Resident excited about new shopping opportunity
Fredericksburg, Va. – Area residents mobbed the new Wegmans during its Grand Opening celebration on Sunday.
 The store was so crowded that Colonial Beach resident Alleyne Dickens and her daughter Tierney Mays opted to just grab an Asian lunch at the Wokery Bar and return the next day.
When they arrived Monday afternoon the crowd was a bit thinner, but it was evident that the mega market is attracting a large customer base.
The pair wasn’t in the store long and had just sat down to enjoy a meal from the Burrito Bar when smoke alarms began to elicit their high pitched sound. So mother and daughter found themselves exiting the store sooner than expected for a second day.
Colonial Beach resident Alleyne Dickens (R) and her daughter Tierney Mays were among customers evacuated from Wegmans on the second day the store was open. (Marty van Duyne)
“We were sitting in the café and the cashier said, “Don’t panic, just wait till they tell us what to do,”” said Alleyne.
She indicated that the police showed up almost immediately and people began to come downstairs. “There was an announcement made over the public address system telling everyone to exit the store,” said Alleyne.
Then in a very calm and orderly manner people began to stream from the building.
Fire and rescue personnel were on site by time the evacuation was complete and quickly determined that there was no fire.
Communications Specialist Jeanne Colleluori said via telephone from Wegmans headquarters in Rochester, N.Y., “A fan motor seized up causing smoke to accumulate in an elevator room.”
Fredericksburg Fire Dept. Lt. Edward Sparks verified Colleluori’s information.
Within 15 minutes of the sounding of the alarm the elevator had been shut down and with the approval of the Fire Department store security personnel cleared customers and employees to re-enter the premises.
No injuries to employees or customers were reported as a result of the incident.
Store Manager Chris DePumpo said, “We evacuated quickly and efficiently for the safety of customers and employees.”
By 3:15 p.m. business was back to normal and Alleyne and Tierney headed back into the store.
Both had waited too long for Wegmans to open in the area and didn’t want to wait any longer to finish checking out the store.
Alleyne has shopped in Wegmans in Loudon County and said, “I’ve been waiting for this store to open.”
She said she enjoys shopping at Wegmans because the prices are good, especially on produce.
“They have the most comprehensive collection of produce,” said Alleyne. “And the mushroom counter has the largest selection I have ever seen.”
She also said the prepared foods are really good and she likes the prices and the selection.
Wegmans regularly has personnel stationed throughout the store to distribute samples of their products. Tierney said, “I like the samples.” She also is impressed with the flower arrangements in the floral shop.
Alleyne said she thought the environmentally friendly shopping bags were cute. She said, “I am looking forward to shopping here on a regular basis.”
However she had not received a coupon in the mail for a free shopping bag, nor had she received the coupon booklet the store mailed to area residents.
Aaron Robinson a Front End Manager for Maryland that assists with Wegmans store openings said anyone that did not receive these items can stop at the customer service desk in the store.
Wegmans occupies138,655 sq. ft. including a Market Café mezzanine with indoor and outdoor seating for 500. Located in Celebrate Virginia South at 2281 Carl D. Silver Pky. in Fredericksburg’s Central Park, it is open from 6 a.m. until midnight seven days a week.
Visit www.wegmans.com for complete details on the company and the new Fredericksburg store.
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