Wegmans to open Concordville store Nov. 8, hire 500

The Wegmans Food Markets location in Abingdon, Maryland, has become the centerpiece of Linda and Harry Bacon's trips to visit their daughter near Baltimore. They'll often pick up their grandchildren at the store, have lunch, do some grocery shopping and maybe buy a cake for a special event back at their North Wilmington home.

"If there was a closer Wegmans, I'd be more than happy to do all my shopping there," said Linda Bacon, who in 2008 launched a Facebook campaign to bring the chain to the Wilmington area.

She's about to have her wish come true.

The Rochester, New York, company on Wednesday announced that Nov. 8 would be the opening date of its 111,000-square-foot Concordville store in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. The store is being built in the Brandywine Mills Shopping Center on U.S. 202 just south of U.S. 1, about 5 miles from the Delaware state line.

The company also Wednesday announced that 525 people would be hired, 500 locally, for the store, including 175 full-time positions.

"We're looking for people who share our passion for helping customers make great meals easy," said store manager Todd Strassner Jr., in a statement.

Wegmans – which has developed a cult following over the years – has 85 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. Rivals include Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

A 38,000-square-foot Whole Foods opened in Glen Mills in March 2012.

Wegmans is known for its variety of products, including prepared foods and rare ingredients. The Concordville store will include the Pub by Wegmans, a full-service casual restaurant and bar.

Amy Watson Bish, one of Bacon's 300 members on her Facebook page, said she first went to Wegmans as a kid when her family would visit relatives in upstate New York.

"Our experiences in Wegmans has always been fantastic," Bish said. "There is such an attention to detail at Wegmans."

Bacon said she expected she would visit the new store as much as four times a week.

"Comparing other stores to Wegmans is comparing apples and oranges. You can get special things there, but also do your regular shopping. It has the reputation of not costing your whole paycheck," she said.

Wegmans stores also are set to open in Alexandria, Virginia, and Westwood, Massachusetts, this year.

Full-time applicants can apply at wegmans.com or by calling (877) 934-6267. Applications will not be accepted at the store or the construction site. Interviews for full-time positions are expected to take place at Wegmans' Chadds Ford employment office in April.

Contact Jeff Mordock at (302) 324-2786 or jmordock@delawareonline.com.