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Wegmans grows presence in Massachusetts

New mall-based store includes a full-service Mexican restaurant and bar

Russell Redman

April 25, 2018

2 Min Read
Wegmans
Wegmans

This weekend, Wegmans Food Markets will be inaugurating its sixth store in Massachusetts.

The Rochester, N.Y.-based supermarket chain said it will open a two-level, 146,500-square-foot store — one of its biggest locations — in Natick Mall on Sun., April 29.

Both levels of the store, which occupies space from a former JCPenney, offer direct access to the mall. The supermarket’s central atrium has a cart conveyer system and an adjacent escalator to make it easier for customers to travel between floors. Wegmans noted that the location’s spacious layout enables it to serve up a large product selection, encompassing almost 70,000 items, including more than 3,000 organic offerings.

“This store is a unique space that looks unlike anything we’ve done before,” Wegmans Natick store manager Rich Boscia said in a statement. “Every decision was made with our customers in mind.”

Wegmans_Natick_store_manager_Rich_Boscia.png

Wegmans Natick store manager Rich Boscia

The Natick store’s second floor houses the Buzz Coffee Shop and The Burger Bar, a fast-casual restaurant counter that serves hamburgers, fresh salads, sandwiches, specialty milkshakes, soup and side dishes. Level two also is where customers will find a wide range of restaurant-quality prepared foods — with seating for more than 100 people — as well as fresh produce, bakery, seafood, meat, cheese, deli and charcuterie, catering and a floral shop.

The ground floor offers natural foods, grocery, dairy, frozen and bulk items, along with health and wellness, home and entertaining products and a broad assortment of wine, liquor and beer, Wegmans said.

Parking is available in a parking deck across from the store’s main entrance, and an enclosed walkway leads customers directly into the second level.

Due to open May 4, just in time for Cinco de Mayo, on the second level is the Blue Dalia Restaurant & Tequila Bar, a full-service Mexican restaurant and tequila bar featuring contemporary Mexican food and craft cocktails prepared with fresh ingredients. Roberto Santibañez — the chef and owner of Fonda, a restaurant with three locations in New York City — serves as culinary director of Blue Dalia.

“This is a beautiful place to visit for anything from a cup of coffee and a snack to a full grocery shop or a memorable dinner at Blue Dalia,” Boscia said.

At the Natick store, Wegmans will employ 325 part-time and 225 full-time employees, most of whom were hired locally.

“We’ve brought together a terrific team, and we’re still hiring for available full- and part-time opportunities,” added Boscia. New store employees trained for up to six months at other Wegmans locations in Massachusetts to get ready for the grand opening, the company said.

Instacart deliveries from the Natick store are slated to become available on May 2.

Wegmans’ five other Massachusetts stores are in Burlington, Chestnut Hill, Northborough, Westwood and Medford. The 96-store chain has 46 locations in New York, 17 in Pennsylvania, nine in New Jersey, 10 in Virginia and eight in Maryland.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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