The Roche Bros in Natick is reasonably close to where I work.
I’ll stop in and see how it compares. 
When I lived in Erie, there were both Tops and Wegmans, as well as (Un)Quality Markets and a Pittsburgh chain, Giant Eagle, that I’d grown up with and also had a great-uncle working for. The first time I went to Wegmans (the location on Upper Peach St.) I was just looking to kill a few minutes. I admit that I was quite impressed with it…had an excellent international foods section in particular, and a very nice look to the store to boot! I shopped at Tops much more often because I lived on the East side of Erie and both Wegmans locations were on the West side, but I do agree that the Wegmans were the nicer locations.
(As for alcohol, I wouldn’t know about Wegmans vs. Tops because the People’s Republic of Pennsylvania doesn’t allow beer sales in grocery stores. I did see the alcohol selection at Tops in New York when I went to see a friend, but other than that, couldn’t wager a guess).
I visited a Wegmans when I was in Syracuse, NY. a few years back. Before I left, I asked to see the manager, and got down on my knees and begged him to tell upper management to put one in the Baltimore area.
My first Wegman’s experience was at Ithaca Wegmans. I went there for the bulk candy, and was amazed at the selection of gummi candies. Octopi, bears (small, large, and sour), worms, watches, sneakers, eggs, and a multitude of other shapes. I was in gummi heaven. My boyfriend at the time got a sub from there every Sunday. They were the size of a small child’s leg, he claimed. He missed them so much when he went back home to Harrisburg that he would pick one up in Williamsport on the way home and save it for later.
I went to school in Syracuse back in the mid-80s. My roommates and I practically lived in the Wegmans bulk food section…generally prefering to shop somewhere around one or two in the morning. I loved that store!!!
We have both a Roche Bros. and a Sudbury Farms in my town (which are, I believe, owned by the same parent company.) Neither impresses me overly much. I do quite a bit of shopping at Trader Joe’s, but for the large weekly shopping trip (I have 4 kids, so it is quite large) I travel 15 minutes or so to Shaw’s, which used to be Star Market. They have a better produce department (esp. in terms of variety), a good sized “world foods” section, the Wild Harvest department (i.e. Bread and Circus without the markup) and they carry lots of vegetarian convenience foods that I don’t find in other supermarkets.
Wegman’s sounds wonderful, though.
I used to live in Rochester (Mrs. Dave-Guy is from there) and Wegman’s was the best thing about the place. I agree that the Hylan Drive store is great (you can buy everything from bread to a tractor in that place!).
Where in NJ are they? Cause I wish they were here in southern NY. They’d beat the tar out of Shop-Rite, Grand Union and Waldbaum’s.
Granted, they probably don’t have the variety Wegman’s seems to have, but in terms of cleanliness, friendliness, and other amenities, are they up there with Wegman’s?
I’ve never been to the Natick store. When their Quincy store opened a couple of years ago, my supermarket (located 2 miles down the road) went down for the count from the time of their grand opening, and hasn’t recovered since…
Funny, so many people from Rochester here…
I used to live in Rochester, NY too.
I remember liking Wegman’s, but not why (it was years ago anyway.)
Wegmans kicks ass!
First off, I worked there and they took such good care of me. Benefits, good hours and training, and great bosses.
They have done so many things for me since they opened here 12 years ago. A few examples:
Taught my husband how to cook a filet mignon, which he did for my birthday. (In great detail, spent around 30 minutes with him and wrote the directions down for him)
Made me a custom cake in about 30 minutes when my sister unexpectedly won the biggest local bowling tournament one year. (I called on the way to the impromptu party I threw for her and they made a custom cake with bowling pins and a ball that said "Congratulations Evelyn! on it.)
They have drive up service, which means you check out, then they give you a ticket. You drive your car up, they load it, and off you go. Awesome. They have good prices, the store is ALWAYS immaculate, and they only hire good workers, not surly cashiers and stock people.
The best part is that you always get checked out fast. They have a slew of cashiers always ready to check you out, and they don’t stand there staring at your mango saying “Ummmm…do you know what this is?”
Their prepared foods are awesome too. They have marinated/stuffed/prepared meat dishes in little metal dishes that have instructions right on them- just stick 'em in the oven and ::poof!:: dinner! Then you don’t even have to wash a pan out. They also have unreal subs (They are enormous), and chinese buffet. A full pizza department, prepared hot foods, and a fruit bar.
I can’t wait to go tomorrow!
Zette
They’re in Bridgewater, Princeton and somewhere else central/south in Jersey. I’ve never been to any of those 'cause I’m in northern NJ. There is a Wegmans in Binghamton, NY though. I don’t know how close you are to that one.
Yep, Roche Bros. and Sudbury Farms are owned by the same company 
I know that some of the older stores (I’m thinking of the one in West Roxbury, in particular) are quite small and cramped. The newer ones (like the one in Quincy) are immaculate. I’ve always been impressed by their prepared foods section.
I like Trader Joe’s, too, but unfortunately the nearest one is a bit of a hike 
Bread and Circus (aka Whole Foods Market) is a joy to wander through, but some of their prices…Good Lord! (btw, Wild Harvest’s prices aren’t that much lower).
I left my previous job because of what Shaw’s has done to Star, which used to be a damned good supermarket chain. I have no desire to continue witnessing everything going down the toilet in the name of lower prices :eek: