Wegmans is looking to open a supermarket in Boston and would consider a site in Downtown Crossing, the company's chief executive Danny Wegman said today during a speech before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
The New York grocery chain launched its first Massachusetts store last fall in Northborough and had a record grand opening at the massive 138,000 square foot food emporium.
"We believe we belong in Boston, not just in the suburbs," Wegman said.
Wegman said he is looking at several properties in Boston Wednesday, but they did not include sites in Downtown Crossing or on the Boston waterfront -- two neighborhoods with major redevelopment projects in the works.
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When asked by an audience member whether the company would open a supermarket in Boston, and specifically consider Downtown Crossing, Danny Wegman responded: "Yes there is. No, we don't have a site."
Wegman already has plans to launch grocery stores in Burlington, and a smaller 70,000 square foot store in Chestnut Hill, making it almost half the size of the company's typical supermarket.
That format would likely be the model for a grocery store in Boston. Wegman said he is fascinated with the Boston market because it is the most highly educated and densely populated market the chain has ever served, but it is also a scary experience to change its successful model.
"In some ways, coming to Boston is terrifying. Going from 130,000 feet to 70,000, you're making an enormous amount of guesses," Wegman said. "This is a big deal for us."
Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com.