34 replies to this topic

[Jenkins]

I of course would have much rather had it in Providence, but I am a desperate man for TJ's, so will take this with no problem.

Edited by Jenkins, 25 April 2008 - 12:33 PM.

[runawayjim]

while it's exciting news, your link doesn't work.

[jencoleslaw]

Trader Joes goes to one of the worst commercial roads in RI

Disclaimer: i'm not a real estate developer.


This has got to be the worst location in RI. Anyone who has half a brain stays away from Bald Hill Road. The demographics HAVE to be better in Seekonk where they can draw from RI, East Bay and SE Mass. Are folks from Barrington and Bristol and Aquidneck Island going to go to Bald Hill Road? Doubtful. But folks from Warwick and East G might go to Seekonk.   The whole thing is very strange!  And I think TJs will rue the day they opened in RI when they try to conduct business in the state--my friend who manages REI says that it was a nightmare because of the laws around retail (ie., employees have to be paid weekly, which screwed up the company's payroll which is biweekly everywhere else in the country).

And who knew they were owned by the ALDI people? I didn't.  And Scott Avedesian can totally be governor now if he wants. He can just glide into the statehouse on the "i brought Trader Joe's to town" ticket.

[runawayjim]

guess the excitement is gone.  i avoid bald hill rd like the plague.  i don't need a TJ's that much that i'd go to warwick for it.  i agree... seekonk or even north attleboro would've been a much better location.

[ruchele]

Maybe they are going to bring Trader Joe's in the same way they brought ALDI in-  start in one place, then suddenly open three in different locations around the state.   Seriously, A TJ's somewhere more accessible to Providence would CLEAN UP.

FYI, folks from Aquidneck Island would and DO go to Bald Hill Road to shop.  Back before they big-boxed all of Middletown, Rt. 2 was kind of the closest place to get big box crap.  I remember doing back-to-school shopping on Rt. 2 in the '80s. It was like an annual pilgrimage.

That said, I, too, avoid Bald Hill Road like the plague.  Traffic isn't what it was in the '80s, for one thing.  For another thing, I didn't move to the city so I could spend my shopping time stuck in miracle mile hell traffic jams.  

A while back, I went to a small store along there, and the owner said, "We have customers who say that they hardly ever come because we are so far away from Providence!  Jeez, it's only a few miles, you Providence people don't like to drive anywhere. . . "  She might take the hint that it would be good for business to move into Providence, but instead, she just thought it's our problem that we don't like to drive.  Hmm.  She kind of misses the big picture, if you ask me.

Edited by ruchele, 25 April 2008 - 07:51 AM.

[mental757]

I live in Kent County and avoid Route 2 as well.  I've never been to a TJ's - I'll check it out once it opens, but can gaurantee I won't go there after that.  A Providence location would have been a better place to enter the RI market IMHO.

The location of this store is right across from Price-Rite and less than 2-3 miles from S&S, Shaw's, ALDI and a bit farther from Dave's in EG.  I imagine that is why they chose this spot, for competitive reasons.

[Bil]

Wow, this really is a terrible location. I'd heard rumors that there was going to be a TJ's on Route 2, but I dismissed them as sheer lunacy.

That said, this is right down the street from my house! With liberal use of the backroads, I can be in and out of that plaza while only spending 2 minutes total on Route 2! Yes, yes yes!

[mr2448]

jencoleslaw, on Apr 25 2008, 07:52 AM, said:

Trader Joes goes to one of the worst commercial roads in RI

Disclaimer: i'm not a real estate developer.


This has got to be the worst location in RI. Anyone who has half a brain stays away from Bald Hill Road. The demographics HAVE to be better in Seekonk where they can draw from RI, East Bay and SE Mass. Are folks from Barrington and Bristol and Aquidneck Island going to go to Bald Hill Road? Doubtful. But folks from Warwick and East G might go to Seekonk.   The whole thing is very strange!  And I think TJs will rue the day they opened in RI when they try to conduct business in the state--my friend who manages REI says that it was a nightmare because of the laws around retail (ie., employees have to be paid weekly, which screwed up the company's payroll which is biweekly everywhere else in the country).

And who knew they were owned by the ALDI people? I didn't.  And Scott Avedesian can totally be governor now if he wants. He can just glide into the statehouse on the "i brought Trader Joe's to town" ticket.

I was excited about this until I heard its location. I guess we still go to Schrewsbury.  I don't think a second store needs to be in Seekonk or No. Attleboro. One a North Main Street would be fine and it would be successfull. Let the people from Seekonk and No. Attleboro come here!

[The Escapists]

Hey PVD forum

For what it's worth, Charlotte got our first TJ's about a year ago. There was so much hype about it before it even opened that they announced a second store. The hype was realized when the lines backed up out the doors, and parking lots, and crippled the retail center for the first month.  Now we have two open locations on the far ends of the suburbs, both of which are always busy (granted they are tight on square footage). And we already have our third location under construction in Midtown (center city). So I would say if you get the same response for your first store, you can look forward to other locations coming quickly.

[ruchele]

The Escapists, on Apr 25 2008, 04:31 PM, said:

Hey PVD forum

For what it's worth, Charlotte got our first TJ's about a year ago. There was so much hype about it before it even opened that they announced a second store. The hype was realized when the lines backed up out the doors, and parking lots, and crippled the retail center for the first month.  Now we have two open locations on the far ends of the suburbs, both of which are always busy (granted they are tight on square footage). And we already have our third location under construction in Midtown (center city). So I would say if you get the same response for your first store, you can look forward to other locations coming quickly.

That's good news!  I'm hoping the first, crappy, location is just testing the waters.

[CtownMikey]

why are the only state that has employees paid weekly?? Why not simply change that to make business easier?

[jencoleslaw]

CtownMikey, on Apr 25 2008, 09:06 PM, said:

why are the only state that has employees paid weekly?? Why not simply change that to make business easier?

I have no idea. I assume is has something to do with old blue laws. You know, down here, folks working in retail (and maybe other industries, too, i don't know) don't get paid time and a half on sundays, the way you do in RI.

[Recchia]

Not only does it suck that it's on Route 2, but it's on the WORST stretch of Route 2 with the most traffic!

[LegalEagle]

Gotta say I am excited about this, despite the terrible location.  I will brave Route 2 only for Chipotle and Inskip, but I guess I will add TJs to this list.   I go the TJs in Brookline all the time on the weekends.  But since I live in RI during the week I have been TJs deprived!   I am sure they will start expanding into PVD to compete with WF.   I did hear that the only reason WF keeps its small Waterman location is to keep TJs out, but who knows whether that game of telephone is true.

[jencoleslaw]

Despite my complaining about the location, were I still in the area I would just make stealth trips (sunday morning 9 am) to that trader joe's. It is still a far sight closer than the Needham one.  But i do think it could have been put in a better spot, not just for RIers and Southern MAers, but for TJs as well.  I think that the Mayor should get a medal of honor, honestly, for whatever he did to bring them to Rhode Island, finally. I can't count on both hands and feet the number of people, groups, entities who have lobbied Trader Joe's to come to the area. Truly amazing! Yay for Everyone! I'm trying not to take it personally that it happened seemingly the moment I left the state.

Of course, there are so many down here I can go to a different one every day of the week, all fewer than 20 miles away, and not have any repeats.

[runawayjim]

jencoleslaw, on Apr 26 2008, 09:55 PM, said:

I'm trying not to take it personally that it happened seemingly the moment I left the state.

you know they were sitting there in the corporate offices saying "crazy tree lady's gone... time to move in!".  

[Cotuit]

LegalEagle, on Apr 26 2008, 08:35 PM, said:

I will brave Route 2 only for Chipotle and Inskip

I will not brave Route 2 for anything. I was dragged kicking and screaming to Panera a couple weeks ago and it made me instantly violent as soon as we got to Route 2.

Trader Joe's can suck it!

[bod]

What an f'ing joke.

[CtownMikey]

I'm not saying I favor route 2 type development.. but I've never actually experienced traffic on route 2.
No, it wasn't a walkable, energy efficient paradise.. I just hope that they expand into Providence within the next couple-O-years.

-Miguel

[runawayjim]

CtownMikey, on Apr 27 2008, 07:16 PM, said:

I'm not saying I favor route 2 type development.. but I've never actually experienced traffic on route 2.
No, it wasn't a walkable, energy efficient paradise.. I just hope that they expand into Providence within the next couple-O-years.

-Miguel

are you sure you've been to route 2?  i've never been there and not had to deal with traffic.