One-month closure of 'Wa upsets frequent denizens

Known affectionately around campus as simply "The 'Wa," the Wawa will be closed temporarily beginning Sunday.

Die-hard hoagie fans after a late night at the Street, Forbes College residents and those who routinely visit the store for basic grocery needs will soon have to look elsewhere.

Reopening after Christmas

The store will shut its doors for about a month for remodeling, and intends to reopen Dec. 27.

Though a Wawa manager confirmed the store is closing for renovation, she declined to give her name or comment on the reasons for the changes.

All the necessary information is "on the sign outside the front door," she said, declining to speak with "any publication."

Others were more vocal about the closing, and some expressed twinges of sadness or even frustration with the notice. "[Wawa] is part of the character of Forbes," said former Forbes resident Doug Rosenthal '04.

He says one perk is the fresh-baked bread delivered early in the morning, and the proximity of the store for those underclassmen that depend on a nearby location for convenience needs. "The new wing [of Forbes] is closer to the 'Wa than the dining hall," Rosenthal said, though he expressed dismay at the recent trend of rising snack prices at the store.

Social scene

The 'Wa is also rumored to be a popular hangout and even dating scene, said Anden Chow '04.

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"Asking girls to go to the 'Wa is like asking them to go for a cup of coffee," said Justin Cohen '05, a Forbes resident adviser .

Cohen said the 'Wa offers students a place to get a midnight snack on the way back to their rooms at night.

When asked to speculate about the temporary closing, Cohen said, "I trust that it's going under renovation."

Other students have exhibited ambivalence about the closing, which will largely take place during the holiday break.

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Forbes freshman Kelly Halford, who found out about the closing last night from a friend, said most people in Forbes are unaware of the closing.

Though Halford did not express concern over the closing, she said she would miss having a nearby store "especially when it's cold."

The U-Store

Virginia France, director of marketing at the U-Store, said her staff learned of the closing from the notice posted outside the Wawa.

France speculated that Wawa store managers chose to close the store to coincide with the holiday break and said the U-Store had recently undergone its own renovations, and "we especially know how painful it can be."

France said she hopes the closing might also help convert some customers to the more up-campus convenience store, saying we hope "people will come up."

"We would like everyone to know that we have this convenience store," she said, referring to U2 on the ground floor. "We've expanded."

She said one of the biggest advantages the U-Store can offer is the five percent discount on most items, which "adds up over the course of four years," the stock of Olive's delicatessen products and the 24-hour service when classes are in session.

At least for the few weeks until the holidays, the U-Store will likely provide that alternative venue for students while changes to the Wawa are being made.