Photos by Dave Zucker
We got a sneak peek at the new store opening this week and, guys, this is pretty big.
The country’s newest Wegmans grocer opens this week on Wednesday, August 5 in Harrison at 9 a.m. and while the usual ribbon cutting and fanfare — and a line of “Wegheads” camped out like its Black Friday — have been eschewed this year in favor of more socially distant, controlled admission protocols, this has still been an event years in the making that Westchesterites have been dreaming of.
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Firstly, a note on the new store’s adaptations to the COVID-19 pandemic: In addition to the usual social-distancing practices, mask requirements, and sanitizer stations, the new store has implemented a few interesting bits of tech and rethought a lot of the store’s layout and flow. Guests can check a live webcam feed of the front of the store to see if there is currently a line to get in or if the shop is under its reduced occupancy limit.
Also, in addition to the 32 cash registers (20 full service and 12 self-serve), guests can also utilize the Wegmans Scan app to scan their groceries while they shop for a contactless checkout. Curbside pickup and local delivery options will also be available, while the Wegmans Meals 2 Go app will provide the same for the store’s copious fresh and ready-made dining options.
Speaking of those food options, though Wegmans is famous for its delectable self-serve food bars and bulk food department, due to COVID-19 those have been replaced with employee-served and pre-made options.
Don’t worry, though, you can still hop on line and order a custom sandwich, salad, sushi, or pizza (personal-sized up to large or “challenge mode personal” as we prefer to think of it), or sit down with a hot meal from the Burger Bar or a coffee and pastry from Buzz Café.
Need a drink? The beer and soda department might be bigger than DeCicco’s, with craft beers broken up by local NY brews and then the rest alphabetically. Want some produce? Wegmans has its own organic farm upstate to test new products and processes before disseminating large-scale production to its network of 35+ partner growers throughout the U.S.
The seafood counter? Steams your shellfish at no extra cost. Meat department? Full butcher services. Need some cheese? The brand owns its own cheese cave up in Rochester.
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All told, the new store occupies a staggering 121,000 square feet and employs 500 full and part-time staff members, most of them from right here in Westchester.
