Trader Joe's?!?
Fresh Market's is opening on South Beach, there are 3 different Publix's on South Beach, there's a Whole Foods and Epicure . . . So what is holding up Trader Joe's? I know it doesn't have to be South Beach but in the Miami area? Has anyone heard word of Trader Joe's coming here or anywhere in Florida? I know there's been rumors but the ones I know about are pretty old. So has anyone heard anything recent?
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Fresh Market
2640 S Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33133
South Beach Cafe
121 5th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
By sobeiam
on Jun 9, 2010 06:40 PM
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Well...we have Whole Foods...and Epicure....and Publix....and Fresh Market.......Why do we need a Trader Joe's??.......I've been in a Trader Joe's.....I liked it.........but with great stores like WF, EP, PX and FM - - - what's the NEED for a Trader Joe's??......Please enlighten.....
EMac
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The basic difference in my mind is that Trader Joes is first about value AND variety. All of those other options are about variety without a mind towards cost.
M
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For those who have not been to one in the N.E. or Cali, I describe Trader Joe's as a cross between Whole Foods and Costco. :-)
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I shopped in a Trader Joe's just outside of Boston.....liked it....enjoyed it.....but it wasn't THAT big of a deal.....The Fresh Market that I visit in The Grove and in Vero are much nicer and have a lot more to offer.....at least to my eye.......
EMac
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Fresh Market
18295 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami Beach, FL 33160
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I thinki TJ's is more like Whole Foods meets Big Lots.
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this has been discussed a lot on TJ fan club sites etc. Basically it does not sound too good right now.
Trader Joe’s says Florida not in plans
posted by bkassab on April, 28 2009 11:51 AM
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_thebottomline/2009/04/trader-joes-says-florida-not-in-plans.html
See also this site:
http://www.trackingtraderjoes.com/
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I just feel the competition is good for everyone plus I have heard very good things about it as an employer. I like making good choices that are based on value, products, convenience and ethical treatment of employees. I know I can't have everything but when I can I try to make a good choice all around. Plus, I like a good selection of natural and organic products. Epicure and Fresh Foods just don't cut it in those departments. I won't shop at Epicure because I have heard that it treats its employees very badly starting with no vacation. If I am wrong on the latter please enlighten me.
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I respect your viewpoint....competition is good....to a point......We have so many choices now.....another choice may make it tough to keep everyone afloat.....And that's when competition isn't so good......That's kind of what I refer to as the "Wal-Mart Way'.....and I don't shop there......I always encourage folks that like 'organic' or natural products to really look in to those......What those folks really mean to say is "organically sustainable"........but they're just not required to say that.....just yet.......
I think there are enough choices....but that's just MY opinion.......Party on!
Emac
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San Francisco has so many choices. Los Angeles has so many choices. Chicago has so many choices. Heck, Sacramento has so many choices. South Florida, my friend, does not have that many in comparison. And coincidentally what's one of the things those cities with many choices have in common? They've all got Trader Joe's.
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You're right, lax....Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco do have so many choices........And the common thread amongst those cities and adjoining metropolitan areas (populations wise) is that they're much LARGER than the combined areas of Dade-Broward.....and those consumer areas can support the wide array of choices........Income and disposable income are other issues to be looked at........
I liked Trader Joe's when I visited......Just not so sure this area would support another establishment like this......
Emac
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I agree and I knew that'd be the argument, that's why I threw in Sacramento (which, due to a fiancee with immediate family there, I "fortunately" get to travel to on a regular basis). The population of Sac and the surrounding areas is not more than that of MD/Broward yet they have a slew of quality chains specific to the area (Bel Air, Raley's, Nugget, etc.) as well as others with a more statewide presence (Safeway, Ralphs). Along with these there's national chains like Trader Joe's (been around since close to the inception), Whole Foods and local gourmet stores like Corti Bros.. So why does an area with a population nowhere near that of Dade/Broward have such a greater variety to choose from? No idea on that, but it demonstrates that this area is woefully underserved.
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south Fl is woefully under served - it was a great shock to me when I moved to Fl from England to find such awful produce and a poor choice of produce. Coming from London every Tescos, Sainsbury's and Waitrose have the most amazing display of produce, not just 1 type of pear but 6, probably 10 types of apples, great soft fruits, etc etc. All those supermarkets carry their own lines of ready cooked foods which are really good. Marks and Spencers a huge chain is unrivalled. Not to mention huge refridgerators full of cheeses, butters, great yoghurts, fab selections of meats, desserts, as well as all the trashy stuff.
I also think Publix is quite expensive - yes there is Walmart and Winn Dixie but ........... yep fine for canned goods, cereals and other regular groceries but south fl is lacking in the fine foods departments.
I don't know why we don't have better foods and produce here. An interesting discussion.
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having never been to a TJ could somebody please explain what they are all about?
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Lax...I haven't been to Sacramento....and know nothing about it......But as a generalization.....it takes disposable income (and alot of it) to shop at Whole Foods....Fresh Market of the like......And perhaps SAC has more of that than many areas of South Florida.....which aren't very affluent.......I hit Fresh Market in The Grove and in Vero Beach on a regular basis.......and one look at the cars in the parking lot.....tells you who shops at those kinds of grocery stores.......It's not the same folks that shop at Winn Dixie.......
I'm a Publix kind of guy.....but I'm a foodie and I hit the high end grocers once and sometimes twice per month.....I peruse the aisles and shelves closely.....always looking for something unusual or fun......Not sure if even I'm the 'typical' shopper for Whole Foods....Fresh Market.....and the like......And I'm blessed to make really decent money.......
Fun discussion......
EMac
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Fresh Market
2640 S Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33133
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That's the thing. The markets I mentioned above (Raley's, Bel Air, Nugget, Safeway and Ralph's) are all supermarket chains a la Publix. It's not about inexpensive vs. expensive out there, it's more about competition (believe me, the affluence factor is much higher in S FLA than Sac, believe me). Imagine a Publix that carried the full line of Columbus salumi products from San Francisco, that had a bakery and cheese section to rival Epicure's, but that you could also buy Clorox and Doritos and that'd be Nugget. Imagine a Publix where you could get grilled tri-tip sandwiches and hard-to-find regional bottled sodas and that'd be Bel Air. Their prices are comparable, and many times cheaper, than Publix.
I'm saying that even in the middle market grocery store category we're woefully underserved in what is pretty much a Publix monopoly. We've got the high end covered (me personally, I like Fresh Market over WF just because it's much less preachy (sp)). But for everyday shopping, I know it's possible to have more choices, I just don't know what spell Publix cast over the throngs of Floridians to make them accept just one mediocre chain.
Agree, fun discussion.
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Fresh Market
2640 S Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33133
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I have been reading this board for several years, but almost never post... but this topic is particularily interesting to me.
I don't know why there is such a lack of choice is SFl, but I certainly noticed that it exists. Is there some connection between the lack of a large urban farmers market (not farmstand market or resale market, but one with people who grow the unprocessed food that they sell) and the lack of Trader Joes?
It feels pretty crazy that St. Louis, MO and Columbus, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan all have large urban markets and TJ but we don't.
m
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Don't think the lack of market has anything to do with it. When I lived in DC a lot of TJ's produce (I remember basil and tomatoes specifically) were from FL (and cheaper than what Publix would sell for!) so I guess they source where they can get a good price.
As for locations, I believe one of the metrics TJs looks at when opening a store is % of college graduates surrounding a given location. Thus the TJ's in Columbus and Raleigh-Durham, both small metro areas but w/ a large number of college grads.
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I visited my first Trader Joe's last year while I vacationed in Santa Fe ,New Mexico. Honestly, it was very nice but I couldn't see what all of the excitement was about. Maybe it was this particular store, but It just didn't ring my bell. I will spend a few dollars more here in Palm Beach countyat Publix that I feel I am getting top knotch food and service. Winn-Dixie will probably save me a few bucks but the quality isn't always there. As for steaks, I think Costco is the best for the price.
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I just read that Walmart are looking for more PBC sites to build superstores and that Aldi is finally going to get going in So Fl. I have not been in an Aldi though they do have them in the UK - I think it's a pile em high sell em cheap kinda store.
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Aldi is known in the grocery industry as a limited assortment discounter. They carry maybe 2500 products, compared with say 60,000 in a Publix, and stores are accordingly small. Almost all of their products are private label, and the price of each item is generally the lowest in that market area. Interestingly, Aldi owns Trader Joe's in the US, and many of the same suppliers of private label to Aldi are suppliers to TJ. Some of their products are incredible bargains, others are just the cheapest possible product without much regard to quality. Whatever individual products they decide to sell, they will sell a ton of it, sometimes more than even Walmart (worldwide!). Aldi dominates the grocery scene in German and some other European markets, and has been rapidly growing their presence in the US. This is not a specialty food store - just commodities at ridiculously low prices. They also carry weekly general merchandise specials, usually seasonal stuff, that are pretty good bargains. I have had my best luck with their produce; some of their packaged foods - even grated cheeses, packaged meats, and the like - are not of very high quality compared with even store brands.
4ZFood
www.4zfood.com
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You also have to bag yourself and rent shopping carts. Major no frills kind of place. I didn't see the Atlanta store doing well when I lived there.
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I think the issue comes down to different tastes. Sorry if that sounds really snotty/snobby but I can go into a low income, not dirt poor mind you, neighborhood in NYC and have a better selection of foods - organic/regular/ethnic than here. And I believe it is a con job by Publix if you think its cheaper than other stores. As noted above that TJ sells basil from FL cheaper in DC than Publix does down here. Yes, I think Publix's brand is cheaper but unless I was on welfare I would never do that. After starting to read labels I am really clear about what I do and don't want in my foods. I try to buy whats on sale at Whole Foods or the store brand, shop at Costco or trek to farmers markets such as the one in Hollywood- I will NEVER shop at Wal-Mart. Costco pays its employees the highest in the industry, has very low turnover and gives decent bennies. I really try to be careful about who gets my dollar these days. I never shop at Fresh Markets - I don't consider that a foodie store. It has very limited selection and is very expensive. You would think with what they were charging they'd offer a better selection or choice re: organic, grass fed/sustainable products I hear Whole Foods is opening another store eventually so there must be a market for the stuff. Whole Foods is in several areas in Florida as is Fresh Markets. I don't think it just boils down to money.
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Fresh Market
2640 S Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33133
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(almost) Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trader Joe's.
Including why no FL stores...
http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/20/news/...
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Great article. Thanks for sharing.
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So the German management finds us too dumb and can't get stuff to us. It's enough to make one want to relocate.
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How about Wegman's in Fl.........
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"To pick their next locales, employees look at demographics such as education level. In the past they've even looked at who's subscribing to high-end food and cooking magazines as a way of divining where the epicures are."
This really ticks me off. If you look at some of their other locations, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana? Really? And not south Florida?
And the distribution thing - all the other high end chains manage to get food to us, we're not in some 3rd world country or anything.
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We do have the largest foreign born population of any city in the country, and many of our Spanish speaking brothers and sisters prefer Sedano's and El Presidente to anything we have mentioned. Maybe that's part of their calculation.
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Yes I can give you that, but there are the cities of Ft. Lauderdale, Boca, Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, and Jax. We're not a foodie wasteland! lol
WAKE UP TJ!!
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I work for a commercial real estate developer and we own several properties in south florida. About 6 months ago, we were in talks with Trader Joe's to redevelop one of our properties in Miami Beach and add a Trader Joe's, so I can say first hand that they are definitely exploring the possibility of opening stores in South Florida. Unfortunately, the economics didn't work at that locaton.
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Please keep trying.
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as I have posted before make sure you submit a location request on the website
maybe that will help speed the process
http://www.traderjoes.com/about/locat...
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soooooo now that Aldi's has moved into Lauderdale Lakes, are my chances greater of seeing a TJs i my future? I sure hope so.
I just loaded up on non perishables for my move next week, would much rather buy local then fill my bag with "just Bananas".
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I think many of you are missing the point here. South Florida is home to RETIREES! I have never been in a group of them where the topic of converstaion was ever where they found the highest quality of anything. Much more likely to be where the found the CHEAPEST...
In response to Taiga's comment "So the German management finds us too dumb and can't get stuff to us. It's enough to make one want to relocate." Are you forgetting why we live in So FL? It is not for the high standards of cuisine and food...it is for the sunshine! Otherwise we would surely live somewhere else...maybe somewhere with a Trader Joes. Although I visited them when I lived in Boston and never found them so special to be worthy of this level of lobbying.
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Funny...the first and only Trader Joe's that I was ever in was in the Boston area....Really liked it alot...alot of cool stuff....But I'm with you...as much as I liked it....I'm just fine with Fresh Market....and don't think we need more competition in this area....Would like to see Fresh Market do well...prosper.....stick around....and maintain what I think is a great concept.....If you don't like what they offer....don't go!....If you don't like their prices...again...don't go!.....There's a place for Fresh Market......
EMac66
Ft. Pierce, FL
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Fresh Market
18295 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami Beach, FL 33160
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I do not understand how fresh maket would be compettion for trader joes. TJs only stocks their own products, its their own specific stuff i will be missing. it wouldnt stop me from patroinzing FM, just add to the varity of SoFla eats!
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"VaughnRmnE "not for the high standards of cuisine and food"
if you really believe that, maybe you are "missing the point" of these boards
SoFla is not only a place of the retired...
And TJ's is cheap and high quality, thats what makes it great!
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I was just driving on Hillsboro Blvd west of Jog and saw an Aldi's and was wondering what the heck it was. Glad I read this thread again.
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I grew up in Pasadena, CA (where Trader Joe's first opened) and it is one of the 2 stores I miss the most (the other is Cost Plus World Market). TJ's has really great prices (like $3.99 for 13oz of Joe's Dark Roast coffee - which is very tasty I might add) and a wonderful variety of foods. Like someone else posted - it's their specific brands that I miss - but then again, I've been eating Trader Joe's food for the better part of my life. Funny, I just came back from L.A. 3 days ago and my friends really tripped out when I told them there are any Trader Joe's in Miami - they couldn't imagine not having one nearby.
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World Market and Cafe
1328 S Federal Hwy, Hollywood, FL 33020
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Pouting BIG time. Just read Trader Joe's is opening their first Texas location soon in the Dallas area. So they ARE breaking into new territory - just not here in Florida YET! Our Tampa Bay area has many upscale stores...certainly it would warrant a TJ's, as well as at least 5 other FL Metro areas! Well - a girl can dream.....or take a road trip with several coolers!
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I also read that In-N-Out is moving to Texas. Hopefully Florida will follow suit in both regards. I suppose I could always move to Texas!
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When I wrote this it was only a dream, but pigs CAN fly and wishes do come true! Yay for TJ's FINALLY opening in Florida soon in Naples. After that, bet there will be more Florida locations - but for now - Naples is going to be a foodie destination for thousands of Floridians!
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yes, they are here in South Florida but not on the east coast. One being built in Naples. Good news though... I am sure they will be on their way soon.
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