COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Convenience store and gas station chain Wawa has broken ground on another Ohio location as part of the company's plan to open 11 stores across the state in 2025. Construction has begun on the chain's upcoming location at 4949 Chambersburg Road in Huber Heights, marking Wawa's first store in the Miami Valley. The chain also started construction earlier this summer on a location at 5308 Fields Ertel Road in Cincinnati, which will mark the company's first Ohio store when it opens in the second quarter of 2025. Indoor trampoline park opening in former movie theater space "We are thrilled to begin construction on our Huber Heights store officially launching our expansion in the Miami Valley and getting us closer to bringing the unique Wawa experience to new customers in more new markets," said Joe Collins, Wawa's director of store operations. "We look forward to continuing to spread our wings in Ohio and can’t wait to get started serving our new friends and neighbors." A rendering of Wawa's first Ohio store at 5308 Fields Ertel Road in Cincinnati. (Courtesy Photo/Wawa) Over the next six to nine months, Wawa plans to have several other Ohio stores under construction, including in Cincinnati, Liberty Township, Fairfield, Mason, Tipp City, Miami Township and Wilmington. In 2025, Wawa is planning to open 11 stores in Ohio. Over the next five to eight years, the company aims to build and open six to 10 stores per year in Ohio, with expectations to open up to 60 stores in the state. The company said it currently has more than 20 sites under contract across Ohio counties. Those sites are undergoing local land development and permitting processes, and include locations in Allen, Butler, Clermont, Greene, Hamilton, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties. Babies ‘R’ Us experience opens in Columbus-area Kohl’s The chain recently submitted a proposal for the Montgomery County store, which would be a 5,900-square-foot location at the corner of Miami Village Drive and North Springboro Pike that could open by fall of next year if approved. To build each store, Wawa said it will invest more than $7.5 million and employ, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store will employ an average of 35 associates, with Wawa expecting to create 2,500 new, long-term jobs as a result of expansion in Ohio. Wawa's construction in Ohio comes after the chain announced in late 2022 that it was planning to launch its first stores in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The chain said it wanted to expand after receiving "thousands of requests over the years." "These markets are the perfect places for Wawa to expand based on their strong business communities, their family-like atmosphere, and the confidence that our unique offer and amazing associates will be welcomed by these communities," said Chris Gheysens, Wawa's President and CEO, at the time of the announcement. Which Dublin schools will be affected by new boundaries Competition chain Sheetz has already begun rapidly expanding in Ohio, including plans to bulldoze a Max and Erma's restaurant in Dublin to make way for a new location. The gas station also purchased the site of Woody’s Wing House in Worthington to build a new store. Georgia-based convenience store and gas station chain RaceTrac is also readying its first Ohio location in Delaware.