I'm a grocery shopping hater. Can Wegmans convert me?
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
Wegmans is stocking the last shelves and putting the finishing touches on its first Charlotte store in Ballantyne, opening Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 9am.
Why it matters: In today's increasingly polarized society, I have never seen so many people unite behind one thing … a grocery store.
- Apparently, we can expect camping tents and lines the hours before doors open, with fans who rival that of the Grateful Dead.
My test: Grocery shopping is my most dreaded adult task. I don't like bumping into carts or spending my weekend in a fluorescent-lit box.
- So I'm intrigued. Can Wegmans convince me to like grocery shopping?
Behind the scenes: Wegmans invited reporters and influencers to the store Thursday to taste-test its famous chocolate cake and "Gold Pan" meals and explore the seemingly endless aisles.
Here's what I observed.
The prices aren't bad.
I can't justify spending more on groceries because the shopping experience is slightly more boujee.
But Wegmans' price tags looked surprisingly normalish. Closer to an Aldi than a Harris Teeter.
- Large white eggs (12 pack): 99 cents
- Bananas: 49 cents/lb
- Mexican shredded cheese (8 oz): $1.99
- Wegmans steamable peas and carrots: 99 cents
- Wegmans thin-crust frozen cheese pizza: $4.49
- Plain Greek yogurt (32 oz): $3.49
- Wegmans beef tenderloin steak: $33.99/lb
- Wegmans orange mango pressed juice (12 oz): $4
It's massive.
Yes, I knew going into it that it was 110,000 square feet. I was still unexpectedly worried I would never get out of there if I went down every aisle.
They have every aisle you could think of, and each is expansive.
For example, the kitchen bakeware section has those trendy Owala water bottles for sale ($34.99), and the supplement area has multiple flavors of gluten-free Oreos. The alcohol section has over 1,000 wines and 500 beers.
Wegmans knows its demographic.
Tell us you did your market research without telling us you did your market research.
A suspicious amount of Buffalo Bills gear was on display, possibly as much, if not more, than Panthers merch.
The New York-based Wegmans also set up a "Taste of Upstate New York" station with products like Bison French Onion Dip, Sahlen's Smokehouse Hot Dogs and Rootie's Blue Cheese.
It's a food hall.
There are so many options: made-to-order bowls, self-serve coffee, sushi-rolling station, subs, pizza, salad and soup bar … I hope I listed them all.
I'm not one to dine at a grocery store, but I can see this being convenient if you're a Ballantyne office worker or busy parent.
Every meal you can think of comes in a "Gold Pan" or premade.
Wegmans' "Gold Pan" meals are premade dishes to pop in the oven.
As they prepare to open, workers are using sticky notes to mark where each meal will go.
A few I read: spinach artichoke dip, chicken parmesan, shrimp scampi, kung pao chicken, lobster mac and cheese …
Basically, you never have to cook again.
My conclusion: I still hate grocery shopping, but I get the lure.
- If I moved away and my new grocery choices were either less fancy or more expensive, I'd be excited to see my hometown store follow me, too.