News

Jun 16, 2023

Wegmans is closing its largest store this summer citing 'non

ANOTHER grocery store has announced the closing of one of its largest locations.

ANOTHER grocery store has announced the closing of one of its largest locations.

The Wegmans location in Natick, Massachusetts, will close later this summer.

The store located in the Natick Mall opened in 2018 as the company's first multi-level store.

Measuring 134,000 square feet, the store carries nearly 70,000 items, as well as cafes like The Burger Bar and Buzz Coffee Shop.

Customers could even get made-to-order pizza while shopping.

"Making these decisions is never easy. However, we do it for the long-term benefit of our people, our customers, and our communities," said Brien MacKendrick, human resources director of Wegmans New England division.

"Unfortunately, with this non-traditional location we are unable to attract enough customers for our business model to work."

Shoppers who want to continue shopping at Wegmans can choose to go to one of five other stores in the Greater Boston area, which include:

There are 365 employees who are being offered positions at one of these other locations.

"We love our Natick community and customers, and we’re eager to pursue new store locations in the area for the future," said MacKendrick.

"In the meantime, we hope to continue to serve our Natick customers through our e-commerce offerings and our other area stores."

The U.S. Sun reached out to Wegmans for further comment.

Wegmans has been testing several changes in stores to help improve customer experience.

In April, the store started testing out a new smart device that allows customers to avoid long lines at the checkout counter.

The devices clip onto shopping carts and use cameras to scan items as you load them into the cart.

The best part is that they allow you to skip the checkout line as you can pay using the device.

All you have to do is load your groceries into bags and then return the device for a quick and easy shopping experience.

Most locations feature a fully-staffed Buzz Coffee Shop so customers can get their caffeine fix while shopping.

However, the company is testing out self-service machines rather than baristas behind the counter.

"Over the last several years, we have seen a significant change to our coffee business, including a decrease in the morning traffic flow to our Buzz Coffee Shops," Wegmans said in a statement.

"We are introducing self-serve coffee machines that allow customers to choose from a variety of specialty and brewed coffee drinks, made freshly just for them," the company said.

The machines are said to use the same "high-quality coffee beans" to offer a similar menu of lattes, cappuccinos, and brewed coffee drinks.

Meanwhile, a Walgreens rival is shutting down for good due to a "difficult decision."

Plus, see which iconic music-themed restaurant is closing locations in two cities within weeks.