported on major chains such as Starbucks closing down stores due to rising crime and generalized unrest. This is not a coincidence but rather a consequence of the soft-on-crime approach cities have taken in the last five years. 

There comes a point when politicians, not random elements, must be blamed for the social and economic problems they cause.

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