Wawa to break ground on its first North Carolina location

Yes, but: You’ll have to travel a ways to get there. The store is in Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks, about 350 miles from Charlotte.

• Its exact location is 1900 N. Croatan Hwy.

Why it matters: Wawa has a cult-like following, especially among North Carolina’s many transplants. Like Zara and Wegmans, it’s a chain that folks routinely say they wish Charlotte had.

Details: Wawa has about 1,000 convenience stores and gas stations across the mid-Atlantic region and Florida. The chain is known for its food, especially its hoagies and mac and cheese.

Zoom out: The OBX location marks Wawa’s expansion into North Carolina. The chain has plans for locations in Wilmington and Elizabeth City, too. On Friday, the company plans to provide an update on “next steps and projections for the market and overall growth plans,” per a press release.

The big picture: It’s unclear whether the company will expand into Charlotte — a spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• We’ll keep you posted on what we know.