The Wegmans in Chapel Hill is just over one week away from opening. The location will be the 105th store in the New York-based supermarket chain and the third in North Carolina.
The Chapel Hill grocery store initially pushed back the timeline for its grand opening from Fall 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the delay, Wegmans Chapel Hill Store Manager Rick Walters said he looks forward to the opening.
“We’re excited to open and we can’t wait to get into the community but at the same time we don’t want to encourage a huge crowd here,” Walters said.
Efforts to bring a Wegmans to Chapel Hill have been ongoing since 2017. The location off 15-501 is expected to draw some noticeable turnout for the opening week.
Walters said there will be several safety measures in place to keep potential crowds safe and six feet apart.
“We will be one way in and one way out at the opening just to kinda limit that interaction,” Walters said. “There will be markers outside and inside the building all over the place to really illustrate that proper social distancing and keeping six feet apart. So in the event that we do have a line outside that will all be regulated through that.”
Other safety measures include sanitizer stations for employees and customers and plexiglass at all registers. All employees must pass a wellness check before they can start work. There is also a team of staff dedicated to cleaning and sanitizing the store.
Wegmans offers pickup and delivery for anyone who does not feel comfortable shopping indoors. There will be a camera that patrons can access on their website to monitor the line outside of the building.
Walters said one of the reasons why Wegmans is special compared to other grocery stores is the staff.
“Our employees are what makes it special. You can expect really caring and knowledgeable staff who are really passionate about food,” Walters said.
The Chapel Hill location opens Wednesday, February 24 at 9 a.m. A fourth location is set to open in Wake Forest in May.
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