Trader Joe’s to Open New Store September 25th at The Square at West Windsor on Route 1
Posted on 21. Sep, 2009 by PNN Editor in Business, Events, Food
Trader Joe’s Grocery Store is set to open a 11,000 square foot store on September 25, 2009 in the Shops at West Windsor center on Route 1 North. Trader Joe’s, a privately-owned company based out of California, will join co-tenants Lowes, Fidelity Investments, Ethan Allen, Thomasville, Sleepy’s Mattress, and Pier One Imports at The Square at West Windsor.
A specialty grocery store, Trader Joe’s will carry a large selection from their private label, as well as everyday items such as dairy, produce, and meats, poultry and fish. Trader Joe’s sells many items from any of several of its own private labels. Such labels are quirkily named in accordance to the ethnicity of the food in question, such as Trader Jose’s (Mexican food), Trader Ming’s (Asian food), Baker Josef’s (bagels), Trader Giotto’s (Italian food), Trader Joe-San (Japanese food), Arabian Joe’s (Middle Eastern food), Pilgrim Joe’s (Seafood) JosephBrau (beer), Trader Johann’s (lip balm), Trader Jacques’ (imported French soaps), Joe’s Diner (certain frozen entrees), Joe’s Kids (children’s food), and Trader Darwin’s (vitamins). By selling almost all of its products under its own label, Trader Joe’s “skips the middle man” and buys directly from both local and international small-time vendors.
There are many videos on YouTube that celebrate, as well as parady Trader Joe’s. The following is a popular recent example…
Trader Joe’s is named after its founder, Joe Coulombe. The chain began in 1958 as a Greater Los Angeles area chain of “Pronto Market” convenience stores. The original Pronto Markets were similar to 7-Eleven stores, so similar that Coulombe felt that the competition with 7-Eleven would be ruinous. He is said to have developed the idea of the Trader Joe South Seas motif while on vacation in the Caribbean. He had noticed that Americans were traveling more and returning home with tastes for food and wine they had trouble satisfying in supermarkets of the time. The first store named “Trader Joe’s” opened its doors in Pasadena, California in 1967. This store, on Arroyo Parkway, remains in operation. In response to competition from 7-Eleven, the chain differentiated its stores’ offerings and doubled the floor space in 1967. In the first few decades of operation, some of the stores offered fresh meats provided by butchers who leased space in the stores. Trader Joe’s at one time had sandwich shops, freshly cut cheese, and fresh squeezed orange juice. Theo Albrecht bought the company in 1979. Coulombe was succeeded by John Shields in 1989. Shields retired in 2001, turning the reins over to Dan Bane. Shields still does consulting for the company.
For more info visit Trader Joe’s Website