Wegmans Cheapening Decor

[BatteryMill]

Looking through this post, I do see how Wegmans has changed over the years.
This is what I consider to be the "old Wegmans":

• *https://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/22751901/
  *https://www.flickr.com/photos/photos_fr ... 067551800/

Despite them not having a very organic design and attention to detail as they had in the past, I believe they still manage to come up with very attractive stores. Wegmans does not kowtow to every current retail design trend (neutral colors, woodgrain, flashy LEDs, etc.) and still retains the core market feel they've implemented for over 20 years.

One benefit however is that they have made their exteriors pop out more than usual. They've gone from generic brick/siding facades all the way to a charming rustic atmosphere in their recent stores. I certainly hope they can come up with something even better in the coming years.

I also noticed that around 2012 or so, Wegmans changed out signage and lighting across their storebase. Their older stores still have old elements, but they feel a bit like the new ones too.

This interior is very dumbed down from the interiors Wegmans previously had.
Are the signs made of cardboard? SVU did this with 2012 Albertsons remodels.

I'd say Albertsons Grocery Palace interior is nicer than this.

From first-hand observation, I can confirm these newer signs are of the same material used in the previous iteration. They still look okay but lack character.

An odd thread. It builds on a comment on another thread by a different poster from the OP there viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2565 and then moves to a different region and a strawman-type comparison of Wegman and Publix.

Yep - does get off-topic sometimes, but who can complain? This is RetailWatchers after all...

We still don't have a description of the old interior that was more "upscale", although the original post on the other thread did mention design features like having a second story.

I suspect they won't enter the DC area because the conditions are so completely different from other places. They also seem to know where and when to do large stores and who their customer is.

I have some photos of the old Wegmans in my post. There are more online with basic searches. If you'd like some more vantage points let me know.

As for the D.C. metro, that may be a major roadblock with the amount of competition. Though they did scout the area for locations a few years back- and Stafford/FXBurg stores are already within orbit of Washington, so I wouldn't count them out entirely. There are also major changes with Shoppers on the way out and Safeway getting only sporadic investment.

[mbz321]

I don't see too much of a difference in decor' in the Brooklyn pictures vs. my local Wegmans in PA that opened in 2006. The walls may be slightly 'less busy', mine has (or had?) fake flowers under some of the faux windows on the walls which I don't see here), and maybe a slight reduction in accent lighting, but that is the only thing that stuck out.

[BatteryMill]

I don't see too much of a difference in decor' in the Brooklyn pictures vs. my local Wegmans in PA that opened in 2006. The walls may be slightly 'less busy', mine has (or had?) fake flowers under some of the faux windows on the walls which I don't see here), and maybe a slight reduction in accent lighting, but that is the only thing that stuck out.

As I've said, Wegmans originally had different lighting and decor practices back when said store opened. Newer marketing campaigns and department resets/new fixtures in addition to the signage/lighting I've mentioned has certainly brought the store more inline with their newer builds. Having a 2018 store alongside some 2000s openings, they do seem to have several degrees of separation in terms of their vibes. The newer one feels more airy and simple, while the older ones have a more dense approach in terms of their layout and stock.

[buckguy]

I stopped at the one in Germantown the other day running some errands in upper Montgomery County, Maryland. the store is one of these with the "cheap" decor. It's a really nice store--I picked up some things to eat and they're still a definite step up from anyone. Good produce, competitive pricing, all the things I associate with them. the one quirk is that they seem to have a fewer brands of some things like pasta. OTOH, they have regional stuff 9or at least stuff regional to their established territory) like Mallo Cups candy.

Looking forward to the DC and Rockville/Twinbrook stores--the latter will be across from a new Safeway that's nice but has few customers and not far from a Giant that used to be a standout with more volume than now, and a Harris-Teeter with few customers and a "food court" filled with stuff that generally looks better than it tastes although some things look just as bad, too.

[BatteryMill]

A few notes on this, and what Wegmans has done away with, or changed in new-builds over the years:

-Second-floor seating (except in urban stores, or those with compact designs; usually with large parking garages)
-Terrazzo flooring
-Pharmacies
-Clerestory windows over produce
-Lower ceilings
-Modern patterns (polished wood, light wallpaper) as opposed to darker, stone-inspired textures
-Creative decorative pieces
-General merchandise sections have been greatly reduced (only two aisles in total, whereas in the past 15 years, multiple aisles were used for kitchenware for instance)

[buckguy]

A few notes on this, and what Wegmans has done away with, or changed in new-builds over the years:

-Second-floor seating (except in urban stores, or those with compact designs; usually with large parking garages)
-Terrazzo flooring
-Pharmacies
-Clerestory windows over produce
-Lower ceilings
-Modern patterns (polished wood, light wallpaper) as opposed to darker, stone-inspired textures
-Creative decorative pieces
-General merchandise sections have been greatly reduced (only two aisles in total, whereas in the past 15 years, multiple aisles were used for kitchenware for instance)

I'm glad they got rid of ugly displays like the one in the picture. It looks like some flashback from the 70s.

I've been to a number of their stores and haven't seen second floor seating anywhere. The DC store, which is relatively small, and has a parking garage (across the street and underneath) doesn't have it and the seating area is larger than I would have expected. The location of the produce seems to vary somewhat---the DC store has it more or less in the middle. Germantown has it toward the front, but no place where clerestory windows would matter or be noticed. I think Tysons is similar. All 3 are fairly recent builds. I went to one in Rochester that was enormous but seemed older and the set-up seemed similar, although that store was probably set-up in something that previously had been something different.

[BatteryMill]

I'm glad they got rid of ugly displays like the one in the picture. It looks like some flashback from the 70s.

I've been to a number of their stores and haven't seen second floor seating anywhere. The DC store, which is relatively small, and has a parking garage (across the street and underneath) doesn't have it and the seating area is larger than I would have expected. The location of the produce seems to vary somewhat---the DC store has it more or less in the middle. Germantown has it toward the front, but no place where clerestory windows would matter or be noticed. I think Tysons is similar. All 3 are fairly recent builds. I went to one in Rochester that was enormous but seemed older and the set-up seemed similar, although that store was probably set-up in something that previously had been something different.

I disagree. Makes the store look busier and adds character that local employees can input themselves.

Most Wegmans built before 2010 have second-floor seating - examples in the Washington area you could think of are Fairfax, Leesburg, Woodbridge etc. Those were perhaps their architectural highlight and it's a shame Wegmans did away with those.

The clerestory produce skylights are a feature Wegmans implemented around the mid-late 2010s, such as at the central VA and Chantilly stores.

One more feature that recent Wegmans are missing, that I forgot: The murals spanning the back of the store. Always loved the attention to detail and local flair these brought out.

[mjhale]

Some of the change has probably come from Wegmans needing to adapt to get into the higher density developments like Reston and Tysons Corner that have opened in the past couple of years. Also, I have to wonder how much cost is a factor too. Construction costs and labor. Although the handmade signs and custom to store displays and decor might be nice, Wegmans probably wants to focus employee hours on making sure that the product is in its best form to keep up their quality reputation as they expand. I notice from the pictures on Google Maps that the Tysons location has the hanging decor murals just off the wall instead of attached. This will certainly make it much easier and cheaper to change things around over time. These recent stores aren't the same as the 2000s and 2010s "mega" Wegmans. Still, they have a long way to go before they loose the "aura" of Wegmans. I do hope that Wegmans keeps it here and doesn't go further down the road of bare bones. I just don;t think that is in their brand identity.

[ClownLoach]

I've never thought their stores were intricately decorated like some other deluxe chains. They are mostly utilitarian with some nice focal points. Some points look like a price impact format such as all the giant posters with sale prices on meats and produce. What they are great at is merchandising and making a plain space into something great where the product tells the story. Beautifully merchandised produce, ample displays of meat and prepared foods, superb impression of freshness, everything is impactful and intentional. I don't think they spend all that much on decor, they just spend it very well so it is more noticeable when it needs to be.

[rwsandiego]

...What they are great at is merchandising and making a plain space into something great where the product tells the story. Beautifully merchandised produce, ample displays of meat and prepared foods, superb impression of freshness, everything is impactful and intentional. I don't think they spend all that much on decor, they just spend it very well so it is more noticeable when it needs to be.

As it should be!