Trader Joe's, the California-based specialty grocery chain with a fanatical following, will open the doors to its second Palm Beach County store on Friday, September 5, in Delray Beach. If you can't make it to the grand opening party, store captain Jeff Schall provided a special sneak peak at the new store so you can at least feel like you're a part of the festivities.
See also: Trader Joe's in Pembroke Pines Is Now Hiring
Schall, otherwise known as the store manager, comes to Delray Beach from Shoreview, Minnesota, and has been with the company for more than seven years. He and the store's team of employees, dubbed "crew members," will be wearing the brand's brightly colored Hawaiian-themed shirts, adding to the friendly and lighthearted air of the store.
Schall says area residents can expect to receive a copy of the Trader Joe's "Fearless Flyer" in their mailboxes after the store opens. It features descriptions of special store products the company believes are worthy of customer interest, from comfort foods to items that are organic or boast other special attributes. That includes the famous Charles Shaw wines that have acquired the popular "Two Buck Chuck" moniker for their exceptionally low prices.
Trader Joe's carries an extensive array of domestic and imported foods and beverages, including artisan breads, Arabica bean coffees, international frozen entrées, 100 percent juices, fresh crop nuts, deli items, vitamins, and more, as well as the basics, like milk and eggs -- and at low prices. Trader Joe's is truly a grocery store unlike any other. Because it only sources "high quality" products, the prices never change. In other words, Trader Joe's doesn't have sales -- no fancy promotions, discount cards, or couponing wars.
Trader Joe's opened its first Palm Beach County store in Wellington on May 16 at the corner of U.S. 441 and Stribling Way. The Delray Beach store, located in the new Delray Place shopping plaza at 1851 S. Federal Highway, will be opening just a few days before the third Palm Beach County location, in Palm Beach Gardens, opens September 19. Boca Raton is up next with a grand-opening date of October 10. Additional stores are being opened in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville Beach, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Winter Park. A location in Pembroke Pines will be the tenth Florida store scheduled to open in 2014.
The "neighborhood" grocery store will be a 10,000-square-foot space offering more than 3,000 items, including the store's beloved specialty domestic and imported foods, drinks, and fresh-baked items. Expect to find plenty of new and interesting items on Friday, including a new ice cream. The Delray store will feature samples of its famous cookie butter, in ice cream form.
As is Trader Joe's style, the Delray Beach store will feature one-of-a-kind decor geared toward the local community, including wall murals painted by staff that include themes like Pineapple Grove, the tennis complex, beach, and the Morikami Museum.
Trader Joe's buys differently from other grocers; it purchases from manufacturers, not through distributors. It'll take a brand-name product, take out the preservatives and artificial colors and ingredients, and put it under its Trader Joe's label to sell it at a real discount. Trader Joe's introduces about a dozen new items every week, heightening the store's adventurous appeal. Its buyers travel around the world searching for unique products at great values. 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 the microwave aficionado.
The grand opening kicks off at 8 a.m. Friday with an official opening party. The entire Trader Joe's crew will gather first thing in the morning for a ceremonial lei-cutting to welcome new customers, as is Trader Joe's style. The celebration will continue throughout the day with face painting, live music, food demonstrations and tastings, giveaways, and more. The store will be open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily.
The Delray Beach Trader Joe's store is located at 1851 S. Federal Highway in the Delray Place Shopping Center.
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