Online, see what’s in store at Wegmans

By AILEEN M. STRENG, Potomac News & Manassas Journal Messenger
Published: April 24, 2008

Wegmans Food Markets is counting down the days, minutes and seconds until it opens its new store in Woodbridge at 7 a.m. June 8.

Now its future customers can do so too, through a new Web site Wegmans has launched specifically for its new grocery store at Potomac Town Center in eastern Prince William between Opitz and Dale boulevards.

"This is something brand new, first time ever. It's a mini Web site that you can reach through our Web site," said Jo Natale, Wegmans director of media relations. "We've always had a place on our Web site for new store openings, but this is different. It has video capabilities and it even has a countdown clock on the top right-hand corner."

The "microsite" can be reached in two ways: it is linked from the company's home page, weg-mans.com, or it can be reached directly at wegmans.com/newstores.

"This is a new way for us to introduce ourselves to a new community," Natale said.

Wegmans employees Scott Fien and Lynne Freeman guide visitors on a virtual tour of the new upscale grocery store. Other sections of the site provide directions to the store, introductions to store employees and a map of the new store's layout.

The most unique feature, according to Natale, is a series of video clips to give those who have never shopped at Wegmans a glimpse inside the store.

The final clip, "Catch the Excitement," captures the experience of opening day at the supermarket. In the clip, employees can be seen doing the Wegmans cheer, a tradition that precedes every store opening.

The Potomac Center Wegmans will be the New York-based grocery chain's 71st store. The other Wegmans are located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, as well as two in Virginia in Sterling and Fairfax County.

The 140,000-square-foot store will include market cafes, restaurant-quality food for dine-in or take out and include soups, entrees, gourmet sandwiches, salads and Woodbridge seafood. Indoor and outdoor seating will accommo-date 500 diners.

Aside from regular grocery items, the store will have several specialty areas including a patisserie, bakery, interna-tional food items, Mediterranean bar, deli and cheese shops, tea shop, kosher deli and Nature's Marketplace with natural and organic foods.

Wegmans anticipates that thousands of people will visit the new online destination between now and opening day, Natale said.

Through the Web site, future customers can register in advance for a Shoppers Club card. There also is the ability to apply for a job at the store online.

Hiring for the new store continues at Wegmans' hiring office, located at 14527 Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge. The hiring office phone number is 703-499-9127.

Staff writer Aileen M. Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.