Went by the new Wegmans (at Wake Forest Rd & Beltline) . The one where 3000 people waited in line for its opening on 1st day, and 30,000 people went thru on 1st day. https://www.wral.com/wegmans-grand-opening-in-raleigh-on-sept-29/18639067/ Its a nice grocery store. Looks like a nice bakery, pre made food section, hamburger place. It is still just a nice grocery store, cant see the fuss.
I’ve been to Wegman’s twice since it opened, and by the excitement of the loyal customers that I saw there, taking pictures and what not, and seemingly about to pee their pants, you’d think that the actual Queen of England had just arrived in a hot-air balloon. It’s a snazzy, new store, for sure, but HUGE, ridiculously CROWDED, and overpriced. There are some deals to be had there like milk for $1.74/gallon, and eggs for 58 cents/dozen, but other than that, it reminded me of the typical, fancy, overpriced, urban grocery stores that you would normally find in much large cities. I really can’t see what all the fuss is about either. It looks and feels like just another “Whole Paycheck”, but on steroids.
I've been twice since they opened. Honestly, I wish it was closer. It wouldn't be my every week store like Food Lion, but I've snagged some great deals. $2.99 lb for 90% Lean ground beef, seedless grapes for .99 lb, the milk and eggs, asparagus for 1.99 a bundle, etc. Yes, some of it is overpriced and fancy, but it's definitely not as expensive as Whole Foods.
The prices that you are referring to are what is known in the industry as “loss leaders” - certain items that are priced very low in order to bring in shoppers. I was told by Wegman’s staff that the prices for milk ($1.74 per gallon) and eggs ($0.58 per dozen) would remain the permanent prices for these items. Wegman’s also has weekly deals, but generally most people do not buy just the loss leaders, or the weekly specials, but will purchase other much more expensive items, of which there are too many! I find the store to be cleverly designed to encourage impulse shopping in the form of prepared (and way overpriced) foods, which seems to be the trend these days. But neither Wegman’s or Whole Foods is anything to write home about, unless a thrifty shopper can exercise a little willpower and stick to the loss leaders. For price comparisons, here is a chart from Business Insider comparing Wegman’s to other popular grocery stores:
Does anyone really need easy access to an in-store pub while shopping for groceries? I mean...really?
It’s not so much about “need”. The retail grocery wars are so competitive these days, with stores vying for shoppers, that they’ll do just about anything to differentiate their brand, in order to attract the attention - and dollars - of shoppers.
All of these stores are so far away that you don't save because you used so much gasoline to get there. Try Charley Cs or Aldi for the best prices and freshest produce.
Not to mention what a royal P.I.T.A. it is to go into Raleigh these days with all the road construction, city traffic, and crowds. I can’t wait for the day when they start delivering things by drone!
Speaking of drone landing pads, this design seems to be the standard out there.....but ORANGE? That’ll have to go waaaaay in the back yard!
UAV delivery is a long way off. They haven't solved the battery weight to flight time ratio yet. If you live more than 10 minutes away it can't do it. It would take three very large 6 rotor UAV's landing and exchanging a max 10 pound cargo to get from wegmans to 40/42 and then return. They'd have to have exchange landing points in 20 min flight times all over the area. The cost for delivery would be 10 times more than the groceries. And the skys would be full of UAV's. You'll have to wait for flying cars. Maybe then Dominos will extend their delivery range?
You are only thinking of consumer drones. They make commercial battery drones that can easily have over a 30 minute flight radius. This one has a 78 minute flight time and can hold over 8 lbs of payload - https://impossible.aero/us-1/ - That's about a 20-25 mile radius for range depending on speed, payload, and wind. But their radio only has a 2 mile claimed range. And then they also make hybrid gas/electric drones that have hours of flight time as well - 2+ hours with 5 lb payload - http://www.quaternium.com/uav/hybrix-20/ - That's about a 30-35 mile radius for range. A lot of newer commercial ones are overcoming the radio range issue by using LTE for control.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/19/tech/alphabet-wing-drone-delivery/index.html https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/18/alphabet-wing-drone-deliveries-us-virginia/ Alphabet's Wing has started making deliveries by drone to homes in the US for the first time. During a pilot program in Christiansburg, Virginia, drones will drop off packages from FedEx, Walgreens and local retailer Sugar Magnolia, which include over-the-counter medication, snacks and gifts. Alphabet says it's the first commercial drone delivery service to homes in the country.
Sorry for the long lapse in communication! But, anyways, I went there on October 4, and they had everything but Grandma browns beans. However, they had my jax cheese curls, hofmann hot dogs, and other new yorkan things.
I'm hoping the one that their currently building will be closer than this one and that they'll also have Grandma's brown beans.
I am just wondering why our side of town (40/42 area) can not seem to get any "upscale" grocery shopping? It seems that the Flowers Plantation area gets it. They have Harris Teeter and now they are clearing land for a new Publix. The closest we would of come was when the Aldi/Lidl was going to open up across from the Wal mart on 70 but backed out. I feel our area is growing just as fast if not faster than the 42 east area.JMHO
