Wegmans heads to Manhattan

Wegmans Food Markets has signed a 30-year lease for its second store in the Big Apple, this time in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.

The grocery retailer will open a store at Vornado Realty Trust’s 770 Broadway (at Astor Place). The site is the former home of Kmart, which went dark earlier this month — without much notice — after nearly 25 years in operation. Wegmans will occupy space on both the street and lower levels of the 1.2 million-sq.-ft. building, for a total of approximately 82,000 sq. ft. 

Brokered by RIPCO Real Estate LLC, Wegmans signed an agreement with Transformco (owner of Kmart) to buy out Kmart’s lease at Astor Place, and entered into the long-term lease with Vornado. Wegmans opened its first New York City store in October 2019, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

“We are so excited to bring Wegmans to Manhattan,” said Colleen Wegman, president and CEO of Wegmans Food Markets, which operates 106 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts and North Carolina. “This is something we’ve been dreaming about and working toward for a long time. The community’s response to the opening of our Brooklyn store had an excitement and energy that you can only experience in New York.”

770 Broadway is a landmarked building that is the site of the historic Wanamaker’s department store. It is located at the nexus of downtown residential, retail and office locations, and occupies a full city block between 8th and 9thStreets and Broadway and Fourth Avenue. 

“Wegmans is one of a kind and will be a best-in-class addition to Manhattan, both for the local neighborhoods and as a destination for residents from across the island,” said Steven Roth, Vornado’s chairman and CEO.” We look forward to partnering with Wegmans’ talented team on the opening of this signature location.”

“We were privileged to work alongside Wegmans and Vornado to arrange this landmark Manhattan retail transaction,” said Gene Spiegelman, vice chairman of RIPCO. “This transaction represents the best of New York City’s future with Wegmans long-term commitment to deliver Wegmans reputation for quality and customer service to Manhattan.”