Wegmans Opens in Northern Virginia

[mnebergall]

Yeah. Maybe we can get Klink to come smoke some meat for us from there to be the crowning feature.

It sounds almost like you are proposing a tailgate party in the parking lot before they open the doors.

[bilrus]

A marketing buddy once told me that Wegman's invented the grocery store shopper's card. Don't know if that's true or not. Can anyone confirm?

[PoorLawyer]

A marketing buddy once told me that Wegman's invented the grocery store shopper's card. Don't know if that's true or not. Can anyone confirm?

[hjshorter]

Of course, if any of us win, we have to agree to host a major culinary blow out.

Agreed? Solemn eGullet pact?

I'm in.

P.S. The tailgate party is an excellent idea, Bill. What are you bringing?

Edited January 14, 2004 by hjshorter (log)

[tjaehnigen]

Feb 29th opening eh? I might have to make a special pilgrimage. heh heh heh

[Malawry]

I suspect I'd rather buy things for the tailgate than make something in advance, personally.

[edemuth]

With all of their prepared-food offerings, it makes sense to buy everything at Wegmans if we're doing a tailgate. No advance work, plus you can then figure out what to pick up when you're next there and hungry after making several rounds through all of the foot and cart traffic. I'd bet it's near impossible to make a quick Wegmans run, even if you live close like Hannah!

[mehmeh82]

Wegmans posted this article in the Washington Business Journal this morning on the Wintranet. Quite interesting. So exciting. Also, they say Fairfax is opening in November.

Wegmans Opening

[DCMark]

Wegmans posted this article in the Washington Business Journal this morning on the Wintranet. Quite interesting. So exciting. Also, they say Fairfax is opening in November.

Wegmans Opening

I find that article poorly written only because it mentions numerous times how WASHINGTONIANs will be experiecing Wegmans. As a Washingtonian, I do not see how Chantilly, Fairfax, and Baltimore can be called Washington.

Unfortunately for us city-dwellers the current Wegmans will remain as far away as their New Jersey stores.

[hjshorter]

I find that article poorly written only because it mentions numerous times how WASHINGTONIANs will be experiecing Wegmans. As a Washingtonian, I do not see how Chantilly, Fairfax, and Baltimore can be called Washington.

Baltimore...maybe not. But Fairfax and Chantilly are certainly part of the Washington DC metro area.

Unfortunately for us city-dwellers the current Wegmans will remain as far away as their New Jersey stores.

That might be just a tiny bit overstated. I'm in Rockville, and can be in Chantilly in 30 minutes.

[hannnah]

Gosh, I had no idea Sterling was so far from DC. And to think I've been commuting from someplace as far away as New Jersey every morning!

[JPW]

While it is indeed Washingtonians (writ large) who will be going to Wegman's, it will be mainly those from NoVa.

I loved Wegman's from my grad school days in upstate NY, but spending a whole weekend morning or afternoon to hit one grocery store, no matter how good it may be, is just not going to happen for this Silver Spring boy.

PS - Hey hj. If you can do Rockville to Chantilly in 30 minutes, please tell me what you drive so I can stay out of your way on the beltway. VVVVVRRRROOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!

Edit - forgot to add the smilies

Edited February 4, 2004 by JPW (log)

[Steve Klc]

Where've you been hiding Mark--hasn't DC been a metro area encompassing the VA and MD burbs in most people's food and work consciousness for a long time? Especially in the tech and consulting sectors. Aren't we spread out 270 and 66 and Tysons and the Dulles Toll Road so much so that the reverse commute is often as bad as the commute? It is only relatively recently that peopl have moved back into the city rather than fleeing the potholes and terrible city services. (For how many years was the Inn at Little Washington considered "Washington DC's" best restaurant even though it was way out in hicksville?) You don't think many Washingtonians still endure the "Edge City" in and out thing fairly well--DC to VA/MD or VA/MD to DC rather than VA to MD? Viewed historically, there's nothing misleading about this article's spin--decades ago lots of District-living "Washingtonians" drove regularly to IKEA when it first opened in Potomac Mills and to the Price Club when it first opened in Fairfax on West Ox Road. Many in my Georgetown and later Glover Park neighborhoods did. I think the article gets it right--stressing "DC-area," the impact of their prepared foods, the Wegmans "food culture," customer service and attentiveness, etc. Essentially what we eGulleteers have been preaching about Wegmans for years.

We'll drive to Wegmans as well--yes, more NoVA dwellers will--but also those of us from all over who "get it," who have come to loathe Whole Foods, who are lucky our schedules might allow some drive time--and we will continue to go back. They'll be enough Washingtonian foodies making the drive. But then I would say that, since I'm one of those who has driven to the Princeton Wegmans fairly often when I'm in the NJ/NY metro area and I think nothing of driving out to Herndon just to go to small chef-owned places like Sweet Basil Cafe.

Of course, I agree most of us couldn't care less about Baltimore--now that's a different someplace.

[liamdc]

I only wish someone could provide me a schematic diagram of the maze of highways on both sides of the Potomac (DC.VA). After three years, I still make the wrong turn every now & again even when I know exactly where I'm trying to go.

[ozgirl06]

Wegmans for me as a DC urban dweller certainly won't be a weekly jaunt, but I'm greatly looking forward to the pilgrimage out to Chantilly when the store opens. I'm thinking it will be a monthly adventure out to the suburbs with a big payback. I do wish though that if Wegman's is offering a kosher deli in the store, they would have also considered a Maryland location closer than Baltimore.

Off topic, I just want to say that this is my first post, but have been an avid reader (one of those mentioned in the Washington Post article who spend hours reading eGullet) for months. Very happy to be here.

[hjshorter]

PS - Hey hj. If you can do Rockville to Chantilly in 30 minutes, please tell me what you drive so I can stay out of your way on the beltway. VVVVVRRRROOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!

Edit - forgot to add the smilies

I was thinking of Reston. I can be in Chantilly in 45 minutes.

Wegman's won't be a regular trip for us yet, not until they build a Montgomery County store (dream on... ), but we'll probably go once a month or so.

[JPW]

Wegmans for me as a DC urban dweller certainly won't be a weekly jaunt, but I'm greatly looking forward to the pilgrimage out to Chantilly when the store opens. I'm thinking it will be a monthly adventure out to the suburbs with a big payback. I do wish though that if Wegman's is offering a kosher deli in the store, they would have also considered a Maryland location closer than Baltimore.

Off topic, I just want to say that this is my first post, but have been an avid reader (one of those mentioned in the Washington Post article who spend hours reading eGullet) for months. Very happy to be here.

Welcome ozgirl.

Upon further review, I'm with you. Maybe once a month along with my monthly trip to Total Wine in McLean to load up on a couple of cases. When it hits summer, I'll just have to throw the cooler in the car.

Like you though -- I'd love to have one closer. We've got plenty of rich suburbs in MD that would suit Wegman's great.

Interesting side note (well to me at least). I don't know where in Baltimore the store is, but there are parts of B'more that I can get to in about the time it takes me to get to Chantilly. It's really more of a psychological divide.

[Steve Klc]

Welcome aboard--hopefully you'll be a little more unproductive but still keep your job, be less bored and less lonely--or whatever that quote was in Judith's Post article.

I'm curious--how many of you--hannah, liam, oz, Mark et al--who are estimating how often you will make the trek to Wegmans once it opens--have already been to the Princeton Wegmans--or to one of their other elite high-volume stores?

[JPW]

Welcome aboard--hopefully you'll be a little more unproductive but still keep your job, be less bored and less lonely.

[hjshorter]

I'm curious--how many of you--hannah, liam, oz, Mark et al--who are estimating how often you will make the trek to Wegmans once it opens--have already been to the Princeton Wegmans--or to one of their other elite high-volume stores?

Steve, I've never been to a Wegman's, but if it's as good as described it will be better than my options now, at least for special trips.

We're moving in a month, to a different Rockville neighborhood. The closest grocery store to my house will be a Food Lion. Ugh.

[mnebergall]

Upon further review, I'm with you. Maybe once a month along with my monthly trip to Total Wine in McLean to load up on a couple of cases. When it hits summer, I'll just have to throw the cooler in the car.

There is a Total Wine in Sterling that you could work into your trips to Wegmans. It's on Rt. 7 at Cascades.

[hannnah]

I'm curious--how many of you--hannah, liam, oz, Mark et al--who are estimating how often you will make the trek to Wegmans once it opens--have already been to the Princeton Wegmans--or to one of their other elite high-volume stores?

I'm basing all this on reputation only, plus the sheer size of the building - I've never been to one of the NJ or NY stores.

But, quite honestly, if they were building a Harris Teeter on the same site I'd go just as often, as it'd still be nicer than Safeway/Grub Kitty in Sterling and more convenient than the HT in Reston.

[Al_Dente]

Welcome to eGullet ozgirl! Keep on posting.

[Al_Dente]

I'm curious--how many of you--hannah, liam, oz, Mark et al--who are estimating how often you will make the trek to Wegmans once it opens--have already been to the Princeton Wegmans--or to one of their other elite high-volume stores?

Another Wegman's virgin here. I look forward to making a trip out there-- not too far. I live in Old Town Alexandria. Big feast at my place when I get back! I'm going to make the trip worth it.

[JPW]

I'm curious--how many of you--hannah, liam, oz, Mark et al--who are estimating how often you will make the trek to Wegmans once it opens--have already been to the Princeton Wegmans--or to one of their other elite high-volume stores?

Steve,

I went to the Wegman's in Binghamton NY on an almost daily basis whe I was there. Around various consulting trips, I also hit a few of the stores around Rochester. Never seen the Princeton store, but these were more than big and busy enough.

The carnivore food from fish to butcher to deli is excellent and much cheaper than Whore Foods. But my main focus will be to check out produce. They have variety and quality that is unmatched. But, those obviously won't last a month. But in order to justify weekly trips, I'd have to give up too many other activities I enjoy to make it worth it.