Wegman's

[froggie]

Not a meme here (and slightly OT), but Wegmans had by far the best produce selection in Syracuse.  Better than Price Chopper, though Chopper had better meat.

[cl94]

Not a meme here (and slightly OT), but Wegmans had by far the best produce selection in Syracuse.  Better than Price Chopper, though Chopper had better meat.

Same in Buffalo. Elsewhere has better meat and selection of name-brand products, but can't beat the produce, prepared foods, and prices.

[Pete from Boston]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

[cl94]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations. Wegmans does not really do sales, yet this means that buying stuff elsewhere is cheaper if there's a sale.

Honestly, I do most of my shopping (everything but meat and produce) at Walmart because of the cost. I go to Wegmans when I need produce or certain types of meat, while one of the other local places gets my business if I'm getting beef or sausage because other places make it that day. I loathe Tops, yet some of their sales (such as the "meal deals" where buying a pack of meat gets you 10 items for free) bring prices well below everywhere else.

[Buffaboy]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations. Wegmans does not really do sales, yet this means that buying stuff elsewhere is cheaper if there's a sale.

Honestly, I do most of my shopping (everything but meat and produce) at Walmart because of the cost. I go to Wegmans when I need produce or certain types of meat, while one of the other local places gets my business if I'm getting beef or sausage because other places make it that day. I loathe Tops, yet some of their sales (such as the "meal deals" where buying a pack of meat gets you 10 items for free) bring prices well below everywhere else.

The "beef" I have with them is that they have been doing their own branding for awhile now. Instead of other brands of bread or cereal they will introduce more Wegmans branded bread and cereal. The fresh items are great though. I will say I have shopped there my entire life (and would frequent their daycare), but I could drop them in a heartbeat for Tops.

When Whole Foods opens on Sheridan it will be a madhouse. LOS F 24/7.

[cl94]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations. Wegmans does not really do sales, yet this means that buying stuff elsewhere is cheaper if there's a sale.

Honestly, I do most of my shopping (everything but meat and produce) at Walmart because of the cost. I go to Wegmans when I need produce or certain types of meat, while one of the other local places gets my business if I'm getting beef or sausage because other places make it that day. I loathe Tops, yet some of their sales (such as the "meal deals" where buying a pack of meat gets you 10 items for free) bring prices well below everywhere else.

The "beef" I have with them is that they have been doing their own branding for awhile now. Instead of other brands of bread or cereal they will introduce more Wegmans branded bread and cereal. The fresh items are great though. I will say I have shopped there my entire life (and would frequent their daycare), but I could drop them in a heartbeat for Tops.

When Whole Foods opens on Sheridan it will be a madhouse. LOS F 24/7.

I'll be out of here before it opens. Whole Foods is a level above everything else in the area. Orchard Fresh is the closest. Prepared foods are probably best in the industry and they carry a lot of stuff nobody else stocks. People around here think Wegmans is the same as Whole Foods. Not even close. My family did some of our shopping there when we lived in Ohio.

Few places get the prepared foods business Whole Foods gets. Think Wegmans offers a lot of prepared foods? Whole Foods probably offers three times as much and it's all-natural..

[J Route Z]

Wegmans finally coming to NYC! Specifically the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

[vdeane]

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

[Buffaboy]

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

I wish Utica had a Wegmans or Whole Foods. Binghamton has Wegmans. The area used to get a bad rep, but with our college merger and Utica College/MVCC there are no shortage of students who want that kind of fresh food. Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census, so at least it can say it grew. Nobody like Produce Crappy, even with their new rebranding efforts.

[hotdogPi]

Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census

Are you sure? The state as a whole grew from 2000 to 2010.

[machias]

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

I wish Utica had a Wegmans or Whole Foods. Binghamton has Wegmans. The area used to get a bad rep, but with our college merger and Utica College/MVCC there are no shortage of students who want that kind of fresh food. Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census, so at least it can say it grew. Nobody like Produce Crappy, even with their new rebranding efforts.

Word on the street is that Wegmans will never come to Utica because there is a "gentleman's agreement" between Wegmans and Price Chopper that Utica is no man's land for Wegmans.  We're stuck with the crap that's here.

[Buffaboy]

Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census

Are you sure? The state as a whole grew from 2000 to 2010.

I could be wrong, but I know the Wikipedia page (which I've edited) says there was a 2.6% increase.

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

I wish Utica had a Wegmans or Whole Foods. Binghamton has Wegmans. The area used to get a bad rep, but with our college merger and Utica College/MVCC there are no shortage of students who want that kind of fresh food. Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census, so at least it can say it grew. Nobody like Produce Crappy, even with their new rebranding efforts.

Word on the street is that Wegmans will never come to Utica because there is a "gentleman's agreement" between Wegmans and Price Chopper that Utica is no man's land for Wegmans.  We're stuck with the crap that's here.

I've heard that too. It's pretty silly, but I think  a similar theory existed between Wegmans and Whole Foods in Buffalo and now Whole Foods is moving in.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Is there any way that I can arrange with some of you all to fedex me some frozen 16oz Hella-VA-Good french onion dip packages?

[cl94]

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

I wish Utica had a Wegmans or Whole Foods. Binghamton has Wegmans. The area used to get a bad rep, but with our college merger and Utica College/MVCC there are no shortage of students who want that kind of fresh food. Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census, so at least it can say it grew. Nobody like Produce Crappy, even with their new rebranding efforts.

Word on the street is that Wegmans will never come to Utica because there is a "gentleman's agreement" between Wegmans and Price Chopper that Utica is no man's land for Wegmans.  We're stuck with the crap that's here.

If anything, it's between Wegmans and Hannaford. Wegmans has zero locations in Hannaford territory, yet Price Chopper competes along I-81 into Pennsylvania.

Tops overlaps Ghetto Chopper (that's what we call it in Albany, because many of the older ones are grungy and in ghettos) a little bit west of Utica and in the Adirondacks/North Country. Except in Watertown, Lake Placid/Saranac Lake, and Montpelier, Tops butts up against but doesn't really conflict with Hannaford.

[Buffaboy]

I wish we had Wegmans in the Albany area.  Market Bistro is Price Chopper's attempt to clone one, but other than general look/feel (which will soon be coming to all stores as part of the Market 32 rebranding), it's just not the same.  For one thing, they're still half the size of a modern Wegmans, don't carry Wegmans brand items (which I love, especially the ketchup and sandwich meat), don't have the Wegmans bakery (OK, that's probably a good thing for my waistline), and a zillion other things; the only other differences from a regular Price Chopper are the prepared foods, better customer service (coming to other stores soon via Market 32), and the doctor located next to the pharmacy (which strikes me as a bit of a gimmick; who goes to the grocery store when they're sick and need a doctor?).

I was in a Whole Foods once when hanging out with a co-worker and her friend after work once.  They have an AWESOME prepared foods section that yes, does beat Wegmans.  The bakery is nothing to sneeze at either.  Their prices are high, though, and you definitely need at least some cooking ability since they don't stock processed foods (which is kinda their business model, so not surprising).  They also have venus fly traps in the plant area.

I wish Utica had a Wegmans or Whole Foods. Binghamton has Wegmans. The area used to get a bad rep, but with our college merger and Utica College/MVCC there are no shortage of students who want that kind of fresh food. Plus, Utica is one of the only cities that gained population in the 2010 census, so at least it can say it grew. Nobody like Produce Crappy, even with their new rebranding efforts.

Word on the street is that Wegmans will never come to Utica because there is a "gentleman's agreement" between Wegmans and Price Chopper that Utica is no man's land for Wegmans.  We're stuck with the crap that's here.

If anything, it's between Wegmans and Hannaford. Wegmans has zero locations in Hannaford territory, yet Price Chopper competes along I-81 into Pennsylvania.

Tops overlaps Ghetto Chopper (that's what we call it in Albany, because many of the older ones are grungy and in ghettos) a little bit west of Utica and in the Adirondacks/North Country. Except in Watertown, Lake Placid/Saranac Lake, and Montpelier, Tops butts up against but doesn't really conflict with Hannaford.

The grocery wars are real. Speaking of Ghetto Chopper, I know people who used to call the Tops near me the "Ghetto Tops" (though it's not in the ghetto) until they renovated it, so I see where you're coming from.

[dcbjms]

The grocery wars are real.

Wait till you guys get Market Basket.  Their recent location in South Attleboro, MA near my house is absolutely amazing - its leagues above Stop & Shop/Giant.  (Though my relatives in Connecticut love to taunt me about Big Y.)

Speaking of Ghetto Chopper, I know people who used to call the Tops near me the "Ghetto Tops" (though it's not in the ghetto) until they renovated it, so I see where you're coming from.

Me too, as that's my perception of Save-a-Lot and Price Rite.

[cl94]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ghetto+Chopper

http://blog.timesunion.com/rogergreen/the-ghetto-chopper-t-shirt-thing/4791/

It specifically refers to one location, but people use it to refer to every location

[dcbjms]

It specifically refers to one location, but people use it to refer to every location

That's anything located in Central Falls for a lot of people here.  Which is actually unfair to Central Falls, as there are pockets of it that are beautiful.

[machias]

It specifically refers to one location, but people use it to refer to every location

That's anything located in Central Falls for a lot of people here.  Which is actually unfair to Central Falls, as there are pockets of it that are beautiful.

The Price Chopper in East Utica was always called Ghetto Chopper before it closed and relocated to South Utica.

[storm2k]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations. Wegmans does not really do sales, yet this means that buying stuff elsewhere is cheaper if there's a sale.

Honestly, I do most of my shopping (everything but meat and produce) at Walmart because of the cost. I go to Wegmans when I need produce or certain types of meat, while one of the other local places gets my business if I'm getting beef or sausage because other places make it that day. I loathe Tops, yet some of their sales (such as the "meal deals" where buying a pack of meat gets you 10 items for free) bring prices well below everywhere else.

The "beef" I have with them is that they have been doing their own branding for awhile now. Instead of other brands of bread or cereal they will introduce more Wegmans branded bread and cereal. The fresh items are great though. I will say I have shopped there my entire life (and would frequent their daycare), but I could drop them in a heartbeat for Tops.

When Whole Foods opens on Sheridan it will be a madhouse. LOS F 24/7.

That's Wegmans' business strategy though. They're like Trader Joes only bigger and with more selection. Honestly, there are very few things that I buy that aren't Wegmans brand. Their quality is as good or better than national brands on almost everything.

[MASTERNC]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations.

Not in Philly.  I think their newer locations are more grandiose than any of the ones I've visited near Buffalo.  They have everything, including a full-service pub.  Their popularity is helped by the fact that some grocery stores in the area are very expensive and not nearly as good in quality, ambiance, or service. 

[empirestate]

Wegmans, in its remote markets (the greater NYC, DC and Boston areas, for example) is very much being positioned as a gourmet brand that can also be your everyday grocery store–the latter is what would distinguish it from something like Whole Foods, according to the branding strategy. But Wegmans' real acclaim has mostly been for its desirability as an employer, and only much more recently for its desirability as a consumer brand.

Still, for whatever it's worth, Wegmans is poised to become NYC's next best-kept secret that they just recently discovered and now want to share with the unenlightened world (through a BuzzFeed listicle, in all likelihood). Y'know, just like what happened with Dinosaur BBQ and Yuengling.

As for my beef, it's always been their roughshod attitude toward the city they grew up in. They've closed every store but one in the city of Rochester, and the one that remains was expanded into another of their mega-stores at the expense of the entire remaining building stock of a historic village. And while they did make at least an appearance of "working with the community" on that project, you always knew that in the end, whatever Wegmans wanted is what was going to happen, and the city could either get on board or get out of the way.

[Buffaboy]

The way this company is positioning themselves, it wouldn't surprise me if they move their HQ within 20 years.  There are actually Ghetto Wegmans', such as in East Syracuse and (I think) Rochester. If the times really are a' changin' in Western New York then Wegmans should not have declined to open a store in downtown Buffalo.

[Pete from Boston]

I went to Wegmans yesterday and continued to confirm what I have learned there: the further from the entrance, the worse the deal.  Great loss leaders, in other words, but overall high prices. 

In this area they seem to be locating in luxury retail complexes, though, so price must not really be the object for their core shoppers.

Wegmans outside of Western New York is an entirely different animal than it is around here. Here, most Wegmans locations are the size of your typical supermarket, only with worse selection and lacking a butcher shop. There are a couple that look like the stores elsewhere, but many are actually worse than some Tops locations. Wegmans does not really do sales, yet this means that buying stuff elsewhere is cheaper if there's a sale.

Honestly, I do most of my shopping (everything but meat and produce) at Walmart because of the cost. I go to Wegmans when I need produce or certain types of meat, while one of the other local places gets my business if I'm getting beef or sausage because other places make it that day. I loathe Tops, yet some of their sales (such as the "meal deals" where buying a pack of meat gets you 10 items for free) bring prices well below everywhere else.

The "beef" I have with them is that they have been doing their own branding for awhile now. Instead of other brands of bread or cereal they will introduce more Wegmans branded bread and cereal. The fresh items are great though. I will say I have shopped there my entire life (and would frequent their daycare), but I could drop them in a heartbeat for Tops.

When Whole Foods opens on Sheridan it will be a madhouse. LOS F 24/7.

I'll be out of here before it opens. Whole Foods is a level above everything else in the area. Orchard Fresh is the closest. Prepared foods are probably best in the industry and they carry a lot of stuff nobody else stocks. People around here think Wegmans is the same as Whole Foods. Not even close. My family did some of our shopping there when we lived in Ohio.

Few places get the prepared foods business Whole Foods gets. Think Wegmans offers a lot of prepared foods? Whole Foods probably offers three times as much and it's all-natural..

The Wegmans around here very much get the prepared food business.  More options than the largest Whole Foods I know (where the shirts say "top ten in national sales"), and more seating than any restaurant I know.

[nyratk1]

Wegmans is gonna slaughter the competition if they ever open stores on Long Island.

Also re: backplate discussion a few pages back, noticed them popping here in Region 10. The black with yellow reflective bordering type. Most are on NY 27A in various areas but a few have shown up on NY 25 at Suffolk CR 14. Haven't seen backplates on state sigs since early 90s (NY 347/454 and NY 25A in parts)