Hey, have you heard? There’s a Wegmans opening in Northborough on Sunday.
Before the Rochester-based mega-grocery came to town, I didn’t think it possible that a grocery store could generate so much excitement and anticiaption. Not to mention media attention. For proof you have only to pursue this sampling of Wegmans coverage:
- First taste of the Wegmans experience (Boston Globe)
- Wegmans Making New England Debut (TheBostonChannel.com)
- Super Market: Wegmans offers a lot under one roof in Northborough (Metrowest Daily News)
- Wegmans Prepares to Invade New England (TheDailyNorthborough.com)
- Northborough Police Prepared for Traffic from Wegman’s Opening (TheDailyNorthborough.com)
I know many of you are excited about Wegmans (I am too, especially after I got a tour of the store last week). Are you planning on braving the crowds and checking it out on opening day? Do you think Wegmans will live up to the hype? Answer in the My Southborough poll below and then share your thoughts in the comments.
(If you’re reading this via the My Southborough daily email, you’ll need to visit the blog to vote or see the results.)
I voted “No” but by 8 am, I couldn’t stand the anticipation so I went up to check it out.
I got in and parked very easily; I hear the traffic is much worse now (1 pm). I only picked up a few things and got a good feel for where everything is located. It would have been very frustrating to push a cart through the crowds today. I will wait until at least mid-week to start shopping there. I just downloaded the free Wegmans app for the iPhone – it looks handy for creating shopping lists and comparing prices.
Went there around 10:00AM. The traffic getting in was very heavy and was re-routed to the rear entrance further down Rt20. I parked with some difficulty, but it’s a very big parking lot and people shouldn’t have problems in the future. I’ve never been in a Wegmans, but I’d read a little about it. I was VERY impressed. First, the package store was very large, contained a large variety of liquors and beer and prices were comparable to BJ’s and in some cases comparable to New Hampshire liquor stores. Sam Adams was 2 six packs for $12.49 with comparable deals on other beers. The main store is very large with huge selection. Prices were comparable to BJ’s unit prices (without having to buy the volume) and much less expensive than other local grocery stores. Some of the canned food (Chef Boyardee) was selling for the WalMart unit prices. The far end of the store in the Cafe area is a fantastic food court that looks and feels like Faneuil Hall. The area is very festive and very large and offers a variety of cooked food at inexpensive restaurant prices. There’s sushi, hot dogs and hamburgers and fries, steamed clams, Chinese and Thai food, subs, seafood and entrees at $6, $8 and $10 (for the entree and 2 sides). You can eat the prepared food in the Cafe, which today offered live entertainment. The eating area is very large. This looks like a great family alternative for eating out. All in all I was VERY IMPRESSED and have never seen anything like this.
I thought that people that have been to one of them and who could not stop talking about the store were exaggerating, but Oh My God! It was HUGE!! They have everything, very classy stuff and in large quantities. The Cafe area was UNBELIEVABLE, It was like the Roche Brothers already prepared food area, but 20 times bigger and with a lot of room to seat. Of course yesterday, because of the Grand Opening it was hard to pass my stroller and my two kids through the ocean of people(mar de gente), my brother and sister in-law (we are originally from Peru) were joking about being in the “El Mercado Central de Lima”, were people have to push other people to go through. I am sure it won’t be that busy now and there will be more parking in a few more days. We live in Southborough and we will be spending a lot of time there in the winter with the kids!!!!