Wegmans, a well-known supermarket chain, has revealed plans to temporarily shut down its stores during the 2024 total solar eclipse. On April 8, for a short time from 3 to 3:30 p.m., 48 of its stores located in the direct path of the eclipse in upstate New York will close their doors.
This decision allows store employees to experience the rare sky spectacle. During this half-hour break, all store services, including the pharmacy, grocery shopping, and Meals2Go pickup and delivery services, will be paused.
Wegmans Closes for Eclipse: Employees Celebrate
Wegmans, a supermarket chain, is making a special move for its workers during the 2024 solar eclipse. Patrick Bourcy, who oversees several Wegmans stores, said the company wants to give its employees a chance to see this rare event.
This decision has been met with enthusiasm from both the staff and shoppers. Lyn Kemp, a customer, praised Wegmans for being thoughtful towards its employees, showing how much the gesture is appreciated by everyone involved.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we want our team to have the opportunity to experience it," Bourcy stated.
In light of this, Wegmans will temporarily close its doors in several Rochester, NY, locations during the eclipse.
The stores taking part in this brief shutdown include those in Brockport, Calkins Road in Henrietta, Canandaigua, Chili-Paul Plaza in Chili, East Avenue in Rochester, Eastway in Penfield, Fairport, Geneseo, Geneva, Holt Road in Webster, Latta Road in Greece, Lyell Avenue in Gates, Hylan Drive in Henrietta, Mt. Read Boulevard, Newark, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Ridge-Culver in Irondequoit, Ridgemont Plaza in Greece, and Titus Avenue in Irondequoit.
This decision reflects the company's commitment to ensuring their staff doesn't miss out on this significant astronomical event.
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Eclipse Viewing Events and Special Offers
Tops Markets LLC is hosting a no-cost viewing party for the total solar eclipse in upstate New York. The event will be held in collaboration with the Buffalo Bisons and NASA experts at Sahlen Field.
Interested attendees can secure tickets on a first-come, first-served basis either online (with a $1 service charge), at the Sahlen Field box office, or select Tops Markets stores.
Natural Grocers is joining the eclipse celebration by giving away free special glasses for safely watching. These are available with any purchase at their stores in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, and Kansas, with a limit of one per customer.
The eagerly awaited solar eclipse on April 8 marks the second event of its kind visible from the United States in seven years. It will be fully observable only within the path of totality, a 115-mile-wide track from Texas to Maine.
Others outside this zone will witness partial phases. Due to differences in visibility and timing, this eclipse could be even more impressive than the one in 2017, according to NASA.
With over 53,000 employees and over 100 stores across the East Coast, Wegmans is ranked No. 37 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's list of the top food retailers in North America, showcasing its substantial industry footprint.
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