Trader Joe's

[JDC]

The store's strengths are its nut packages and its convenience foods.

[DigitalSky]

I guess i'll have to update my blog then... I wasn't sure what was coming to the space (I had guessed Lowes foods since the article said "upscale grocer" but i hadn't even thought of Trader Joes!)

[DanRNC]

I guess Chapel Hill is officially getting a TJs.

Story

[dmccall]

Wow. I wonder if the N&O has heard about President Kennedy yet.

[DigitalSky]

Wow. I wonder if the N&O has heard about President Kennedy yet.

[yoga]

Wow. I wonder if the N&O has heard about President Kennedy yet.

[dmccall]

The new TBJ has an article concerning a possible Trader Joe's location in the Holly Park shopping center. The center once held a Winn-Dixie that was later converted into a fitness club. According to the guy at Intrex the last time I was there, the space has been empty for about a year and a half.

Apparently more on this possibility can be found in the newest issue of TBJ. Apparently there is a possible upcoming sale of the center, and if that goes through, TJ's will open a store there.

That is an outstanding location, even if it is just down the street from one of their Aldi stores. I can't ever see myself driving to Cary to TJ's, but I certainly would shop there frequently in Holly Park.

map it

[RaleighRob]

Wow. Yeah, that fitness club (World Gym) was closed a while ago. (I used to go there cuz it was cheap.) When Lifestyle Fitness came to the neighborhood I thought it'd go there, but they wisely chose the old Lowe's to be closer to Costco.

A Trader Joes, though will definitely be the perfect thing to renew Holly Park. (Especially combined with Melting Pot and ShabaShabu.) That whole area has great potential in the retail world for big box stores...close for ITB residents AND North Raleighites...and access to the beltline and other major roads. I knew it was just a matter of time before it would boom. (I'm betting Staples and Borders are glad they got to the area when they did.)

Now, traffic may end up being more of an issue with Costco and now a TJ...but I hear that the stoplight system at Wake Forest at the beltline will be redone soon, so hopefully that'll help. The fact that Holly Park has it's own stoplight already is very good.

I hope this rumor turns out to be right!

[JeffC]

Trader Joe's would be perfect for the customer mix they are looking for in that shopping center...I've thought Shabu-shabu was a little out of place in that otherwise rather seedy, rundown shopping center, but TJ's would upgrade the whole place. The location is outstanding...the ITB crowd won't have to drive too far to visit, and the TJ fanatics from all over the area can get to it easily from 440. That is a horrible interchange, but mainly due to poor decisions made by inpatient drivers rather than any inherent design defect (like 40/540, for example...)

[DB78]

That would be an awesome location. I suspect that many people would do like me and go to Costco for some food and take the quarter mile trip down the road to Trader Joe's for more unique and healthy choices. TJ's is great, but I'm not about to drive 20 minutes each way into Cary to get there. Considering the market of people who will be living in North Hills East and the Lassiter in a few years, this is a great location for a more 'hip' grocery store. Plus, it isn't too far of a drive for the folks near or in the upcoming condos downtown.

[Gard]

I think that would be a great location for a TJ. TJ would certainly breathe some life into that shopping center. It would be nice to see the owner of the shopping center remodel the outside as well to bring it up to date and blend it better with surrounding shopping centers.

[ChiefJoJo]

BTW, Trader Joes is opening soon in Chapel Hill next to Fordham Blvd and Franklin St, where Earthfare used to be.

[ncwebguy]

TBJ's offices are on the other side of 440, though I doubt that helped them get the story. The article does explain why that prime location has been neglected for so long -- one group owns the lease for the buildings while another owned the land underneath.

Between Five Points, North Hills, etc. there are plenty of potential Trader Joe's customers nearby. If the TJs goes in there, it could be reasonable to expect the Alcatel property to be redevloped soon after. It would be nice to see more residential in the area, other than the condos/townhouses off Atlantic near the east end of Six Forks. Any development there could make a stronger case for the proposed Highwoods TTA stop nearby as well.