Wegmans

[Mobil]

There is a new Wegmans, new construction, being built right now in Malvern, PA. They already have a store in Downingtown (in a former Hechinger) not too far away, opened in 2003.

[Joeg]

any news about Wegmans moving into MA within the next year??

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Joeg
any news about Wegmans moving into MA within the next year??

IS THIS TRUE?

[store215]

I know "someone" who may work at this chain...and he or she said MA is not on any kind of list of new store construction, although it has been talked about.
Here are upcoming locations in order if all goes well:
Lake Manassas, VA -Fall 2008
Fredricksburg, VA -Early 2009
Collegeville, PA -Spring 2009
Landover (Woodmore), MD -No date given..obviously at least a year or so away
Malvern, PA
Columbia, MD
Crofton, MD
Frederick, MD
Leesburg, VA

[Joeg]

It was in one of the trade papers about Wegmans going into MA.  They got approval for the site and everything, but who knows if the will build within the near future.

[store215]

Something on Google News today said Wegmans is still interested in a MA store, but things are held up because they want a Liquor license for the store.

Anyway, Starting this Sunday, Wegmans is going to use a "new" (throwback to their original) logo:

[Joeg]

That's what it was , the liquor lisc!! The what to have to be able to sell beer and wine or the hard stuff(?).

I knew I read about this somwhere a couple a months ago.

[powersbt]

My question is if they Plan to build a store in MA, where would their product be coming from?? I don't know know where their DC's are located, but I'm sure that they are a large distance away from MA. Does the extra trucking make the MA market practical??

[silvfx66]

Wegmans would not move into MA, makes no sense, they are opening all their new stores in Maryland and Virginia, I live in NC and we know its only a matter of time before they show up here, they are going where the money is these days and it is the southeast

[Joeg]

Mass has a lot of money in that state, and it would be geographicly(sic) prudent for them.  Price Chopper moved into Connecticut and they have been pretty succesful.  I think it is a go for the Mass location.

[DerangedHermit]

I wish they came to Long Island because their types of supermarkets are sorely needed here. They'd wreck S&S, Waldbaum's and King Kullen something fierce.

[Joeg]

Wegmans is all set for approval to open there first store in Mass in the town of Westwood.

[BillyGr]

This post should be Wegmans!

Thanks!

[retailisking]

They're opening in October in Northboro...

[zayre159]

Mark my words..........................
Wegmans = Market Basket
Look at a picture of a store on Wegmans Website Then Compare it to
the new Chelsea Or Salem N.H. Market Basket
Scarry huh?

[retailisking]

Don't forget Londonderry, too!  No doubt Market Basket's new hard-charging development guy has studied Wegmans very carefully and is aware of their plans for New England and of emerging trends in grocery retailing.  Very, very smart long-term planning on their part.

[zayre159]

Lawsuit fiished, I'm Thinking merger!!!!!

[retailisking]

God, I hope not!  What we don't need is another family-owned chain to go the way of Shaw's.  Although I've long thought that Market Basket and, say, Price Chopper would be a good geographical fit, their marketing and pricing philosophies are diametrically opposed and it would be a hellish integration process.  I think Market Basket and Wegmans would be too much of a culture clash as well.  Despite the newer, bigger Market Basket stores catering to the gourmet community, too many of their older stores are targeting a demographic interested in just the staples at rock-bottom prices.

[retailisking]

Wegmans is proposing a third Massachusetts location near the Burlington Mall
http://www.wickedlocal.com/burlington/breaking/x724668774/Wegmans-proposing-to-locate-at-Burlingtons-Northwest-Park

[Scrabbleship]

God, I hope not!  What we don't need is another family-owned chain to go the way of Shaw's.  Although I've long thought that Market Basket and, say, Price Chopper would be a good geographical fit, their marketing and pricing philosophies are diametrically opposed and it would be a hellish integration process.  I think Market Basket and Wegmans would be too much of a culture clash as well.  Despite the newer, bigger Market Basket stores catering to the gourmet community, too many of their older stores are targeting a demographic interested in just the staples at rock-bottom prices.

I think Market Basket will survive just fine in the long run and doesn't need a suitor to do so not that it would be easy. I can't think of a single case where Wegmans entered a market and a rival ended up folding and I think if anything it gets other chains to get on their feet to compete. If anyone is at risk in Greater Boston, it would be Shaw's given the Wegmans-related hits Acme took in the Philadelphia area (and closed their last suburban Baltimore store preemptively) and the parallels between the two chains. The one SuperValu banner that's survived against Wegmans has been Shoppers in DC/Baltimore, and even then their model and mindset is a lot closer to Market Basket than Shaw's.

A better Price Chopper partner would be Big Y. There'd be some overlap in the Berkshires and Worcester (and some parts of Connecticut), but the two chains compliment each other just fine seeing that Price Chopper has no stores in the Springfield area and Big Y seems reluctant to expand eastward into New York and passed up a good chance to buy the former Grand Unions in the Albany area.

[retailisking]

I also think Big Y and Price Chopper would be a better fit, although unless I'm mistaken Big Y's World Class Markets have more of a "foodie" image (I haven't been to a Big Y; can anyone back me up on this?)  There's also the fine details of merging the two operations; for example, Price Chopper is 52% owned by its employees.

And while I'm addressing the Best & Brightest here, how do the new Market Baskets measure up to Wegmans in the foodie/gourmet department?

[Scrabbleship]

I also think Big Y and Price Chopper would be a better fit, although unless I'm mistaken Big Y's World Class Markets have more of a "foodie" image (I haven't been to a Big Y; can anyone back me up on this?)  There's also the fine details of merging the two operations; for example, Price Chopper is 52% owned by its employees.

Big Y is a little "foodie"-r than Price Chopper, however adopting those elements would not hurt Price Chopper in the least especially since in most of their areas there is no real competition in the "foodie" category especially since they've kept Wegmans out of their territory outside the I-81 corridor and their territory is outside the Whole Foods/Trader Joe's purview.

A merged Price Chopper/Big Y, with the ability to tailor stores to local needs, could easily be the Giant Eagle of the Northeast.

[Pikapower]

Weird faux stain-glass on the Chase-Pitkin. Why do many Wegman's, especially newer ones, look as if they were built in the early 1980's?

I remember when Wegamans had that weird faux stained glass on the lights in the frozen foods section

[Scrabbleship]

Wegmans to open a store in Newton, MA (near The Mall at Chestnut Hill) that will be the prototype of a smaller urban-formatted location.

For perspective, Newton will be around 70,000 square feet. The recently opened Northborough location is twice that and the average Wegmans built 10 years ago was in the 110-125 range.

[BillyGr]

Wegmans to open a store in Newton, MA (near The Mall at Chestnut Hill) that will be the prototype of a smaller urban-formatted location.

For perspective, Newton will be around 70,000 square feet. The recently opened Northborough location is twice that and the average Wegmans built 10 years ago was in the 110-125 range.

They too (kind of like Price Chopper) have some experience in operating smaller stores - I remember going to one in their home area of Rochester probably 8-10 years ago that was probably 1/2 the size of a "standard" one that they have been building in the newer areas like NJ, MD etc. 
One interesting thing was that they carried, even in the smaller store (at least at that time) quite a few newspapers, including the one we usually get here in Albany, which it made it easier to keep up on local news.

[retailisking]

I'm hearing the Westwood deal is off - apparently financing for the project fell through.  Suddenly this "out of the blue" Newton announcement becomes more logical.

[retailisking]

http://www.boston.com/Boston/businessupdates/2012/03/wegmans-scouting-boston-locations/MxjCDthYiODpYJxs7UZR1K/index.html

[ynkeesfn82]

I wish they would come to Connecticut. Them or Hannaford.

[JimSawhill]

I wish they would come to Connecticut. Them or Hannaford.

I would love to see Wegman's in CT more than Hannaford.. Wegman's privately owned Hannaford is owned by a Belgium company!!

[zonemad96]

i personally dislike wegmans they dont carry most of the products i buy and they seem to be overrated