What is Centre County’s most anticipated new business? See poll results
A long list of new businesses are expected to open in 2026, but which has Centre County the most excited? After polling our readers, the results are in.
Wawa, the convenience store and gas station giant, earned the top spot in our poll after receiving 125 votes (29%) from Centre Daily Times readers. The company is expanding to State College and Bellefonte with at least four locations planned, including a 6,600-square-foot location in Benner Township that broke ground in December.
Wawa has long viewed the Centre County area as a prime target for expansion. Company representatives held a community event at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in September, where Wawa shared plans to open at least 10 stores in the broader State College area by 2031.
The Happy Valley Casino finished just behind Wawa in our poll with 121 votes (28%). The long-awaited College Township mini-casino will feature 600 slot machines and 30 table games in addition to a sports-themed sit-down restaurant and a quick-service food court.
The casino is expected to open in April 2026 following years of legal battles and construction at the Nittany Mall. Initial hours are set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Fire & Fig Grill, an incoming Persian restaurant in State College, earned a third-place finish in our poll ahead of Boujee Bistro & Baking Co., a new bistro in Millheim from the team behind Valley Girl Co.
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