Wegmans (Philadelphia, Erie, Reading: appliances, home, buy)

[Wells5]

Will you still shop at Wegmans now that they no longer bag groceries in plastic bags?

[ElijahAstin]

Absolutely. We’ve used reusable bags for years (most of them purchased at Wegmans).

[jtab4994]

There is no Wegmans near me. I only pick up some specialty items when I'm near one.

I work in NJ so I know what it's like to bring your own plastic bags to the store!

[Craziaskowboi]

I'll buy some plastic bags in bulk and sell them outside.

[MarketStEl]

Wegmans? What's that?

As the chain has no stores anywhere near me, this is a non-issue.

But I've been carrying reusable bags with me when I grocery shop for at least two years before the City of Philadelphia instituted its citywide single-use plastic bag ban, so were I to shop at Wegmans, it wouldn't alter my routine at all.

And judging from the early poll results, it wouldn't alter that of most others on this forum — or they'd get used to it in a hurry.

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Wegmans? What's that?

As the chain has no stores anywhere near me, this is a non-issue.

But I've been carrying reusable bags with me when I grocery shop for at least two years before the City of Philadelphia instituted its citywide single-use plastic bag ban, so were I to shop at Wegmans, it wouldn't alter my routine at all.

And judging from the early poll results, it wouldn't alter that of most others on this forum — or they'd get used to it in a hurry.

Well, Sandy, it's time to learn. It's only the best grocery store to ever exist. The one in KoP ain't too bad of a drive if you go during non-peak 76 hours. But I know you don't drive.

Random note: I am sad people in places like SEPA and NJ think of Wegmans as a slightly cheaper, homier version of Whole Foods. It really started as a high quality grocery store with moderate prices that appealed to everyday people. But I do acknowledge prices there have gotten steeper over the course of the last decade. Also I believe it was on C-D that someone said that Wegmans is a suburban chain. The store literally began in the city of Rochester, and has branches in cities, suburbs, and small towns.

And to answer the thread's question: Paying 5 cents per paper bag will amount to about 30 cents maximum when I forget. It's a non-issue.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

Well, Sandy, it's time to learn. It's only the best grocery store to ever exist. The one in KoP ain't too bad of a drive if you go during non-peak 76 hours. But I know you don't drive.

Random note: I am sad people in places like SEPA and NJ think of Wegmans as a slightly cheaper, homier version of Whole Foods. It really started as a high quality grocery store with moderate prices that appealed to everyday people. But I do acknowledge prices there have gotten steeper over the course of the last decade. Also I believe it was on C-D that someone said that Wegmans is a suburban chain. The store literally began in the city of Rochester, and has branches in cities, suburbs, and small towns.

And to answer the thread's question: Paying 5 cents per paper bag will amount to about 30 cents maximum when I forget. It's a non-issue.

Sorry; I had my tongue planted in my cheek with that comment. (I thought the emoji would be a tipoff.) Not only am I familiar with Wegmans, but I've also taken advantage of those occasions when I've had the opportunity to shop at one, and it is the most impressive supermarket chain I've yet run across.

It's also incorrect that I don't drive. A driver's license is a teenage rite of passage in Kansas City, and I got one as soon as I turned 16. I regularly renew my Pennsylvania driver's license, and I subscribe to Zipcar for those times when what I want to do really requires a car. I just define those occasions more narrowly than many others might.

I do, however, prefer bargain-hunting where possible, which is why I'd still shop Aldi and GO even if there were a Wegmans right up the block from me (though were that the case, I'd certainly go to that Wegmans often enough). And I still maintain that if you live in the city, you really don't need Wegmans when you have the Reading Terminal Market. (Okay, you can't get small appliances, housewares or domestics in the RTM. Wegmans is sort of Walmart in reverse: 80% groceries and 20% general merchandise while Walmart flips that ratio.)

What I had heard about Wegmans' evolution was: The chain started adding the eye-popping prepared-foods sections that ring their equally eye-popping produce departments sometime in the 70s or thereabouts, and they did have the desired effect on traffic — but what happened was that the shoppers all bought their prepared stuff at Wegmans, then went to rival Tops for everything else. At that point, management realized that while it could keep the high margins on the prepared stuff, it had to price the regular grocery aisles competitively, which it did.

And the fact (IMO) is that, outside its home market of Rochester, Wegmans' expansion has come almost completely in the form of huge stores in the suburbs. It was big news when Wegmans bought a two-story former warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard area and converted it into one of their stores. I still don't think you will find a Wegmans within the city limits of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington or even Buffalo.

Those who equate Wegmans with Whole Foods mistake surface for substance. WFM does distinguish itself from every other supermarket chain in the country, including category rivals The Fresh Market, Sprouts Farmers Market and Trader Joe's ("Aldi-meets-Whole Foods" literally) by having quality standards that include a list of ingredients commonly found in processed foods that it will not allow in products its stores carry. It also has a higher percentage of organic produce and meats than conventional supermarkets carry.

[Muinteoir]

Lol, I knew you were joking. Actually, there is a Wegmans in the city of Buffalo. It is right by Buff State. Syracuse, Corning, Hornell, Williamsport, Erie, etc. are not suburbs. They are mid-to-small sized anchor cities. It is a misperception by those on the 95 corridor (ie, "true" East Coasters) that Wegmans is but a suburban chain.

But yeah, my mom, in her retirement, LOVES to comparison shop between Wegmans and Tops. She's always giving me an update on her analysis re: price-to-quality benefits of the two stores.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

Lol, I knew you were joking. Actually, there is a Wegmans in the city of Buffalo. It is right by Buff State. Syracuse, Corning, Hornell, Williamsport, Erie, etc. are not suburbs. They are mid-to-small sized anchor cities. It is a misperception by those on the 95 corridor (ie, "true" East Coasters) that Wegmans is but a suburban chain.

But yeah, my mom, in her retirement, LOVES to comparison shop between Wegmans and Tops. She's always giving me an update on her analysis re: price-to-quality benefits of the two stores.

Been keeping track of her score? How do the two stack up now? Can we build a Dow Jones index from her analysis?

Save Buffalo, the other cities are small to mid-sized. But I see your point about the Northeast Corridor vs. everywhere else. Looks like up until the Brooklyn Navy Yard, they've avoided locating only in the largest cities outside New York State to date. (Wonder if unionization has anything to do with this? After all, Wegmans is not unionized, and most Philly supermarkets are. But Whole Foods — not only non-union but historicaly anti-union — has several stores in the city, so it can't be that. Or can it?)

[toobusytoday]

I wish all supermarkets would ban plastic bags. I've been relying on reuseable bags for years and it's not a big deal. I keep three little bags stuffed in my handbag all the time, and another in my car for back up. People just need to get in the habit of bringing their own bags. Other cities and countries made that switch a long time ago. These are great https://www.chicobag.com/shop/catego...g-bags-totes-5