Big celebration Friday at Wegmans

Everyone's invited to stroll down memory lane:

Remember 1957? It was the era of Elvis Presley mega-hits like Don't Be Cruel and Heartbreak Hotel, and chart-toppers like Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Nat King Cole, Patti Page, Doris Day and Peggy Lee. It was when TV was black and white, and we watched I Love Lucy, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and comedians like Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, and Phil Silvers.

1957 was also when Wegmans opened the 11th and, at the time, largest supermarket in their chain at Newark Plaza - the first shopping plaza and supermarket that Wegmans had ever developed outside their home base of Monroe County.

On Friday, August 17, Wegmans Newark store celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a party that begins at 4 p.m. in the store parking lot. Highlights include:

A presentation at 4 p.m. of donations to Newark Historical Society, the Alex Eligh Community Center, and the Newark Food Closet

Car Cruise Look under the hoods and talk to owners with classics - many from the 50s and 60s

DJ playing 50s music In keeping with the 50s theme, there will be a hot dog and chips for $.50 and soft drinks for $.50

Fashion Show with a display of historic Wegmans uniforms

Photos from the Newark Historical Society and Wegmans Archives

Antique Wegmans Truck

Activities for kids: Zoomobile, Bruiser the Dog

Customer Appreciation Giveaways

Newark Police Department will make Safe Child ID cards for children

'We hope our Newark customers will join us; it should be a lot of fun,' said Amy Pasley, the store manager. 'We've also invited store managers who previously worked at the Newark store, plus current Wegmans executives and Newark VIPs.'

When Wegmans Newark store opened in March 1957 with 25,000 square feet of space, it was the largest supermarket in Newark, and it featured such innovations as Wegmans first package pick-up conveyor and magic carpet self-opening doors.

Just 15 years later in 1972, the Newark store was remodeled and expanded to nearly twice its original size - some 44,283 square feet, so that it could include other household items like hardware.

In 1992, the store added a pharmacy department, and in 1994, it was enlarged again to include a European-style bakery, farm market produce, more prepared foods, and a fresh fish department.

The Newark store serves a community of about 10,000, with a team of 286 employees. It has a Pizza and Sub Shop, Nature's Marketplace, and Photo Department.

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