Wegmans Poised to Expand Into New England
Wegmans Food Markets plans even more growth outside of its home state, according to a published report. Company CEO Danny Wegman says that the Rochester, N.Y.-based grocer, which just opened its 75th store in Leesburg, Va., and already has multiple locations in Pennsylvania and the Washington, D.C., area, will open its first Massachusetts store in 2011.
The inaugural Massachusetts store will be built in Northborough, near Worcester, the Ithaca, N.Y., Journal reported, with a second store being considered for Westwood, although no construction date has been set for that project.
“We see our growth in a defined crescent between Washington and Boston, extending from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland and up into Massachusetts,” Wegman told the newspaper, adding, “We’re [also] looking at Connecticut.”
Wegmans originally mulled opening its first Bay State store in Boston, close to Fenway Park, but was deterred by high real estate costs — the highest the grocer has ever seen, Wegman said. “We went west and are now 50 miles outside the city, which gives some idea how expensive land is,” he noted.
The company builds just one or two stores annually and looks for sites where consumer interest is high, according to the report.
The inaugural Massachusetts store will be built in Northborough, near Worcester, the Ithaca, N.Y., Journal reported, with a second store being considered for Westwood, although no construction date has been set for that project.
“We see our growth in a defined crescent between Washington and Boston, extending from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland and up into Massachusetts,” Wegman told the newspaper, adding, “We’re [also] looking at Connecticut.”
Wegmans originally mulled opening its first Bay State store in Boston, close to Fenway Park, but was deterred by high real estate costs — the highest the grocer has ever seen, Wegman said. “We went west and are now 50 miles outside the city, which gives some idea how expensive land is,” he noted.
The company builds just one or two stores annually and looks for sites where consumer interest is high, according to the report.