<p>Wegmans is an east coast/northern store (NY, PA, NJ, MD, VA, & MA) based in Rochester, NY. They started migrating south, opening several stores in Virginia in the past four years. The furtherest south they are currently is Fredericksburg, with one planned to open in Charlottesville.</p>
<p>I shop regularly at Wal-Mart. In the “old” days I had a friend who would drive an hour for the experience. For me, it’s the closest store to home.</p>
<p>Wegmans could come to CT!</p>
<p>Starbucks offers bennies to PT employees (who average 20 hours/wk).
<a href=“http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/7343fbbdc87845ff9a000ee009707893.pdf[/url]”>http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/7343fbbdc87845ff9a000ee009707893.pdf</a></p>
<p>There’s a Wegmans opening near us later this spring. Folks rave about them, but I’m guessing they are not cheap.</p>
<p>I shop at Walmart & Target. WM tends to have more of the toiletries requested in our house. Costco is my favorite, but I don’t always need the quantity and there are some things that aren’t sold there. There are many Costco employees at our store who have been there since the place opened in 1992. To me, this says a lot about he management and concern for staff. Macy’s doesn’t do anything for me. I go to Nordstrom to get gifts for DH when there is a sale. I lean to Lands End and LL Bean for work-appropriate casual clothing for DH and me. Because I do fabric art on the side, I am trying to purchase more from local businesses and artisans.</p>
<p>There are some places I won’t frequent because of certain policies. Some of them political, some of them procedural, some of them because they left a bad taste in my mouth after dealing with them.</p>
<p>CountingDown –</p>
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<p>Absolutely not true. See blueiguana’s post below. I have found their prices to be extremely competitive.</p>
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<p>Countingdown, in my area Wegmans is substantially cheaper than Shoprite, Pathmark, and Stop and Shop. It’s store brands are stellar in quality and very reasonably priced.</p>
<p>That’s good to hear – in our area, they have been building in high-end communities, so I expected prices would have to reflect that. I’ve heard great things about their food, though, so it will be interesting to see how the competition responds once Wegmans opens!</p>
<p>I live a 3 minute bike ride from walmart. So it’s pretty much my second home. But I don’t like their groceries. The vegetables aren’t really fresh, and the chicken breasts are all bloated up with water. Aside from that, I get a lot of daily essentials from it. My bike tire blew out, and I just went to walmart to get some patches, and it was no big deal. It’s nice, but not that nice at the same time.</p>
<p>It is true that their already cooked food is pricy, but I see that as a splurge. I can’t say enough good things about Wegmans’ bakery department. Creme caramel mousse cups, and warm chocolate dipped French crullers, and freshly baked cookies. Truly excellent bagels, but the donut and muffin selection on the weekend is unparalleled. We order all our cakes from Wegmans and I have a bakery on my block that has won the food network challenge twice.</p>
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Counting down,
If Walmart and Target work for you, that’s great. When the Wegmans opens if you have the time I would encourage you to do a price comparison on things you frequently buy, giving their store brand a try. A box of cereal is $1.99, no coupons or waiting for a sale, canned corn is .49 C or .99 C for organic. A gallon of 2% milk is $2.79, and a loaf of %100 whole wheat bread $1.99. Boneless, skinless, chicken breast, vacuum packed in single portions, $1.99/lb. So, you get the idea. </p>
<p>There’s actually a really nifty Wegmans smartphone app that lets you populate a grocery list. If you set it for your local store it will tell shopping challenged people what aisle to find the item in, even a picture of what they’re looking for, and estimate the price. We have everyone in the family signed in under my account so we all ‘see’ the same list. When we need something add it, or scan it using the bar code scanner. Then whoever is at the store knows what we need. It’s extremely effective.</p>
<p>edit: Sorry, I crossed posts with zoos & aqua…blame it on DH who distracted me. For some bizarre reason he stops me whenever I’m on cc and insists I say hello to all my ‘friends’ from him…? Um, I’m not on that page dear (where I know some people personally). Okay, well tell these people I say hello anyway. He’s like a little kid. So, hello from bluedad! 
Tbh tomorrow is the first day he’ll have off in several months and I think he’s a bit punchy.</p>
<p>Tell bluedad yo from your buddy in NYC.</p>
<p>Also that I’m stealing your Wegmans app idea.</p>
<p>Hello, BI’s H :D</p>
<p>Thanks guys! 
Congratulations btw, romani!!</p>
<p>zoos, you are going to get so hooked on that app! Best. Thing. Ever. First log onto the Wegmans website and create an account and attach your loyalty card to that. Then when you log on with the app the barcode for your loyalty card with show up on the app at the bottom of your list! Everyone uses the same card/barcode which then populates a list of the items you buy. That makes populating the list easier later as you have two lists 1)the entire database or 2)things you’ve bought before. The longer you use it you create your own database of items you use and it’s much quicker to look up what you want. You can also sign on to the computer and populate your list that way.</p>
<p>I totally agree with your assessment of the patisserie. Out of this world. I have had to learn not to turn left when I go in the store…that’s the danger zone, lol (both in $ and calories).</p>
<p>Excellent advice blue iguana?</p>
<p>Romani, why are you being congratulated? What did I miss?</p>
<p>Zoosermom, check out the bragging thread! Romani has an awesome brag there!</p>
<p>Aww thanks BI, :o</p>
<p>I use the Wegmans app on my phone and iPad. Can’t say enough good things about it. You also have the option to print your list from your computer from their website. Love that it keeps a record of all your previous purchases.</p>
<p>I agree that their bagels are great. They usually have about a dozen different varieties. Their bakery is to die for. Their cheese department has a phenomenal variety to choose from including p</p>
<p>Uh-oh, Ardent Walmart Haters, you do realize Wegman’s is not unionized and the family that owns it is on record for having no intention of unionizing?</p>
<p>Yeah. If only Walmart would unionize than the employees – who actually rarely demonstrate against Walmart themselves – would get union bennies and then the prices would go up and the lower income folks would buy less and then the more affluent educated could feel really good because they “did good” and helped the downtrodden, and btw, now those downtrodden have fewer jobs, fewer trashy new things to buy their kids, and the tasteful, charming neighborhoods can breathe easy in the knowledge that Big Bad Tacky Walmart isn’t coming to town.</p>
<p>It would be great if all our Big Box retailers unionized and then we could have another strong industry in the country like that one doing so well in Detroit.</p>
<p>[As</a> Non-Union Wegmans Thrives, UFCW Blames Co. as Acme Closes Five Union Stores in Philly<em>|</em>LaborUnionReport.com](<a href=“http://www.laborunionreport.com/portal/2011/01/as-non-union-wegmans-thrives-ufcw-blames-management-as-acme-shutters-five-union-stores/]As”>http://www.laborunionreport.com/portal/2011/01/as-non-union-wegmans-thrives-ufcw-blames-management-as-acme-shutters-five-union-stores/)</p>
<p>Question…do Wegmans stores vary from state to state? Are the ones in NY or NJ different than the ones in PA or MD?</p>
<p>“Uh-oh, Ardent Walmart Haters, you do realize Wegman’s is not unionized and the family that owns it is on record for having no intention of unionizing?”</p>
<p>Wegman’s is a great company to work for even if one is only a cashier. Their employees don’t need a union to protect them from unfair practices and basically being treated like ****. I spent my high school years (early 1970’s) in Wegman country and it was a great company to work for even then. Almost every kid I knew worked at Wegman’s and the pay was always the highest. They also have an excellent benefit package (including medical and 401K) for part timers. </p>
<p>It’s a completely different corporate culture at Wegman’s than Walmart. </p>
<p>[Wegmans</a> Food Markets - Best Companies to Work For 2012 - Fortune](<a href=“http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/snapshots/4.html]Wegmans”>Wegmans Food Markets - Best Companies to Work For 2012 - Fortune)</p>