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Wegmans opens to fanfare
Hundreds of shoppers cheered behind velvet ropes as employees bellowed "Give me a W-E-G-M-A-N-S" from the entrance of the grocery store Sunday morning.
Excited customers – the first of whom arrived just after 5 a.m. Nov. 8, two hours before the store opened – filed up to door in a line that reached the rear of the parking lot. On Route 7 east of Leesburg, an electronic road sign worthy of a rock-and-roll concert flashed "Caution: Event ahead."
It was the grand opening of Wegmans grocery store at the Village of Leesburg.
Indeed, customers believe Wegmans to the be the rock star of all grocery stores.
"If I have people come in from out of town, I bring them here before the monuments," said Patrick Regina, of Leesburg, who traveled to the Dulles Wegmans before the new one opened. At Wegmans, everything is under one roof and the bakery is as good as anything in Washington, D.C., he said.
Jo Flanagan, a CountrySide resident who was first in line to enter, called Wegmans a one-stop shop.
"If there's a holiday or a special event, we always come to Wegmans," she said.
The employee excitement was palpable. Store manager Phil Quattrini thanked the "Leesburg team" and congratulated them on their first store opening while a couple held up a sign, "Thanks Santa for Wegmans Leesburg."
John Wegman started his produce shop, Rochester Fruit and Vegetable Co., in Rochester, N.Y., in 1916. Since then, Wegmans has expanded to 75 stores in five states, including the Leesburg location and another in Dulles.
The Leesburg Wegmans' 139,398 square feet includes a market cafe with a mezzanine level plus more indoor and outdoor seating, enough for 500 people. The open-air-style market features everything from sub and panini sandwiches to burritos, a fresh foods bar, a seafood bar, a Wokery bar, a soup station and a coffee shop that also serves gelato. Wegmans is also home to 700 varieties of fruits and vegetables, of which 100 are organic.
The new store employs 530 workers that man the cuisine departments, the flower shop and the pharmacy. At least one employee peruses every aisle in case a customer – there were 11,000 on opening day -- is in need of assistance. Cashiers stand alert in front of the 27 checkout stations. If more than one person is waiting in line to check out, another cashier will open immediately, said Jo Natale, director of media relations.
Customers credit the employees for their love of Wegmans.
New York native-turned-Ashburn resident Kara Tomak said she grew up with Wegmans. She said the people are top-notch.
Anne Dodrill, of Leesburg, cited the fabulous food, the fuzzy feeling and the terrific customer service.
"Wegmans is the only place I will ever shop," she said.
Contact the writer at hhager@timespapers.com
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