On the scene at the opening of DC's first Wegmans

We did it Joe!

(Credit: Wegmans Press Photo)

Despite my many requests, I was left off the invite list for the Wegmans press preview event before its new store – the first in the District of Columbia – officially opened. So, with my ego checked, I made my way alongside the “general public” on July 13th to take in the splendor of the grocery chain’s newest outpost. Shopping with the mayor is overrated anyway.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Wegmans so special and worthy of braving crowds at 9:00 a.m. to attend the grand opening. It’s not the fanciest or chicest grocery store. Its prepared foods are decent but nothing I would go out of my way to obtain. The prices are average. And where stores like Trader Joe’s have whimsical products, Wegmans has fairly standard selection. 

What it does have is space and variety. Most Wegmans are gigantic. The DC location is 84,000 square feet and, according to the Wegmans corporate site, their stores contain anywhere between 50,000 to 70,000 different products. Most grocers stock an average of 40,000. 

It’s also just a joy to be in one. The store, its employees, the way it advertises its offerings, just feels warm and inviting. If Whole Foods is a cold lady drinking a smoothie after her 11:00 a.m. yoga class because she doesn’t have a full-time job, then Wegmans is a friendly neighbor who just baked you some cookies because she made too many and doesn’t want to eat them all by herself. Wegmans is the car that lets you cut into the lane because you accidentally found yourself in a right-turn-only one. Wegmans helps you put your luggage in the overhead compartment on the plane AND gets it down for you once you’ve landed without even asking. 

It’s that feeling of general kindness that has garnered Wegmans the honor of having the “most rabid fanbase in the grocery world.” A fan base – I am contractually obligated to add – that includes Alec Baldwin and Alec Baldwin’s late mother. She was such a fan of the chain that the actor starred in its holiday commercials. I have no idea what they paid him but I assume it was a lifetime supply of their $6 chef-prepared meals. 

Alec “​​Someone is responsible but I know it’s not me” Baldwin isn’t the only celebrity to be spotted at Wegmans. Ariana Grande and (then fiancé) Pete Davidson hit up the Allentown, PA location while the pair was in town to see her brother Frankie perform at Muhlenberg College. Even convicted murderer Robert Durst was arrested at a Wegmans after stealing a hoagie. Clearly, Wegmans is the place to be, even if you don’t want to be seen. 

This is why I felt compelled to be at the grand opening — who knows what I would find once I arrived. Would I get a free tote bag perhaps? A human tunnel to hype up shoppers as they walked in the door? Maybe a fife and drum corps? No wait, there is a real-life fife and drum corps welcoming everyone. The small troop played some American classics I recognized but didn't know the name of, then started to make a few laps around the store. 

The fife and drum corps. (Credit: David Andrews / Washingtonian)

Inside was packed with fellow Wegheads. The excitement was palpable. D.C. has been waiting five years – more than a presidential term! – since the initial announcement in 2017 that Wegmans was opening an outpost at the site of the old Fannie Mae headquarters.

As I snaked my way through the aisles, the fife and drum corps played on. Slightly less charming now as the store turns into a veritable bumper car pavilion. I must have made contact with at least 17 other carts. 

The experience was overwhelming. The store had been manicured to perfection. Everything looked delectable. The produce was unblemished, each cut of meat looked appealing, every single label faced outward. If you stood too long in one place, a staff member would approach to ask if you needed help finding anything. 

All and all, I spent about 30 minutes taking in the sights and sounds. ​​I grabbed a few essentials and made my way to the self-checkout. As magical as Wegmans is, it’s still a grocery store. And I was running low on eggs.