What do Wawa, NBC’s hit show “The Office,” and Princeton University all have in common?  Writer and actress, Ellie Kemper.  That’s right, Ellie Kemper who plays Dunder Mifflin’s receptionist on “The Office,” also happens to be a Wawa Fan, who developed her love of Wawa while attending Princeton University.

Recently Kemper wrote an article entitled "Ode to Wawa" for the Princeton Paw, pledging her undying love for Wawa and chronicling her journey from Wawa newbie to Wawa devotee.  In her article, Kemper writes:

How do I put into words one of the most enduring relationships I have in this world? I’m not sure I know. How do I come to terms with the fact that whenever I come back to Princeton, it is the Wa that I am happiest to see? I do appreciate Blair Arch, and smile politely at my former professors, and give my friends half-hearted hugs, but it is the Wa that holds my undying adoration…The Wa was my Cheers. It made me feel like someone was taking care of me; even though I was no longer at home, somebody still cared enough to make sure I had a hot dog before going to bed.”

Kemper touches upon a part of Wawa that separates us from the typical convenience store. In fact, I often say that Wawa strives to be the “Cheers of convenience retailers” — a place where everyone knows your name. To me, this is what differentiates our brand from all others – the customer connections our associates make that lead to loyalty for life.

I’m proud to say that Ellie is not alone in her love for Wawa. A few years ago, the article "Convenience Cult" was published in the New York Times, touching upon the passion our customers feel for our brand. Wawa fans show their undying love and adoration of Wawa through blogs, and online groups. Today we have more than a half million fans who follow our every move on Facebook.

Kemper’s article is a testament to the fact that our customers’ passion for Wawa extends long after they leave our stores. Our stores are places where customers create life-long relationships with our associates, and this is something we’re very proud of. Thank you, Ellie for your incredible Ode to Wawa. We are huge fans of The Office and hope to see you in our stores again soon!

‘Till next time…