If you’ve spent any time living upstate in New York, you know Wegmans isn’t just a supermarket; it’s a beloved institution. The passion for Wegmans may seem strange to outsiders since, at face value, it’s just a grocery store. But for those who know, Wegmans is so much more. It’s an experience. When I heard that Wegmans had opened in Brooklyn, near the Navy Yard, I was beyond excited.
Memories of Upstate Wegmans
During the years I worked in an office in Rochester, frequent trips to Wegmans became a routine I cherished. Lisa Gordon, HJMT’s Executive Vice President, introduced me to their incredible lemon drop candies, a treat you could only find at Wegmans. If I couldn’t make a visit myself, Lisa would mail them to me because she knew how much I loved them. That’s the kind of connection I had with Wegmans. It wasn’t just a store but a place that delighted me with things I couldn’t get anywhere else.
Visiting the Brooklyn Wegmans
Fast-forward to the other day. I decided to check out the Brooklyn Wegmans to see if it measured up to its upstate counterpart. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
The moment I walked in, it was chaos. The place was packed, so maneuvering through the aisles felt nearly impossible. The crowd aside, I couldn’t help but think there was nothing truly special about this particular Wegmans.
The produce section was solid; everything looked fresh and well-maintained. But as I moved further into the store, the fish department was small, the meat prices were sky-high, and in general, everything seemed overpriced.
Falling Short of Expectations
Beyond the produce and meats, the rest of the store felt like any ordinary supermarket. There was nothing remarkable, nothing that gave me that nostalgic Wegmans experience I knew from upstate.
Then came the defining moment of my visit—I headed to the candy aisle in search of those beloved lemon drop candies. I flagged down an employee for help. “This is all we got,” she said, pointing to a single row of candies. To my disappointment, it was just like any other candy selection I’d seen before.
This didn’t feel like the Wegmans I had grown to love. It felt like an imitation, a far cry from the authentic Wegmans experience I’d come to know during my time in Rochester.
A Final Verdict
I can’t say whether the people of Brooklyn will develop the same passion for Wegmans that upstaters have. But for me, the Brooklyn location didn’t live up to the reputation. I’m glad I checked it out, but I won’t be going back. Instead, I’ll stick to visiting the real Wegmans when I make my way upstate again. For now, I’ll patiently wait for the next opportunity to step into what I consider to be the true Wegmans.
