Am I the only one freaked out by Wegmans? (Allentown: fit in, college)

[Love2Golf09]

I normally go to the super walmart on Hamilton ave in allentown, but recently I went to the wegmans on Tilghman. Man, what a crazy place! The place makes me feel like a giant. I swear their parking spaces are smaller than normal. The whole joint is crowded and the isles aren't very big, so people are almost always crashing into each other with their carts and it's like a maze to get from the grocery store, through the organic section, through the deli, through the fish area, through the asian food area, etc. And then I noticed people going upstairs..what?!?! When I chcked out my cart barely fit in the check out isle. What's up with this place? It's a freak show. I'll stick to sam's club, thank you.

[KristyLiz]

I LOVE Wegman's - it is the best grocery store ever!

I will admit that the check out isles are tight, but in my opinion, it's worth it - their food is fabulous, and I can find everything I need at Wegman's. I use their caterere often as well.

[pennsynative]

Yep, you are the only one freaked out by Wegmans! While it's not the only place I shop, I enjoy some of the offerings they have that you can't find elsewhere and the prepared foods section can't be beat for taste. Talk about a crazy store....Walmart.....ugh. Every time I visit one (which I try not to do more than twice a year) there are people there with pajamas on and rollers in their hair. They are swearing up a storm and people are driving around the parking lot like a bunch of lunatics trying to find a space. I guess that's why there are so many retailers...everyone likes a different type of place.

[JohnZ963]

Of the 3 Wegmans locations in the area, I like the one in Allentown the least. The layout seems to be a bit illogical compared to the others, and it generally seems to be more crowded.

You just have to perfect the "Wegmans stare" that people give when someone cuts them off with their cart, or people give to those who block aisles, move at a snails pace, etc. I don't give people the look but I don't hesitate to go around the "sunday cart drivers" or tell them "excuse me please" etc. If you aren't quick and aggressive you can spend hours trying to get through that store.

[toobusytoday]

Sorry love2golf, I think it's you. I also love Wegmans. I like the Bethlehem Wegmans best but it's not very convenient so I go to the Allentown one. It was poorly designed, but the stuff in it is good!

[ichiroll]

I have much bigger issues with Sam's Club than with Wegmans, that's for sure.

[Love2Golf09]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Sorry love2golf, I think it's you. I also love Wegmans. I like the Bethlehem Wegmans best but it's not very convenient so I go to the Allentown one. It was poorly designed, but the stuff in it is good!

Maybe it is me, but I just feel like one day I'm going to have to butter the sides of my cart to get through the checkout line. Yeah, the place is that narrow. All the people running around, going crazy over fresh halibut....I don't even know what halibut is! And, what's the deal with the upstairs? Do I just abandon my cart and walk up stairs to eat or what? The place just has a yuppie feel to it, especially around that organic section. Makes me break out in hives.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

Maybe it is me, but I just feel like one day I'm going to have to butter the sides of my cart to get through the checkout line. Yeah, the place is that narrow. All the people running around, going crazy over fresh halibut....I don't even know what halibut is! And, what's the deal with the upstairs? Do I just abandon my cart and walk up stairs to eat or what? The place just has a yuppie feel to it, especially around that organic section. Makes me break out in hives.

All kidding aside, I also dislike how narrow the aisles are, especially the whole 1/3 of the store between meat and produce. The answer though it to just go at unpopular times. One of the busiest times is right after church on Sundays. That's when we go and have lunch and it's pretty crazy. Except for last Sunday and I think that's because there's was a 1:00 kick off for the Eagles game.

When we go for lunch, we just eat first and then shop or if we shop first we take everything back to the car and then go upstairs. I have seen people come up with their shopping carts but that looks pretty strange.

I'm not a big Sam's club fan, although I did get my son a membership so he could use it at his college town. They don't have enough organic items!

[PeeAye Native]

If you're freaked out by Wegmans, you're likely to have complete mental meltdown at other grocery stores.

A brand new Wegmans opened in Collegeville (NE Philly suburb) last weekend. I heard it was jam packed, shoulder to shoulder. Good for them, prospering in the current economy.

Look at the pictures and murals on their walls. I suspect they purposely make things close in and tight in some of their stores, to give the impression you're at an old world market in an Italian city or small village.

[KristyLiz]

Originally Posted by ichiroll

I have much bigger issues with Sam's Club than with Wegmans, that's for sure.

Amen!