Trader Joe's to Greensboro?

[chemprof]

The Fresh Market in Quaker Village is moving to new fancy (huge!) digs in Jefferson Village a few miles away on 6/27/07 (for those of you familar with Greensboro, it's the old JP Park property on New Garden Rd). It's leaving a hole, I think, a perfectly Trader Joe's sized hole in Quaker Village. Today's News and Record has a story hinting about what might be headed into that space:

"We have some ongoing negotiations that we can’t really talk about," said Cindy Hatzisavvas, regional vice president for the Alabama-based real estate investment trust that owns Colonial Shoppes.

"You could, perhaps, see something of a more similar concept, more a gourmet-type grocery store," she said.

Hatzisavvas would not comment on rumors that retailers including Trader Joe’s are scouting the space, which is a little less than 20,000 square feet and much too small for a mainstream grocer.

Keeping my fingers crossed....!!!

Anne

[Marneuse]

I'll second that crossing!!!

[Malawry]

Anne, I hope you report back on the two new locations for the Fresh Market when they open (in addition to the Trader Joe's rumors). My parents are dying for a TJs and drive to the Triangle area sometimes to stock up.

[phlawless]

I have to say, and I know I'm going to get a bit of hell for this...but what is so great about Trader Joe's???!!!??? I've been a couple of times now, and I am not blown over.

The produce is pretty abysmal, no real selection for meat/fish and I wasn't impressed with the cheese.

What is all the fuss about?

[chemprof]

I have to say, and I know I'm going to get a bit of hell for this...but what is so great about Trader Joe's???!!!??? I've been a couple of times now, and I am not blown over.

The produce is pretty abysmal, no real selection for meat/fish and I wasn't impressed with the cheese.

What is all the fuss about?

←

No worries, phlawless, to each his own. I like the dried fruits, nuts (especially pine nuts), snacks, wines, and I'd like to have a chance to play around with some of the prepared frozen stuff (hard to do when you live 100+ miles away from the closest one). I haven't had too much of a chance to try the produce or prepared foods for the same reason, though in the Trader Joe's I've been in (SoCal and DC) they looked pretty good. There always seems to be something fun and different in there to try, and I don't have to commit to a 55-gallon drum of it like I might have to at Costco!

I'd also like to have them move into the space I discussed in my original post because it's walking distance from the place I work, and it's been nice to be able to go to the Fresh Market and pick up a quick, relatively healthy lunch or dinner. I'm not sure about the new trend in mega-Fresh Markets....I've grown up with the ones in this area (Piedmont Triad), and I think of them as tiny little stores, and I kind of liked that!

Anne

[Malkavian]

Charlotte's getting one too it seems; I'm interested, but not head over heels (maybe cause I've never been in one? )

[chemprof]

Ah, well, move along, nothing to see here...

From todays News and Record

A no-go from Trader Joe’s

Sorry, Greensboro.

You’re not in our two-year plan. And neither is Winston-Salem or High Point.

That’s the word from Alison Mochizuki, a spokeswoman for specialty grocer Trader Joe’s.

Rumors have been flying that the retailer, which has popped up in Cary and Charlotte, might be looking here — particularly now that Fresh Market is leaving a prime space at the Colonial Shoppes at Quaker Village near Guilford College. But the Triad isn’t on the private company’s list right now, Mochizuki said last week.

I wonder what is going to go in there. It'll be quite a hole in Quaker Village.

Anne

[BDM]

Anne, I hope you report back on the two new locations for the Fresh Market when they open (in addition to the Trader Joe's rumors). My parents are dying for a TJs and drive to the Triangle area sometimes to stock up.

←

Oh come on. . . we all know we just can't wait to buy the "2-Buck Chuck"! It's amazing how many people buy that stuff, insist it's great but would rather drink tap water at a party than Franzia box wine.