Has Anybody Gone to the new Wegmans in the Woodmore Towne Center? (Baltimore: crime, how much)

[TechlawyerinPG]

I went yesterday between 2 and 5 and it was seriously crowded. You could barely walk around there were so many people. I took my mom and grandma and we couldn't really get to all the food bars to pick something to eat due to traffic and lines so we grabbed the first thing we could navigate to and sat down to eat first. Despite it being a madhouse and everyone being a bit frustrated trying to navigate around everyone was in a good mood. Customer service was a great. Lovely sitting area just like Sterling. I wonder if there is a Wifi connection like the Sterling one. There was a nice mix of people of all ethnicities. Lots of families shopping and eating together and families that look like they came after church. Once we got away from the dining area...the crowding was a little better but it was still far more crowded than I've ever experienced at the Sterling store and this feels like a larger store than Sterling. I didn't see the Sprout organic baby food that I normally get from the Sterling store but I found everything else that I normally buy there. There were aisles I didn't even bother going down because there were too many people and carts and halfway through the store my family was exhausted with the crowds and were ready to go but I managed to make it all the way to the other end of the store with a quick pass through. Despite the volume, checkout was quick and easy. Every register was staffed. Love the store. The location around it was nice also. When we exited we passed by lots of new McMansions. There was a Costco/Costco gas station near the Wegmans also which was a plus. It would be a great location to just make a day of household shopping and hit Costco and Wegmans for some items. Loved the store but will need to find a better time/day to shop with fewer people.

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

It wouldn't surprise me if it becomes the store's top grossing store. .

I wouldn't be surprised either. I have noticed plaques on the walls at a few stores in the county that are rewarding sales records that were the highest compared to other locations in the region.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by TechlawyerinPG

I went yesterday between 2 and 5 and it was seriously crowded. You could barely walk around there were so many people. I took my mom and grandma and we couldn't really get to all the food bars to pick something to eat due to traffic and lines so we grabbed the first thing we could navigate to and sat down to eat first. Despite it being a madhouse and everyone being a bit frustrated trying to navigate around everyone was in a good mood. Customer service was a great. Lovely sitting area just like Sterling. I wonder if there is a Wifi connection like the Sterling one. There was a nice mix of people of all ethnicities. Lots of families shopping and eating together and families that look like they came after church. Once we got away from the dining area...the crowding was a little better but it was still far more crowded than I've ever experienced at the Sterling store and this feels like a larger store than Sterling. I didn't see the Sprout organic baby food that I normally get from the Sterling store but I found everything else that I normally buy there. There were aisles I didn't even bother going down because there were too many people and carts and halfway through the store my family was exhausted with the crowds and were ready to go but I managed to make it all the way to the other end of the store with a quick pass through. Despite the volume, checkout was quick and easy. Every register was staffed. Love the store. The location around it was nice also. When we exited we passed by lots of new McMansions. There was a Costco/Costco gas station near the Wegmans also which was a plus. It would be a great location to just make a day of household shopping and hit Costco and Wegmans for some items. Loved the store but will need to find a better time/day to shop with fewer people.

It does, there's a sign on the door that states that.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Wegman's is going to clean up at this location. It wouldn't surprise me if it becomes the store's top grossing store. They are going to have to be very proactive about preventing shrinkage and protect the parking lots.

I said the same thing on Saturday after I left there. There is no competition near them for the upscale, organic grocer so there business probably won't slow down. They picked a really good time a year to open because you have the holiday season coming up too. Somebody I talked to stated that the Largo Giant has a lot less people which is shocking because that Giant stayed crowed. Wegmans is going to put either Giant, Safeway, or Shoppers out of business. There is no way they can compete with them. If I had my guess I would say Shoppers because Shoppers is now the most expensive of the three and it doesn't have the selection of the all the other stores.

[bowian]

I went Saturday evening, and it was a very pleasant experience customer-service wise, with a great selection. And very helpful people who went the extra mile to help me locate a couple of things. Customers were polite also; only a couple of head-shakers whose patience was probably wearing thin with the crowds. My bill was about the same as at Giant, and there were a lot of specials. I didn't go to any of the restaurants because of the crowds (and there were plenty throughout the store), but I'll be back to try those.

I was only a mission to get that grocery shopping done (and I admit that crowds can get me frazzled), so I will return and take my time, probably sometime this week. The whole shopping center looks well put-together and reminded me a bit of Bowie Town Center. I would agree that it's closest in location to Springdale and Mitchellville.

I was definitely impressed and a happy camper.

[Mskala]

First, I don't see what the issue is here....I've been treated rudely in stores in both "black" and "white" areas before. It is certainly the stores' responsibility to hold their staff to higher standards. Poor management and/or training have nothing to do with the locations of these stores.

Second, I grew up in this area and let me tell you, the resident thugs are not worried at all about what goes on at or near Wegman's or any of those other stores. They probably couldn't even tell you what a Wegman's is. Not trying to knock my own, but I've always called it as I see it. And the truth is some of them can't even spell organic let alone know what it means. That's just the way it is.

Lastly, as far as Wegman's cleaning up this area...that's the same thing they said FedEx Field and the Boulevard at Cap Centre would do and you see what happened there. It's not the stores that are going to change the area. So, before we lay all of our hopes at the feet of retail giants and organic grocers, let's see how our new County Executive does first.

My suggestion is that you treat your visit to this area like a visit to any other mall or shopping center...lock your doors, pay attention to your surroundings, and treat people as you want to be treated and you should be fine.

[jayman1981]

Well Mskala thanks for the reality. I will say where ever there is an abundance of black folks, there often times is sub-par customer service regardless of where lived. I think most people will say that they have had better customer service in white establishments vs black. That is reality.

Second I would like to say that while your reality is just that a reality, People of P.G. have suffered enough, let us have our ten minutes to rejoice in something positive. If your a follower of the MD threads pertaining to P.G. you find more often than not, that the threads start positive and then crash into something negative. As if P.G. is the worst place on earth. Again. I appreciate your reality, but hey let us have this moment and then will return to reality.

Originally Posted by Mskala

First, I don't see what the issue is here....I've been treated rudely in stores in both "black" and "white" areas before. It is certainly the stores' responsibility to hold their staff to higher standards. Poor management and/or training have nothing to do with the locations of these stores.

Second, I grew up in this area and let me tell you, the resident thugs are not worried at all about what goes on at or near Wegman's or any of those other stores. They probably couldn't even tell you what a Wegman's is. Not trying to knock my own, but I've always called it as I see it. And the truth is some of them can't even spell organic let alone know what it means. That's just the way it is.

Lastly, as far as Wegman's cleaning up this area...that's the same thing they said FedEx Field and the Boulevard at Cap Centre would do and you see what happened there. It's not the stores that are going to change the area. So, before we lay all of our hopes at the feet of retail giants and organic grocers, let's see how our new County Executive does first.

My suggestion is that you treat your visit to this area like a visit to any other mall or shopping center...lock your doors, pay attention to your surroundings, and treat people as you want to be treated and you should be fine.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by meatkins

How did you like it? What time of day did you go and was it crowded?

I went after work two Fridays ago. It was packed.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by Mskala

First, I don't see what the issue is here....I've been treated rudely in stores in both "black" and "white" areas before. It is certainly the stores' responsibility to hold their staff to higher standards. Poor management and/or training have nothing to do with the locations of these stores.

Second, I grew up in this area and let me tell you, the resident thugs are not worried at all about what goes on at or near Wegman's or any of those other stores. They probably couldn't even tell you what a Wegman's is. Not trying to knock my own, but I've always called it as I see it. And the truth is some of them can't even spell organic let alone know what it means. That's just the way it is.

Lastly, as far as Wegman's cleaning up this area...that's the same thing they said FedEx Field and the Boulevard at Cap Centre would do and you see what happened there. It's not the stores that are going to change the area. So, before we lay all of our hopes at the feet of retail giants and organic grocers, let's see how our new County Executive does first.

My suggestion is that you treat your visit to this area like a visit to any other mall or shopping center...lock your doors, pay attention to your surroundings, and treat people as you want to be treated and you should be fine.

The parking lot seems very well lit, it's almost like a football stadium. They have a police cruiser parked out front although I doubt the cop is very vigilant. I think the Wegmans is a good step in the right direction and I think Best Buy will attract more of the criminal element than Wegmans.

I agree with you black people of all classes need to come to the reality that salvation will not come from the government, Obama,nice stores etc.

It will come from reclaiming our families and communities.

[RaisedWell]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

The parking lot seems very well lit, it's almost like a football stadium. They have a police cruiser parked out front although I doubt the cop is very vigilant. I think the Wegmans is a good step in the right direction and I think Best Buy will attract more of the criminal element than Wegmans.

I agree with you black people of all classes need to come to the reality that salvation will not come from the government, Obama,nice stores etc.

It will come from reclaiming our families and communities.

Amen to that.

I'm addicted to Wegman's now. I don't think the hype is going to die down. I cannot go there without running into so many people I know. I get so distracted by all the people and everything else that I forgot to use my coupons!! Doggone it!

I have noticed how Giant's and other stores have stepped their game up.