BK Wegmans Readies For Opening With Liquor License Application

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — Gearing up for the opening of New York City's first outpost of Wegmans isn't only about preparing the shopping center. The beloved supermarket chain, set to open in the Brooklyn Navy Yard this fall, is also getting ready to open the restaurant and bar that will be included in its 74,000-square-foot store.

The grocery store appears to have taken the first step to do so, applying for a liquor license application for the 21 Flushing Avenue spot with the State Liquor Authority. The application will come in front of Community Board 2's Executive Committee next week before going to the full board for approval.

A Wegmans representative said that the liquor license application is for the restaurant that will be included in the two-story supermarket.

A market cafe is planned for the second-floor mezzanine, complete with seating for nearly 100 people, the company said. The mezzanine space will include the bar, serving food, wine, beer and spirits, should the application be approved.

The eating area will contribute to Wegmans unique take on grocery store set-ups.

"Wegmans stores have a European open-air market look and feel, offering an abundance of choice, the best ingredients, thousands of organic options, restaurant-quality prepared food, and consistent low prices," the company said.

The liquor license application is the most recent step in Wegmans years-long plan to open at the Navy Yard, its first location in New York City.

The company, with the help of the Navy Yard, has already started filling out its 500 person full and part-time staff over the last few months. More than 740 job applications for Wegmans had flooded in to the Yard's employment center by January, nearly all from Brooklyn residents.

Wegmans also recently released some new details about its Brooklyn plans in a feature in Bloomberg Businessweek.

The supermarket executives told Bloomberg about the challenges of opening in New York City, versus in the more suburban areas of its 35 other locations.

The store was raised about five feet to protect it from flooding, increased its parking from 250 to 429 to accommodate staff driving in from out of the city and put in an elevator to reach the other businesses that will take up the top floors of the building, where Wegmans will house the first and second floor, executives said.

The company also revealed that it would not be changing its menu selections and food offerings from its other stores for the Brooklyn location.

The new Wegmans is part of the yard's extensive redevelopment of its Admirals Row and 399 Sands site. It will also include the development of 78,000 square feet of retail space, 356,000 square feet of light industrial space, and 11,000 square feet of community facility space, according to the yard.