{"id":7929,"date":"2016-03-25T01:44:42","date_gmt":"2016-03-25T05:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shorebeat.com\/brick\/?p=7929"},"modified":"2016-03-25T01:50:37","modified_gmt":"2016-03-25T05:50:37","slug":"wegmans-tickled-by-brick-residents-calls-for-store-but-will-one-be-built","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/2016\/03\/wegmans-tickled-by-brick-residents-calls-for-store-but-will-one-be-built\/","title":{"rendered":"Wegmans ‘Tickled’ By Brick Residents’ Calls for Store, But Will One Be Built?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>

A Wegmans store in Alexandria, Va. (Photo: Wegmans)<\/p><\/div>\n

More than two weeks after Brick Mayor John Ducey called on Brick residents to lobby Wegmans Supermarkets<\/a> to open a store in the township, the company has taken notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur social media has been going crazy,\u201d a Wegmans spokeswoman told Brick Shorebeat this week, saying the supermarket chain is \u201ctickled\u201d by the desire of what amounts to an entire town\u2019s worth of people longing for a store. A search of social media sites Twitter and Facebook<\/a> show hundreds of posts hashtagged #BrickTownshipWantsAWegmans<\/a>, with many sharing Shorebeat\u2019s original article on the topic.<\/p>\n

The question, of course, is whether the effort will pay off.<\/p>\n

Jo Natale, vice president of media relations for Wegmans, did not rule out the potential for a store to open in Brick area, but said it would not be for at least several years. Wegmans pre-plans their store locations several years in advance and already has three to four years\u2019 worth of openings in the works. She said she has spoken to Ducey about and explained the process the company uses to determine where stores should be located.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe examine, in a very careful and methodical way, where our stores will be located,\u201d Natale said, adding that the primary factors that go into such a decision include the population density of the city where the store will be located, as well as that of surrounding communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often drive a long way to get to a Wegmans,\u201d Natale said. The nearest location to Brick is in Ocean Township, Monmouth County, which is between 15 and 19 miles away, depending where in Brick one lives.<\/p>\n

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Hey @Wegmans<\/a> #bricktownshipwantsawegmans<\/a> the closest one is 17mi!! I need Wegmans!!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Michele McA (@lilsurfergirl82) March 13, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n