The New York-based grocery chain Wegmans will open its much-anticipated Chapel Hill location on February 24 at 1820 Fordham Boulevard.
The new 99,000 square-foot building, approved by the Town of Chapel Hill in 2016, will be the Triangle’s third Wegmans location.
Culinary teacher Clarence Dillard said he is excited about the opening of the new store.
“My wife and I signed up for Wegmans’ online shopping app over the weekend,” he said, “and I can tell that it’s already much more diverse and user friendly than some of the other grocery apps out there. I think our Tiger community is really going to like having Wegmans nearby.”
Dillard is hopeful that the new Wegmans can benefit the school’s culinary program and students.
“It’s my hope that our culinary department can forge a relationship to help our students earn internships and start careers at Wegmans,” he said.
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger said the new grocery store will bring a number of economic benefits to the community.
“Wegmans was voted one of the top five places to work in the country and is known for giving back to the communities in which they have a location,” she said. “Wegmans will also be one of the highest sales tax producers in our county and will draw customers from outside our community to shop in Chapel Hill.”
The grocery retailer was named the third best company to work for by Fortune magazine in 2020 and will employ roughly 450 workers. The location is still hiring for some positions.
“Wegmans has a long-standing reputation of being a great place to work and that comes from hiring employees who demonstrate the values our company is based on, such as respect, empowerment, and high standards,” Chapel Hill store manager Rick Walters said in a press release.
