Trader Joes-Asheville

[mustardgirl]

Any recent updates on trader Joes coming to the Asheville area?

[mustardgirl]

FYI
Going to the website of Trader Joes there is no mention of Asheville as a future opening

[carolinadawg]

So you don't think TJ is coming to A'ville?

[JKidd]

here's the official press release

http://www.ashvegas.com/trader-joes-official-press-release-trader-joes-to-open-asheville-store-located-at-120-merrimon-avenue

Trader Joe’s to Open Asheville Store Located at 120 Merrimon Avenue

The Store is Scheduled To Open in 2013

(July 12, 2012) Monrovia, CA - Trader Joe’s, a unique, neighborhood grocery store with foods and beverages from the exotic to the basic, has signed a lease to open a new store in Asheville located at 120 Merrimon Avenue. The store is scheduled to open in 2013 and is approximately 13,000 square feet in size.

The “Trader” in Trader Joe’s refers to the way the company blazed a distinct trail through the grocery industry, searching the world for great values and distinctive products. Store employees, dubbed “Crew Members,” consider themselves “traders on the culinary high seas.” Crew Members sport brightly colored Hawaiian-themed shirts, adding to the friendly and light-hearted air of the store.

Many area residents after the store opens can expect to receive a copy of the Trader Joe’s “Fearless Flyer” in their mailboxes. The Fearless Flyer is a somewhat irreverent description of a timely selection of Trader Joe’s products. It’s been called a cross between Consumer Reports and Mad Magazine. Each edition highlights a selection of Trader Joe’s products that the company buyers believe are worthy of customer interest, including comfort foods and items that are organic or have other special attributes.

Trader Joe’s carries an extensive array of domestic and imported foods and beverages including fresh baked artisan breads, Arabica bean coffees, international frozen entrées, 100% juices, fresh crop nuts, deli items, and vitamins and supplements, as well as the basics, like milk and eggs – all at honest, low prices.

Trader Joe’s is truly a grocery store unlike any other. Trader Joe’s is a “store of stories,” meaning every item in the store has its own virtues — high quality ingredients, great flavor or simply an extraordinary price — many items often feature all of those qualities. Another significant point of difference, all of Trader Joe’s prices are everyday prices. Trader Joe’s doesn’t have “sales” for a few days, only to hike the prices back up again. Their prices change only when their costs change — there are no fancy promotions, discount cards or couponing wars.

So how does Trader Joe’s offer unique groceries at prices everyone can afford? By offering more than 1000 items under the Trader Joe’s private label, which includes Trader José’s salsas, Trader Ming’s fried rice, Trader Giotto’s marinara sauces, in addition to specially purchased items.

Also, Trader Joe’s buys differently than other grocers – they purchase from manufacturers, not through distributors. They’ll take a brand name product, take out the preservatives and artificial colors and ingredients, and put it under their Trader Joe’s label to sell it at a real discount.

Trader Joe’s introduces approximately a dozen new items every week, heightening the store’s adventurous appeal. Our buyers travel around the world searching out unique products at great values. In order for an item to be sold in a Trader Joe’s store, it must pass the scrutiny of a discerning tasting panel. Thousands of items are tasted each year to find products that both appeal to the culinary adventurer and microwave aficionado.

###

Trader Joe’s is a chain of neighborhood grocery stores featuring high quality imported and domestic foods and beverages at honest, low prices. Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) began in 1958 in the Los Angeles area. Since then, Trader Joe’s has expanded to more than 370 stores in 33 states.

[mustardgirl]

No I am sure Tj's is coming to AVL
Just curious it has not mentioned on its Website under New Sores Coming

[Leepa]

They usually wait until it's closer to being a reality.

[JTomWilson]

This somewhat off the subject, but has anyone compared the products sold by Trader Joes with those in Aldi? Trader Joes is owned and operated by a branch of the Aldi stores from Germany while Aldi's in the US is owned and operated by the other branch of the Germany Aldis.

I've been meaning to check out Aldis as they, not surprisingly, also sell mostly their own branded product and are inexpensive, probably more so than TJ's.

Now that it looks as if Asheville is getting Trader Joes, it's time to start wishing for a Wegmens here! They have been the #1 grocery store in Consumer Reports rankings for a number of years and were just named as one of the top 16 cult images in the US. Ask anyone who moved from the Rochester, NY area out of Wegmens service area what they miss the most and it's invariably Wegmens. They're that good. Anytime we are in their area we have to make a pilgrimage to one of the stores.

[Leepa]

I'd bet that Asheville isn't on Wegman's radar, at least not in the near future. I think the closest one is in the VA suburbs of DC. Not exactly nearby for distribution purposes.

I agree that Wegman's is a good store. But most of the stuff I saw the times I went there can be had here.... just not all in one place.

[Staceyv]

I will always have a soft spot for wegmans and I'll always say that it's my favorite grocery store. But we're nowhere near the closest wegmans. I mean, one can dream, but that's quite a stretch.

[miss piggy]

Ashevegas blog is reporting today that they are confirmed (by unnamed local sources) to be going in on Merrimon near Greenlife and the new Harris Teeter.

[Jeff C.]

Holy moly! That's now the fourth (rumored) location.

[Leepa]

Just saw this on Facebook:

Benjamin Moore and NY Fashions confirm they have a deal with Trader Joe's on Merrimon Avenue. News 13's Frank Kracher will show you the paperwork tonight on News 13 on My40 at 10 p.m. and News 13 at 11 p.m.

[JTomWilson]

There is an article about it in today's online issue of the Asheville Citizen-Times. It says that La Caretta, Benjamin Moore and the small shopping center on the SW corner of Merrimon & Chesnut have all been purchased by "not named" and the tenants have all been given notice to move. There has been a permit request to the city to build a new 13,000 sq. ft.retail store on the location.

No comment from Trader Joes.

The traffic is bad enough around Greenlife now; it will be really great with 2 new, popular stores next door!

[Jeff C.]

True, but Merrimon is still a much better location than River Ridge.

[Leepa]

I'd be happy about that! But we'll have to wait a while if they're going in the same place as Harris Teeter. I can't think of any other place on Merrimon that would be suitable. There is site work going on at the lot that once was home to Complements to the Chef (boy, I miss that place!). That location is a bear to get out of if you're traveling north and I don't think the lot is big enough anyway.

[mustardgirl]

I was there Thursday - talked to the Manager and was told they lost the site most favorable
The empty store next( I forget was there before) to Marshall's on Airport Rd
Big Lots is taking the Space
Just what we need

[Windsor]

How sad! You would have thought the management company would have seen the regional draw of TJ over Big Lots.

[Leepa]

I had heard that as well which makes me think that the River Ridge rumor fits better than building a store from scratch out on Long Shoals. The space is about the same, with plenty of parking and even better access to the highway system than the Airport Road location.

I was also told to watch for a notice of the acquisition of a alcohol sales license in the local paper. But I don't recall ever seeing those posted. And I don't get the paper now anyway. Anyone want to keep an eye out for it?

[Leepa]

I've heard lately that an announcement will be coming very soon. The most common rumor is that it will be in the Biltmore Park area (hope not!) and there's another rumor that it will go in the former Kitchen and Company location at River Ridge once they move to the Riverbend location next to Michael's. It's this one that I'm hoping comes to fruition.

[Jeff C.]

I'll take either.

[meatn3]

The Kitchen & Co. space has much more footage than the TJ stores I have seen. Most times TJ's are smaller than Fresh Market. But they tend to use shopping centers that are a little past their prime, so it could happen!

[Leepa]

K&C started out in a smaller space and they increased their area by taking in adjacent space a couple of times, iirc. It would be simple for the shopping center to downsize the store for TJ's and make it into two or even three different store spaces again. They would have no trouble whatsoever in renting out space that is next door to a TJ's.... or at least I would assume so.

I went by K&C tonight with the idea of going in and asking them if they were moving. I didn't even have to get out of the car as their front windows were plastered with signs announcing their move to the space next to Michael's in August. So at least 1/2 of the rumor is true! Let's keep our fingers crossed for the second half to be true as well.

[meatn3]

I'd rather see them go in there than in S. Asheville. The K&C location is pretty accessible and it would give new life to the plaza. TJ's is going to shake up the grocery situation in Asheville quite a bit!

[Jeff C.]

Was in the Dunwoody section of Atlanta recently and spoke with a store manager there. He confirmed a store in the works for Greenville but said he had no knowledge of one being planned for Asheville. BUT...he added that this might change if/when Trader Joe's gets a distribution center in the southeast.

[JTomWilson]

Just looked yesterday at their website and it shows it as open at 59 Woodruff Industrial Lane in Greenville. It looks to be just off Woodruff Road before the I-85 entrance. Telephone # is 615 297-6560. Open from 8AM to 9 PM. Hope to get there this coming week.

[Zeisel]

It's been open for a while now. It was mobbed at first--but we were there yesterday (Saturday) and it was pretty empty. They don't know what they're missing by not being here. BTW--it's about an hour and 15 minute drive from downtown Asheville.

[Leepa]

I was there just yesterday, too, and was thinking it was past time they came to Asheville. Seeing this thread again at the top of the list almost gave me heart palpatations. : D

[Windsor]

The future Greenville location will be our best bet for now.

[Windsor]

While we wait, there is a TJ in the works in Greenville, SC.

[Leepa]

Where will it be?

[Jeff C.]

It's going to be on Woodruff Road near Target. Construction has already begun....

[Leepa]

Thanks, Jeff. Not surprising, but a bit disappointing given the nightmare traffic out there. But at least it's an hour or so closer.

[guinevere]

I ask about Asheville every time I go to TJ's in Charlotte or Durham. They have told me that we're in their five yr. plan. The latest I heard (about a month ago) was that they have someone in mind to manage an Asheville store but want him to get more experience. This is a based upon conversations with "crewmembers." Can't wait!

[mustardgirl]

just relocating to asheville from berkeley,ca and miss tj
life woulde be so grand if they came avl before i pass away

[julieswan]

I relocated to Asheville from Berkeley, CA three years ago and I miss TJ's more than I can say. Also Vietnamese food, but perhaps that need will soon be met.

[mustardgirl]

I also miss Grocery Outlet( like on 4th Street) both Amazing savings and Go here really suck

[Leepa]

Did you ever make it to the Black Mountain Amazing Savings store, mustardgirl? It really is much much better. Although I'm sure it's not up to CA standards....

[mustardgirl]

I did and it was much better than Dowtown Asheville but still most products were out of date

[Leepa]

I suppose you just have to look at what the item is to determine if the sell by date is a problem. Most sources that I have seen indicate that a lot of foods are fine used well after the sell by date. YMMV, of course.