Strictly Business

So maybe Trader Joe's, the California specialty grocer that has built an almost cult-like following, is coming to Western New York.

We don't know where - or even if Trader Joe's is coming for sure. But the good folks at the Kenmore Village Improvement Society, who have been practically begging the chain to come to Kenmore, say they have it on good authority that Trader Joe's will make its debut here sometime by the end of next year.

"We created a buzz," says Melissa Foster, the group's president, referring to its campaign to lure the chain to Kenmore.

Unfortunately for the Kenmore folks, it doesn't look like Trader Joe's has its eyes on the village, but rather other potential destinations in the Buffalo Niagara region.

But it does make sense for Trader Joe's to move into Buffalo. The chain opened its first store in the Albany suburbs in early August, with a line of several hundred shoppers that, in the words of the Albany Business Review, "snaked from the front door, around the parking lot and to the main entrance at 79 Wolf Road."

I can't say I've ever been excited enough about grocery shopping to wait in line to do it. Then again, I don't like shopping much.

Trader Joe's also set to open in the Rochester market - in the suburb of Pittsford - next month.

Buffalo will be just another stop along the way.

Of course, Trader Joe's arrival would be bad news for all of the other grocery stores in the Buffalo Niagara region, for the simple reason that any customers who shop at Trader Joe's won't be buying those same items at Tops, Wegmans, Dash's, Aldi, or Save-A-Lot.

That's not an inconsequential impact, because the Buffalo Niagara region is losing people, which means there are fewer people buying groceries here. And since grocery shopping isn't the kind of thing you drive to another city a couple hours away to do (your ice cream would melt!), all Trader Joe's would do is take its slice of the region's food-shopping dollars from the chains that already are here.

But it will keep Tops, Wegmans, Walmart and all the rest on their toes. And that's a good thing.

-David Robinson

What is it about Wegmans? The Rochester-based grocer doesn't take long to make an impression, that's for sure.

Northborough, Mass., got its first Wegmans supermarket just last fall, but already, the advanced drama class at the town's Algonquin Regional High School has written and performed a musical about it.

Wegmans officials have said they are flattered by the attention and recently gave the school a small thank you.

"This morning, Bill Congdon made a special visit to the drama class at Algonquin Regional High School. The New England division manager for Wegmans Food Markets was there to thank the class for its recent performance of 'Wegmans … the Musical'.

Here are some highlights from the show which, by all reports, was a resounding success.