Trader Joe's

 InfoInfo
Search:    
Corporate address
Trader Joe's Specialty Grocery Stores
PO Box 5049
Monrovia, CA 91017
Phone
626-599-3700
Website
[WWW]http://www.traderjoes.com

Trader Joe's is proposing to build a 12,000-square-foot store in the University Mall parking lot. The city council received the application on June 5, 2006 and it was originally slated to open by the end of 2007, according to an [WWW]article in the Sacramento Business Journal.1

However, as the planning commision made its first recommendations to the council on September 26, 2006, it is revealed that Radiological Associates of Sacramento (RAS), located on the proposed Trader Joe's site, is unwilling to move. RAS moved into the building in 2003 on a 14-year lease and has invested $1.6 million in structural improvements.2

October 17, 2006, the city council approved zoning changes that would allow Trader Joe's to move in. RAS still occupies the lot and despite attempts to convince them to relocate, they have shown little interest in doing so. The rezoning would also allow RAS to move into the University Mall building, though this would mean another business would have to leave. Note that the city has no control over these lease negotiations. Teriyaki Express has already been given a 30-day eviction notice by UMall owner Centro Watt.3 In May 2007, Centro Watt filed suit against RAS over terms of the lease.4

As of July 27, 2008, the The People's Vanguard of Davis is [WWW]reporting that RAS will move to a location on Covell and a new building will be constructed at their current U Mall location for Trader Joe's.

The store has been greatly desired by Davis residents and the Measure X campaign tried to entice voters with the possibility of a TJ inside Covell Village.

The nearest Trader Joe's is in Sacramento: sacramentoTrader_Joe's

Locations outside Davis
#175 [WWW]5000 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento 17.9 miles
#70 [WWW]2625 Marconi Ave. (corner of Fulton), Sacramento 22.2 miles
#101 [WWW]1350 Gateway Blvd., Fairfield 28.1 miles
#71 [WWW]5309 Sunrise Blvd., Fair Oaks 29.0 miles
#80 [WWW]1117 Douglas Blvd. (in Roseville Sq.), Roseville 32.2 miles
#172 [WWW]850 E. Bidwell St., Folsom 36.4 miles

(distances are from 3rd & F street, the city center)

Trader Joe's is owned by German billionaire Theo Albrecht. He built up a vast fortune after serving in the Nazi army.

r02-integratecomments.png This article is in need of Comment Integration
Please try to combine and move comments into the main article text.

Well, there isn't a [WWW]Trader Joe's in Davis... yet. Some have said they would never come to a town like Davis. Others wish they would replace Food Fair or the former Harvest Market (now Cost Plus). The concern is that they would take business from our beloved Davis Food Co-op. We do miss the inexpensive, upscale variety of TJ's though. For these reasons, a TJ's in far East or West Davis would be welcome. The West end has Village Homes to feed it, the East end may have the population (especially if Covell Village goes through). The Davis Wish List shows there are many who would like one. KenBloom said he's read "actual plans" to build one at 8th & Pole Line. If Covell Village was approved (Measure X), it would gave definitely included a Trader Joe's. The lease [WWW]had been signed. AaAa claims that Trader Joe's denies this and has recently asked the developers to stop using their name in the Measure X campaign. Trader Joe's would be within walking distance for the residents.

But even though Covell Village did not pass, Davis will likely still get a Trader Joe's. Covell Village is not Davis' only chance at securing a Trader Joe's. TJ was already in negotions with two locations in Davis. Alhambra Center at Mace & Alhambra which has not yet been approved and with the Interland/South Davis Center which has been approved and is nearing construction. Also, rumor has it that if the Second Street Crossing (Target) is approved by the City Council in May of 2006, then a Trader Joe's may be built at that shopping center at the corner of Mace and Second Street (hardly walking distance for most of Davis but certainly bussing distance). If this plan goes through it would be completed by 2008.

One of the reasons people love this specialty grocer is that everyday at Trader Joe's someone is demoing a usually tasty and strange recipe during business hours.

Comments:

Note: You must be logged in to add comments

2005-10-23 10:18:07   I'd be ok with the Trader Joe's giving the Co-op some competition. Trader Joe's also takes in products from local farmers. —ApolloStumpy

2005-12-19 19:57:02   It was amazing how the school newspaper turned the prop X debate into pro or con trader joes and ignored the real issue of having a housing development there. Trader Joes was like the developer's Trojan Horse. —DudeNude

2006-06-05 16:12:11   I'd be happy to see Trader Joe's in the U-Mall, but am dubious of the "can handle the loss of spaces" comment in the article. Would they build into the existing mall? Outside across from Cost Plus? The lot always looks pretty crowded whenever I'm there. But Bike City, USA, right? So no problem! —KevinChin

2006-06-05 16:32:54   After reading the article, I was about to post the same thing that Kevin said...that parking lot is terrible! If they reallocate the spaces...then maybe it could be better, but otherwise, with both Cost Plus AND Trader Joe's...I fear that parking will be impossible. —KarlaFung

2006-06-05 16:42:14   I can't imagine any configuration of that parking lot that would work with a Trader Joe's plopped into the middle of it. It's a nice location in theory (increased traffic on Russell notwithstanding), but personally I'd much rather Trader Joe's just usurp Cost Plus's space. Maybe they can carve out an Old Teahouse sized plot and call it the Trader Joe's Express —TravisGrathwell

2006-06-05 18:34:25   Where Food Fair was would be absolutely ideal. Even if it used only half or a quarter of the building. That shopping center kinda sucks, might help revitalize it. Parking wouldn't be a problem at all. But YAY on Trader Joes no matter where it is, since people will go. —ES

2006-06-05 22:49:44   From what I heard (through the downtown grapevine) they are going to shuffle some of the businesses around inside the University Mall to create most of the space. I, personally would have preferred to see Traders Joes downtown - in the parking lot behind Kinko's. They're planning to build a 3 story parking structure there eventually anyway. Or anywhere downtown. It would provide a great boost to downtown businesses. The Food Fair location is too far outside of the center. It will probably be converted to office space. —JonFenske

2006-06-05 23:13:22   Nah, it's not far at all, I think everyone would definitely still make the trip by bike, bus, or car. West Davis doesn't have a nice shopping center, just that ghostlike one. I meant if Trader Joe's comes, it might revamp it and maybe some other small and nice things will lease there too. Turn it into a respectable shopping center worth going to rather then a block of junk space and a couple restaurants. —ES

2006-06-06 09:30:53   If TJ's ends up in the U-Mall, is there any concern that it will take buisness away from Cost Plus? Cost Plus has a large selection of dry goods and wine. TJ's surely will impact Cost Plus' food sales. —DaveBanister

2006-06-06 11:10:40   Please, please, I urge everyone not to find reasons to protest this store coming to Davis. The location is fine. The neighboring students will benefit having more food options close by. Cost Plus will not suffer. In fact, they will benefit. People coming to Trader Joe's will drop in to their store while they are there, and vice versa. —SharlaDaly

2006-06-06 11:32:36   In my home town, TJ's and Cost Plus are right across the parking lot from each other and have been for quite a few years now. I don't think one has ruined the other's business. However, I still say that the location although ideal, given the circumstances of parking, traffic flow, etc....will suck ultimately. —KarlaFung

2006-06-06 11:46:16   I'm shocked, SHOCKED! This has to be stopped! Think of the traffic in the neighborhood! Where will all the customers park? Think of the crime! It will destroy downtown businesses! Davis is a small, charming village and corporate despoilers are coming! Think of the poor tenants in University Commons Apartments and Sycamore Lane Apartments. When they signed their leases I'm sure they didn't anticipate having to live next door to THIS! Join DON'T (Davisites Opposed to New Trader joes) Website coming soon. —PaulThober

2006-06-06 13:42:36   I wrote to Trader Joe’s two years ago and warned them about Davis and the ridiculous hostility they would face if they tried to develop a store in the community. They would be much better off building stores elsewhere. At least they figured a reasonably good location – in the middle of the student population (the normal people) and generally away from everyone else. —SteveHayes

2006-06-06 15:17:13   I read Sharla's comment and laughed. I've been waiting for a TJ's for so long I almost edited my comment after I wrote it. But ultimately I'd still take one anywhere in town (any City Councillors listening? I haven't voted yet, you know!). Even at the U-Mall it'll mean that I'll have one less reason to drive to Sac, and that's worth the bike ride over. Mmmm. . . I can just taste the Monteblue & Populet now. . . —KevinChin

2006-06-06 19:12:02   If there's a Trader Joes in Davis, and CostCo and (a bigger and nicer) Target in Woodland, I think I can even live without a Target in Davis. Of course, I figure there's a lot more reason to have a Target than all those damn car dealerships... —JaimeRaba

Clearly it is ridiculous to compare building a target in Davis and building a trader Joe’s. Target is a one stop shopping super center while trader Joes is more like a grocery store. the people who are against trader Joes because they are a corporation that will hurt small business must have been against Safeway, Albertsons, rite aid, longs, and other stores of similar size or they are acting like hypocrites. This area of Davis lacks a grocery store near buy. Students living at the dorms result to buying junk food at rite aid and the DC food stores. Students deserve access to produce and other health items. Remember that students at the dorms are not aloud a car, so Safeway and Albertsons are terribly inconvenient for them (biking provides a challenge for caring back groceries if you don’t have a large basket. Secondly target clearly PLANS on taking business away from a lot of stores including grocery stores and drug stores. They can afford to offer below cost food items to get people to come there to shop for appliances and clothing ect. Target will put other stores out of business. Target would not move here if they planned not to, it just wouldn’t be profitable. Simply taking sales that would otherwise go to the woodland target or other outside big box stores would cause target as a company to lose a lot of money, because all they would be doing is increasing cost by a lot and only increasing total sales as a corporation by very little. the only way they can make money by moving a target to Davis is by taking business from other stores or getting the public to spend more money. And most people are on at least a semi fixed income so the former seems way more likely. Trader Joe’s would be catering to students living in the dorms which is a somewhat untapped market. The co-op would still exist because the people who shop at the co-op are not concerned about price anyway or else they would shop at other grocery stores. —MattHh

2006-08-08 13:39:52   Parking would not be too much of a problem if U Mall were able to prevent students from parking there as a substitute for parking on campus. A security guard patrolling for this kind of parking misuse would free us as much parking as TJ's would remove. Also, the parking lot is at its capacity when the grad is full, but most of the other business are closed anyway, including TJ's. I think it could work. And I think Davis is big enough for TJ's and the Co-Op, and it might prompt the Co-Op to improve to compete. Competition is good for consumers, and in a competitive market, the customer is king. Let consumers vote with their dollars, not lobby the city council. —MatthewPearson

Less parking is a good thing. fewer parking spots = turn to alternative transportation = less traffic. PhilCameron

2006-10-15 22:29:44   Yesterday I saw a Trader Joe's coming soon sign on the kiosk in front of the old Food Fair —RobiPochapin

2006-10-15 23:36:53   I saw the same thing as Robi on Saturday. A sign at the small shopping cneter in West Davis. —JoAnnaRich

2006-10-16 04:16:50   I have also seen the same sign, though there is nothing posted on their site. —JamesKrause

2006-10-16 15:56:28   As of Mon. afternoon the official looking but fishy seeming sign has been removed from the kiosk at Westlake shopping center. I spoke with Steve at the Stonegate club and learned that the management of Westlake said something like "Huh?" when asked "what's up?". We'll just keep our fingers crossed here in the Far West —RobiPochapin

2007-03-20 08:32:43   Does anyone shop at Gottschalks? I thought not. That would be a great location for TJ's. —ScottWeintraub

2007-05-18 20:47:40   One of my coworkers was saying today that they're putting in a Trader Joes at the upcoming Target/Costco shopping center at the intersection of Rd 102/I-5 in Woodland. I tried to find details about it online but was unsuccessful. Could be he's wrong, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. —AlexPomeranz

2007-09-09 17:06:03   I love Trader Joe's. I'm tired of having to ride my motorcycle 18 miles just to go to the one in SAC. At least they don't treat their workers like slaves. —DavidHolcomb

2008-08-28 23:38:02   Another thing about TJ's that hasn't been noted is the fact that you can get basic stuff here for great prices. For example, the prices of butter, eggs, and cream at Trader Joes are almost half of what they are at Safeway. The same can be said of nuts and cheese. I can't wait until this comes in. —ascapoccia

2008-09-10 09:43:01   To request a Trader Joe's in Davis, go to: [WWW]http://traderjoes.com/contact_us_selection.html —GrenouilleD

2008-09-19 23:06:56   Shame I'm going to be gone when they finally open in Davis. I'd love to see someone give the Coop a run for its money. —SMCareBare

2008-12-12 21:09:08   I am allergic to soy and Trader Joe's is the only place I can find prepared, high quality, organic, fair trade foods that I can eat and afford. I don't believe that the Co-op will be threatened by TJ's any more than it's threatened by Safeway, etc.

This is a Wiki Spot wiki. Wiki Spot is a non-profit organization that helps communities collaborate via wikis.