Finding a Place to Go Grocery Shopping in South Charlotte is About to Get Even Easier
Yet another well-respected chain is under construction, and will be opening next summer.
Grocery shopping. It is a chore that some view with a love-hate relationship, as engaging in the activity provides nourishment, a chance to get out of the house while boosting one’s step count, and we very often return from the trip with a little something extra that made its way into the shopping cart. With this being said, it also can be quite mundane, costly, and since it’s often done after work or on weekends, it eats into time when we could be doing something that is more fun and/or relaxing. Services such as Instacart and in-store shopper employees have jumped onto the scene, skyrocketing in popularity during the COVID-19 years, and remaining for those who are either too busy, or let’s face it- don’t feel like doing their own shopping. A few taps on the phone and about an hour later: BOOM! Groceries on your doorstep.
During my formative years living in Connecticut in a small rural community, the major grocery stores were about a fifteen-minute drive from the house. Sure, there was a small grocery store in the center of town, but if you wanted one of the bigger places, you had to venture elsewhere. The major stores were Stop & Shop, Big Y, and I have hazy memories of a place called Waldbaum’s that disappeared in the mid 90s. Back then, that was where we did most of our shopping, and with raising three kids- it was almost a daily occurrence for Mom to be coming home with a trunk full of food.
Fast forward a few years, and while living in the Steele Creek (Southwest) neighborhood of Charlotte, my apartment complex was located directly behind a Harris Teeter store, which put a plethora of food a mere five-minute walk away. Across the street was a Publix, and diagonally across was a Super Target. An Earth Fare grocery store moved to the other corner, so there was no lack of places to buy food. While one may think that having four stores visible from one intersection is saturation, I was woefully unprepared for the vast array of supermarkets within a ten-minute drive once I relocated to Southern Charlotte.
OK- here we go. I’m going to inhale deeply and list them. We’ve got multiple Harris Teeters, a handful of Publix stores, more than a few Targets, a Whole Foods, a Trader Joe’s, Fresh Market, Sprouts, Lidl, and there’s a Costco that’s not too far away. There was also a small Ashville-based chain called Earth Fare, but they’ve disappeared. No matter what you’re looking for- it’s here. Turning out of our street, there’s a shopping plaza about a mile to the right, and another about a half mile to the left. Each has a Harris Teeter and a Target, so it’s really a coin toss, although the stores to our left are those that are preferred.
There is a bit of a positive bias for Sprouts, as about this time last year I was hunting for something my wife asked me to pick up. I wandered into Sprouts, and walked out with what she needed, but also with the resolve to apply for a part-time job. With summer approaching and income from teaching about to retreat until August, I wanted to have something to do over the summer that would keep me busy, keep me paid, and for the first time in a few years, not keep me driving to (summer) school. This week has brought my one-year anniversary of employment, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work there with the fun, people, physical activity, and discount on groceries. I’ve written about it more extensively here.
Even though the South Charlotte region has more grocery stores than we may need, folks in the area have been abuzz with the news that later next summer (looking at 2026), Wegmans will be opening a massive store where some office buildings once stood. Residents of the Mid-Atlantic states where Wegmans has a stronghold will say that shopping at Wegmans is an experience in and of itself. From amazing food to great employees, it’s supposed to be wonderful. I’ve never seen one, so I’m being honest when I say that there’s no knowledge as to what all the fuss is about.
It would be remiss to discuss the abundance of grocery stores in South Charlotte without mentioning the dearth of establishments a mere stone’s throw away, especially in West Charlotte. Save for some convenience stores, and small mom and pop shops, one must often travel a great distance, at times relying solely on public transportation, in order to get to a major market. The usual reasons have been cited for the occurrence of the food desert in that area, with stores finding it unprofitable to operate with high levels of theft that go hand-in-hand with poverty. Many years ago, I watched as several grocery stores came and went from one spot on Whalley Avenue in New Haven, an area where my barber, dentist, and father all had offices a few miles up the road (my father and dentist eventually relocated).
Just when you think that there isn’t room for another grocery store in South Charlotte, another one announces its intent to open. It would seem logical that as more and more stores set up shop, that a few would begin to find it unprofitable to operate, but they are all thriving. With the massive population explosion, and varying tastes of those who now call the area home, there’s something for everyone. People seem to like the variety, and ability to shop at one store for certain items, and another for something else. Wegmans might be the final store for some time, but I can almost guarantee that there will be more places to buy food announcing their intent to open by the end of the decade. After all, it wouldn’t be South Charlotte without residents clamoring over the newest supermarket, visiting once or twice before deciding to stay home and engage in other activities while their Instacart shopper picks out the steaks that will be grilled later that evening.
You will love Wegmans