Founded in 1916 by John and Walter Wegman, American supermarket chain Wegmans is one of Americans’ favourite brands. Usually located in the suburbs, it recently opened a branch in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
Sunday 27
th October. 6:30am. Flushing Avenue. It may be raining heavily, but that hasn’t deterred the many fans now lining up, eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Wegmans store at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In fact, some of them had the date marked in their calenders for months, and with good reason! The Wegmans grand opening is for many quite an event. It has become something of a cult brand for a large number of Americans, although in France, admittedly, few will ever have heard of it!
An authentic store with a family feel
Wegmans sells a vast array of high-quality food products at very affordable prices, including an impressive selection of cheeses, meats and fish, not to mention the Wegmans Organic range, which accounts for 30% of its entire product line and caters to the needs of those looking to eat a healthier diet. However, Wegmans is much more than just a store; it is first and foremost a truly authentic place with a real family feel and sense of reality that doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It is the perfect combination of hypermarket (these stores are always pretty impressive in terms of their size – 6,800m
2 (74,000ft
2) in Brooklyn!) and local convenience store. Shopping at Wegmans is like exploring the wonderfully colourful stalls of an outdoor market or strolling down a pedestrian street in a local village. A trip to Wegmans is also an opportunity to visit the pub and sample a craft beer, or to grab a table in the dining area and enjoy a burger, some sushi or some fresh pasta, with dozens of hot dishes available to eat in or takeaway.
Wegmans is the store customers love to visit… and where employees love to work. The latter are always approachable and welcoming with a smile on their faces. They clearly feel comfortable in their working environment and their enthusiasm and sense of fulfilment is contagious, resulting in even happier customers.
The 101
st Wegmans store recently opened at the Brooklyn Navy Yard – a location carefully chosen for the fact that it stands not in the city center but on the outskirts of the town, in a very authentic neighborhood frequented by the middle class population. The store stocks about 50,000 different products, much to the delight of the local residents who will not only be shopping there but also having a great time at their favourite store in the process. Visitors will also get the opportunity to sample pizza cooked in a rotary oven in just 90 seconds, a Hawaiian poké bowl or a delicious cheddar and bacon burger in the store’s restaurant – definitely something that will make them want to come back again and again.
Jean-Marc Mégnin, Managing Director of Altavia Shoppermind
