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I don't want to speak for Buffaboy, but I assume they're referring to Albany. Naturally, that would've been an expansion market for Wegmans decades ago, right after Buffalo and Syracuse, but a rumored agreement between Wegmans, Price Chopper and Hannaford may be the reason for their absence from the capital. Many speculate that the the latter two Albany-based supermarkets have agreed not to expand anywhere near Rochester as long as Wegmans stays out of Albany. This would make sense as their trucks pass Albany on the Thruway anyway when they deliver to their Massachusetts locations. Why wouldn't Wegmans operate in upstate's 3rd largest metro?
Or maybe Wegmans was foolish for entering the New York City market during the late 1990s/early 2000s, yet never actually opening a store within the city, where they definitely would've been extremely successful. A store is finally planned for Brooklyn, though.
The same could be said for their decision not to expand in western Pennsylvania. Doesn't Pittsburgh deserve a store? What about all the transplants in North Carolina? How long until Wegmans goes international and begins their takeover of the Canadian grocery industry in the Golden Horseshoe?
There have been many examples of Wegmans' unique, and to some peculiar, business model when it comes to expansion, yet it has always been effective. Can't knock 'em for that.
Actually, Wegmans is in western PA. There's a store in suburban Erie, on Peach Street, near the Summit Mall. My guess is that they're very thorough and astute at market analysis and don't just jump into markets willy-nilly.
For example, two areas where it seems almost incongruous, at first glance, to find a Wegmans is the Lakewood, NY (Jamestown area) and within the city of Buffalo, yet these two stores prosper like all the others in the chain. The Lakewood store benefits from all the upscale tourists/summer residents who visit/vacation at Chautauqua Institute or at cottages/homes along the lake. The Buffalo store benefits from its proximity to the popular middle and upper income residential neighborhoods of Elmwood Village, the Delaware District, and North Buffalo as well as to suburban Kenmore and Tonawanda.
I was always under the impression that Wegmans wouldn't expand into certain areas because of local union regulations or agreements? At least that's why they weren't in the Albany area?
I'm with you on the preference for smaller sized grocery stores. The Wegmans on East Ave and the Tops in Henrietta are decent sized. I would be okay with even smaller. I never could understand why Wegmans doesn't see the potential to cater to different locales via smaller stores. Safeway has perfected the art of grocery store sizes with larger ones out in the burbs ranging to small ones about 1/3 the size of Wegmans East Ave in urban areas. Wegmans doesn't diverge much from their big box model. Although, I do like the option of going to a larger store at times, too.
Fortunately, in Rochester, smaller locally owned grocery stores are filling the gap anyway- to Wegmans detriment. Constantino's on Mount Hope, Hart's in downtown and now the newly announced Abundance Coop moving to South Ave. With the remodeled Tops and Constantino's being closer- our Wegmans purchases have reduced in half.
The last time we visited, we checked out that East Ave. store. What a joke, the parking lot sucks, and the biggest complaint about the old store was about the narrow aisles. Wegmans went with...narrow aisles with the new store, and crammed prepared foods in there.
Selection sucks, too, I couldn't believe how bad the frozen foods and snack selections are in that store.
The Tops just up the road, which may not survive both Wegmans and Aldi's being within a stone's throw, has a better frozen selection, and it seems they often times have great sales on frozen veggies and whatnot.
I was always under the impression that Wegmans wouldn't expand into certain areas because of local union regulations or agreements? At least that's why they weren't in the Albany area?
Wrong. Too much competition and expensive real estate/taxes. There's no handshake deal either. Wegmans and Price Chopper are both in Syracuse.
I think the real question is why is Wegmans so apprehensive to expansion that they miss out on other markets that could be gold mines for them?
I would love it if there was a Wegmans in the Atlanta area. I lived in the Rochester area for 30 yrs before moving to Conn. and then Atlanta. The stores down here are getting bigger by the year, but nothing compares to a full sized Wegmans. Most of the grocery stores down here are small to mid-sized. By the sounds of it, some of you would love that.
I was always under the impression that Wegmans wouldn't expand into certain areas because of local union regulations or agreements? At least that's why they weren't in the Albany area?
That's all hogwash! There are no agreements. No local union regulations. Wegmans employees are paid very well especially for grocery store employees.
They're not in the Albany area because it's a saturated market with high real estate prices and high property taxes. There's already a Price Chopper in every town in the Albany area. Wegmans, on the other hand, is not in every town in the Rochester area. They are VERY selective about where they put stores.
Anybody notice that personal hygiene items in Wegmans are even cheaper than Walmart prices?
I picked up a full-sized can of Gillette shave cream for $0.99 in a bin right before checkout!
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