The New Year Brings Great News for Virginia Beach: Wegmans is Coming!
January 21, 2017
The company that is ranked #4 on Fortune's 2016 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For and ranked #5 on Forbes' 2016 list of America's Best Employers is coming to Virginia Beach. Wegmans, the family-owned regional supermarket chain with legions of devoted customers, has signed a lease to build a store near the intersection of Virginia Beach and Independence boulevards. "We have wanted Wegmans to come to Virginia Beach for a very long time so this is truly great news," said Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. "It will be a game-changer for shoppers and for the current and future development of our Town Center. That Virginia Beach attracts this kind of quality retailer is a testament to the potential of our community to continue to grow and prosper. The only day that will be better than the announcement day will be the day it opens." While the construction timeline has not yet been set, plans include building a store of up to 130,000 sq. ft. with a parking deck in front and a mezzanine level for café seating. Typically larger than most supermarkets, Wegmans models the look and feel of European open-air markets, complete with vast selections of fresh produce, baked goods, meat and fresh-caught seafood and ready-to-eat meals. Wegmans is expected to create hundreds of jobs and invest millions of dollars in the new store. "Over the years, we've received many requests for a store in Virginia Beach, so we are thrilled to finally announce that we're headed there," said Wegmans Senior Vice President of Real Estate Ralph Uttaro. "We look forward to joining the community and offering incredible customer service, the best ingredients, restaurant-quality prepared foods, and consistent low prices."Wegmans has 92 other stores: 46 in New York, 17 in Pennsylvania, 7 in New Jersey, 10 in Virginia, 8 in Maryland, and 4 in Massachusetts. It employs more than 47,000 people is one of the largest private companies in the U.S., with annual sales in 2015 of $7.9 billion."Wegmans is one of the most sought-after companies there is," said Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Warren D. Harris. "Ask anyone who has shopped at a Wegmans store and you will quickly learn why it has a strong and devoted customer base. This is a company that believes in quality products, high levels of customer service and treating its employees well. With Wegmans, we get a new entry in the grocery market and further the expansion of Town Center." Wegmans is headquartered in Rochester, NY. Danny Wegman is CEO; Colleen Wegman, his daughter, is president. Danny's daughter Nicole Wegman is sr. vice president. Robert Wegman, Danny's father, was chairman until his death in April 2006. The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia with a population of 450,000, and it is the 37th largest in the United States. It is recognized as one of the Best Run Cities in America by 24/7 Wall St. The Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council in 2016 and is one of only 50 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. Virginia Beach is listed among the Top Five Overall Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, Top 10 for Economic Potential and Top Five for Infrastructure by fDi magazine. CNNMoney.com ranked Virginia Beach as the Easiest Place to Start a Business and the 2nd Most Business-Friendly City in the country. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.
