Above: Shoppers getting pumped at Wegmans on opening day (via Facebook)
In this guest post, Southborough resident Chris Robbins, a self-described consummate grocery shopper, takes a lighthearted look at the myriad supermarket options in our area. He penned the piece before Wegmans opened its doors on Sunday. No word on whether he camped out in front of the store with his double caffeinated Starbucks coffee as promised.
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I am one of those late blooming help-at-home dads after years of working 24/7 and letting my wife manage the home, do the cooking, organize the entertaining, raise two kids, feed the pets, clean the litter box and of course I made her earn a living too. With two years into retirement and not much to do, I uncovered a new past time and have become the consummate grocery shopper to the hallelujahs of my wife and other women friends who hate shopping.
I have grocery shopped in multiple stores within a 50 mile radius of my home in Southborough. On the surface, they appear to be the same, but I quickly learned they all have a unique character and personality of their own.
If anyone is a veteran, the Air Force Commissary in Bedford beats them all on price by as much as a wow 30% or more. The check out system out strips the competition with baggers who work on tips alone and move at lightning speed. They actually take your groceries to your car without making a single scratch! You never wait. The customer even has a bill or rights with a patron council that keeps commissaries so customer focused that you can even buy ox tails, alligator, shark and bison who roam free. Regretfully, the place has no personality, zip – it’s just there like a thunk – you can’t wait to get there but you can’t wait to leave and take a nap when you arrive home.
Market Basket in Ashland makes the next rung on the private sector competitive ladder and races by the rest of them with consistently lower prices. These are deals you can’t afford to miss and keeps their competition grumbling. But I soon realized as Yogi Berra once said, “Nobody goes there anymore because it’s too crowded.”
In contrast, Whole Wallet oops I mean Whole Foods in Framingham has created a leadership niche in the organic industry with savory fresh produce, meats and fish free of chemicals where a Declaration of Interdependence is the center of their core values, and everyone has a voice. But it is just not a place for the common man. Yes, customers are one step above Starbucks aficionados who are now the earthy crunchy food types with more than a few bucks in their purses which are a cross between a Patagonia recycled purse and a Gucci bag. Here the chickens roam free along with the buffalo and the brave. Check out all the nice posh cars in the parking lot. I know my life is healthier now but feel depressed when I drive away in my 2000 Special Edition Honda.
Then there is Trader Joes in Framingham. While I was peering into someone’s basket to see what exotic new things they dared to eat, I blurted out, “Why do you shop here?” And the response was amazing, “I feel like I am at Disney World, and it’s like being on an adventure.” Well, almost if you like mixing it up with staff that walk around with a paper mache leis without the grass skirts and tired look alike Tommy Bahama Shirts – all worn by perky people who burst out a smiling hello every time you come near them. Or if your interest is in trying a can of rare sardines from Morocco and then feeling like one by the time you squeeze out the exit door, then make a visit and climb back in. Believe me it’s a great way to rub shoulders with someone, meet friends unlike you or even meet a rare blonde date prospect from Iceland.
Then there is Wegmans which will have a grand opening day at Northborough Crossing on Oct 16th at 7 AM in the morning. EEEEgads! I’ll have to get up early. Mitzi my cat won’t like that. They expect to draw 10,000 nuts, I mean people in one day! I plan to arrive two hours early with a sleeping bag, mosquito repellant, flashlight, and my old Army jacket for good luck, a box of Dunkin Donuts and double caffeinated coffee from Starbucks to keep the restless crowd behind me from taking my spot. I will probably have to bring three forms of ID. The cops will think I am one of those sleep-in demonstrators who hate stores who sell sugar and animal products that humans eat.
Mind you, I am a peace loving man, but I want to uncover why all these weirdoes want to show up at the same time and learn what secrets are within the big box store that the green people wanted to tear down before it went up.
You would think it was the 4th of July or New Year’s outside. Banners, signs, colorful direct mailings, executives speaking and giving away goodies to mostly seniors at a Rotary Club luncheon. Billboards and newspapers are advertising hundreds of jobs for only a select few. They even joined the Chamber of Commerce. They have something different along with a culture of life time employment. Customers who have been to a Wegmans before become extremely excited when they hear about this store opening. They can’t wait. They literally scream. How does Wegmans do it? And while we wait to uncover the magic that lies within, Wegmans is scaring the biejeebies out of their competition.
Stop & Shop in the last few weeks has been remodeling several of their stores in the region. One manager indicated, “We are just updating our stores” while food broker employees are working frantically long shifts to finish restocking the shelves early. Hanafords has completely remodeled their checkout lines with the latest “Que Busting” technology, no receipt for up to $65 and if things are going slow a check out person can personally scan all your items while you wait and then take you to the check out only to pay. When I asked if this is the Wegmans effect, the employee stated, “We aren’t allowed to talk about it.” When I asked the Whole Food loyal employee what are they going to do about Wegmans coming to town, she said stoically, “We do what we do,” with pure fear in her eyes as I noticed the front entrance area to the store was being rearranged.
Metrowest is in a complete buzz. In the middle of a long recession we have a family-owned company coming to town creating hundreds of jobs and bringing a whole new way of having fun while we shop. Let’s celebrate and show up for the big party on their opening day, welcome and thank them for bringing good cheer to us and our communities along with a “little” competition called the Wegmans effect.
–Chris Robbins
