I'm originally from Rochester, NY, the corporate home of Wegmans. I currently reside in Loudoun County. I began emailing Wegmans a few years ago begging them to come here. They were very quick to answer me- and although cordial, they were quick to nix the idea because there was no distribution center at the time that could service stores this far south. I pointed out that there were many, many former Western New Yorkers residing here who can't forget them. I also pointed out that what ever reasons they could come up with not to come -other companies like Harris Teeter were already coming. Then I told them that I'd never found a better grocery store anywhere coast to coast and with Loudoun County being the second fastest growing County in the U.S. with million dollar houses (and their well appointed kitchens) going up like nobodys business- they were sure to make "obscene profits" and they'd better hurry before all the good sites are bought up! Shortly after that they announced their intentions to enter this market. Now for any of you with limited or no experience with them let me explain that their flagship store is located in Pittsford, NY, (Village founded 1789, listed Nat'l Historic Places)a prestigious town that has the usual highly paid executives and a lot of old money families whose ancestors founded some of Americas greatest businesses (Eastman Kodak, Bausch&Lomb,Xerox,Paychex,Western Union,etc.) The people are mostly low key private family oriented but very well travelled and demanding of high quality foodwise. That Pittsford store works just like the laboratory for the company- first for ever trying new products, techniques, presentations- they use latest technology lighting designed for Tiffanys and Bergdorf Goodman stores...that's the site of their first Pierre Herme Patisserie and the new "Tastings" fine restaurant. (Apart and in addition to the in-store Market Cafe) Pittsford was the store I lived nearest to and my family completely loved it. Seriously, no matter what rotten thing was happening in the world a trip inside Wegmans made it a much better day! Wegmans has several very large stores that have been continuously expanded in the surrounding prosperous eastern suburbs of Rochester. Wegmans in Sterling and Fairfax will be MAGNIFICENT because that's always the company's way,-always evolving, always updating, the best new innovations in each newest store-particularly when they're entering a brand new market. Where other companies take employees and customers for granted by locking-in to some stale,dull, dumb, rote formula cause it's familiar, Wegmans itself is organic and always open (24hrs!) to doing it better and better. That's why the store motto is..'Everyday you always get our best" Are they perfect? No, because where is perfection in this world? But they're darn near close. My Manhattan relatives are already planning regular visits to the Woodbridge, NJ store. I'm sure I'll probably still visit Dean & Deluca & Sutton Place from time to time. But I will never set foot into Giant, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods or-ehh- Food Lion ever again! And, no,I don't work for them, but maybe I should! Their benefits are terrific. Anyway, Cheers, I sincerely hope you like them!
