Will You Camp Out For Wegmans?

Should Howard County decline to participate in the heydey that has characterized previous Wegmans store openings out of self respect?

Blogger and Columbia Association Board Member Tom Coale raised the issue in his blog in response to reports from Explore Howard that said Wegmans officials expect thousands to congregate before the store's

In the past, openings have included "lounge chairs, sleeping bags and pup tents," the paper reported.

Tell us in comments: Will you be lugging lounge chairs to be among the first the see the new Columbia Wegmans? Or do you think that is an unnecessary display?

Coale's response?

"I truly hope that my fellow HoCo'ers have the dignity and self-respect to decline that opportunity," he wrote in a Tuesday post, responding to past reports of long lines, sleeping bags and lounge chairs. "We may need some counselors on deck for those folks that walk inside and find out that the carrots still taste like carrots and the bananas still go bad by day five."

According to Explore Howard, Wegmans officials described the following previous opening days:

• Six groupies attend openings in every state, whom Wendy Webster, store manager, referred to as the store's “Deadheads.”
• Fun pricing will be in effect, but those details haven’t been released yet in order to strike “last-minute deals.”
• Employees will do a cheer “which involves yelling out the letters in Wegmans while forming them with outreached arms.”
• Webster said opening the store is like "having a child."