Wegmans takes another bite of the Big Apple

Last week, four months after Wegmans Food Markets opened its first store in Manhattan, Danny Wegman signed a long-term lease on another property there — this time on the Upper West Side.

The New York Post was first to report that the chairman of the Rochester-based grocery store chain now has the keys to 1932 Broadway, a 58,874-square-foot space that formerly was home to a Bed Bath & Beyond store.

A Wegmans spokesperson told the Post that the lease on the property, near Lincoln Center between West 64th and 65th streets, is a “personal investment” by Wegman and that there are no plans to open a store at the site “at this time.”

See the store’s evolution: Rarely seen photos of Wegmans through the years

Prior to opening the Astor Place store, Wegmans’ 110^th, the company was working to lease 1932 Broadway, a spokesperson told the Democrat and Chronicle by email.

“When that didn’t pan out, we had the opportunity to sign the lease for Astor Place. Shortly after we committed to Astor Place, the 1932 Broadway space became available, however the timing wasn’t right, as we were focused on getting our Astor location designed, permitted, and open to the public,” she wrote.

The Astor Place Wegmans in Manhattan’s East Village.

“Following the Astor Place opening, Danny Wegman learned the 1932 Broadway space was still available. He restarted negotiations and recently signed a long-term lease for the space. At this time, we are continuing to learn from our Astor Place store and will use those learnings moving forward.”

The Astor Place Wegmans, an 87,500-square-foot operation covering two floors, is between East 8^th and 9^th streets in Greenwich Village.

At street level is a food hall offering sushi, salads, sandwiches, soups, pizza, wings, hot Asian cuisine and made-to-order and packaged Mediterranean options.

Traditional departments — bakery, produce, meat, seafood, grocery, dairy and frozen foods — are on the lower level.

Astor Place is the only Wegmans store, and the only retailer in the country, offering seafood from Tokyo’s Toyosu Fish Market, flown in fresh several times a week.

Wegmans entered the New York City market in October 2019 with its Brooklyn Navy Yard store.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Wegmans takes another bite of the Big Apple