Wegmans reveals new Charlotte grocery store’s opening date. See first look inside
The highly anticipated debut of Wegmans Food Markets in Charlotte is still months away. But on Thursday morning, The Charlotte Observer got its first look inside the Ballantyne grocery store.
What’s more, we now know when it will open — 9 a.m. Oct. 14 at 11550 N. Community House Road. At over 110,000-square-feet, it’s more than double the size of other traditional grocers expanding in the hyper-competitive Charlotte grocery store market area, such as Harris Teeter and Publix.
Wegmans has not disclosed how much it is investing in the Charlotte store, but officials with the Rochester, NY-based grocery store chain have said it is significant, at “tens of millions of dollars.”
The initial announcement for the Ballantyne store came in April 2024, targeting a fall 2026 opening. Talks and site planning were seven years in the making, dating to 2017.
First look inside Charlotte’s first Wegmans grocery store
Nine months into construction, the sound of pounding, sawing and drilling are heard on the outside and inside of the store.
Walking through the front entrance, the interior has signs of what will be, amid the exposed metal beams with drop ceiling cords and covered registers as workers busily attend to walls and other features. There will be 15 cashier register and 18 assisted self-checkout stands.
The layout opens into the produce section, fitting as the grocery chain’s roots started with John Wegman selling fresh produce from a pushcart. With his brother Walter, Wegmans’ first store opened in 1916 in Rochester.
“When you see all those beautiful colors, it’s a great start,” Ballantyne store manager Patrick McGuinness said.
A big focus is on the experience, with shoppers being able to interact with workers and watching them make foods, like sushi and taste testing events paring wine and cheese.
The store will have a few new twists for Charlotte shoppers:
- A fresh cut produce for grab-and-go is just to the right of the main produce section. It will run from the front to the back of the store before turning into the “Tunnel of Bakery.” To the left will be cookies, like the ultimate chocolate chip, and to the right the bakery, with the ultimate chocolate cake. Under what is now a metal awning starts the market area with fresh sushi, sandwiches and salads.
- Charlotte will be one of the first stores to have the Market Grill. Customers can order for delivery to the table with a menu from pizza and chicken to burgers to steak. “We’re working on the menu,” McGuinness said. There will be about eight bar seats, and it will be attached to the cafe with 180 seats indoors, plus 104 outdoors under the covered patio. “You’re going to get your lunch and then walk and get your groceries,” McGuinness said. “We want you to spend time with us.” Of course, pickup will also an option. The restaurant food section will have ready-to-eat fresh pizza; salad, soup and a sandwich station. Meals can be picked up or delivered. The pickup station is in the front of the store for orders.
- An outdoor play area is also a new concept for the Charlotte store. “Parents can have their beverage of choice and then watch the kids play,” McGuinness said. They’re working on a rolling bar cart concept to sell beer and wine. “It brings a sense of community and family, which ties in with our culture,” JP Prinzivalli, Wegmans service area manager, said. McGuinness said it’s an extension of the family atmosphere at the Bowl at Ballantyne nearby. In total, the outdoor patio space is 4,000 square feet with walk-in accessibility from the road, too.
- The deli is across from the cheese shop in the middle section. The cheese shop has over 700 varieties of cheese and olives. Wegmans has its own cheese cave in Rochester.
- Also in the center section of the store in the produce section is a hole in the wall. This is where Casanova, an animatronic rooster, will make its appearance to crow on the hour. Another signature design, a raised train will run front to back of the store chugging through the store in the traditional grocery section. The tracks will run by the freezer section, which is to the far left of the store.
- Back outside, the facade of the building mixes stone into the design with the typical brick. There are 664 parking spaces.
- Wegmans began hiring for 300 part-time roles at Ballantyne this month. The store also is still hiring for full-time workers, for a total of 450 employees.
Wegmans development timeline in Charlotte
April 2024: After years of speculation, developer Northwood Investors LLC and Wegmans confirmed plans to open the chain’s first Charlotte store. Wegmans debuted in North Carolina in 2019 in the Raleigh area.
October 2024: Wegmans received its land disturbance permit from the city of Charlotte. By the end of the year, Wegmans would receive its building permit approval and finalize the purchase of the 14 acres on Ballantyne’s east side from Northwood Investors. Wegmans is part of Northwood Investors’ over $1 billion Ballantyne Reimagined project.
Early 2025: Around Jan. 1, Wegmans started demolition of four office buildings and extensive land preparation at the property.
2025: The Charlotte store design was finalized and received all of its approvals. Wegmans partnered with local general contractor Frampton Construction Co. to assist with building the store. The project would create more than 250 construction jobs.
September 2025: Wegmans broke ground Sept. 28 11550 N. Community House Road on the east side of Ballantyne. Construction for a Wegmans typically takes about 12 months from the time of groundbreaking until the doors open, company officials said.
January 2026: Wegmans begins hiring. The store will employ about 450 full- and part-time employees, with 150 of those being full-time positions. The majority of workers will be hired locally. The pay range for entry-level management positions is $19.75–$22.50, and for full-time customer service is $16.50–$17. The majority of hiring begins about six months from opening, according to company officials.
May 2026: Company officials announce the opening date is Oct. 14.
More about Wegmans in the Charlotte market
The Ballantyne store is just the beginning.
Wegmans has long-term plans for three to five stores in the Charlotte market, eyeing sites in SouthPark, Huntersville and Cornelius.
The 108-year-old, family-owned Wegmans supermarket chain has about 55,000 employees and 110 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Delaware and Washington, D.C. There are four stores in North Carolina, in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, West Cary and Wake Forest. Another store is planned in Holly Springs.
What people are saying about Wegmans in Charlotte
“Can not wait. I hope they bring some of my favorite Buffalo foods to the store!!!” one person said on the Bring Wegmans to Charlotte Facebook page Wednesday. The group has over 8,400 members.
“I hope there’ll be enough parking,” another said.
Others are making plans to celebrate the opening: “We are tailgating the grand opening.”
This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Wegmans reveals new Charlotte grocery store’s opening date. See first look inside."
