Just in time for the Thursday, March 9 opening of the new Royal Farms on southbound Route 1, the northbound Wawa in Rehoboth will be closing for a month of renovations Monday, Feb. 20.

Colleen Labik, Wawa representative, said the store's updating is part of a massive effort to remodel 75 existing stores throughout 2017. The Wolfe Neck Road location opened in July 2001, she said in a Feb. 8 email.

As part of the remodel, said Labik, all Wawa stores will see a change in layout to improve efficiency and to support the store's expanded food and beverage selection.

There are two other Wawas in the Cape Region – one in Rehoboth on Veterans Way and one in Lewes on Dartmouth Drive. They're both on the southbound side of Route 1.

Labik said remodel features include fuel stores receiving diesel pumps, new hand-spun milkshakes, a Coca-Cola Freestyle vending machine, and new store graphics and designs.

"At Wawa our core purpose is to fulfill customers' lives every day, and we're excited to take this commitment to the next level by giving all Wawa customers the most current Wawa experience," said Labik. "We thank our Rehoboth customers for their patience while this store is being remodeled."

As for the Royal Farms, Brittany Eldredge, company spokeswoman, said Feb. 9 that construction crews were nearly finished with site work. She said it costs nearly $3 million to build a new Royal Farms.

Eldredge said when construction is complete, the Royal Farms, located at the intersection of Route 24, will be LEED certified, meaning the building will be resource efficient by using less water and less energy, and will meet greenhouse-gas emission standards.

Energy-saving features include a state-of-the-art HVAC system, low-flow restrooms, plantings that require little to no water, LED lighting and turning used chicken frying oil into biodiesel fuel.

"This will be the 30th location to achieve that certification," said Eldredge, who estimated during the busy summer months between 40 and 50 people will be employed.

Eldredge said the company is looking forward to opening the store in Rehoboth. The store will be on a main route, and it used to be a fuel station, she said.

"It's a great spot and a natural fit," Eldredge said.